Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) Points Calculator

Ontario is the most populous province of the country with 38.3% of Canada’s total population living in the province. Canada’s capital – Ottawa and Toronto- is located in the Ontario province. Ontario is the economic, social, and political heartland of Canada. 

Like any other provinces, Ontario also has its own provincial nomination program – Ontario Immigration Nomination Program. It is the easiest way to immigrate to the province. There are mainly two ways you immigrate to the province. First, is that you directly approach the provincial immigration office and create a profile on Ontario’s immigration website. The second way is via the express entry program. You have to show Expression of Interest (EOI) in your express profile and then select Ontario as the province you want to immigrate to. In both ways, after getting a provincial nomination program 600 points are awarded to your profile. These many points will ensure that the candidate is able to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for applying for a permanent residence visa. 

Following is the list of the eligibility criteria that need to be fulfilled in order to apply under this program:

There are streams under OINP to facilitate the immigrants such that they can choose the one that is more compatible with their skill sets. Those streams are as follows:

Ontario Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities Stream

This stream allows Ontario immigration to nominate the highly skilled immigrants who have required education, work experience, language ability that are in demand in Ontario’s labor market.

Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

This stream is for French-speaking immigrants who have strong English language abilities and who want to live and work in the province.

Foreign Workers with a Job-Offer Stream

This stream is for tradespersons with ongoing or recent experience of working in the province.

International Students with a Job-offer Stream

This stream is for students with job-offers in the province.  The stream was created to help employers to recruit international students.

International Students- Masters Graduate Stream

For international students who have graduated with a Master’s degree from an Ontario university. Job-offer is not mandatory.

International Students- Ph.D. Graduate Stream

For international students who have graduated with a Ph.D. program from an Ontario university. Job-offer is not mandatory.

For candidates who are looking to implement a new business initiative or buy an existing business in the province. If the applicant is selected, they will get a temporary work permit letter-based on a performance agreement- to establish the business in Ontario. When the applicant has achieved what they have adhered to in performance agreement they will be able to apply for permanent residency status. 

For the international companies that are looking to expand into the province or buy a business, this stream was introduced. Once the business is successfully established, key staff will be able eligible for a provincial nomination which in turn will help in getting the permanent residence visa.

As discussed above in the requirements to be eligible for OINP, the candidate is required to score the minimum CRS score that is determined by the provincial immigration authority. CRS is used by the federal government’s Express Entry program to rank the profiles of the candidates who have applied for Canada PR Visa in the express entry pool. Following table illustrates how points are awarded in CRS Calculator:

Maximum CRS points when moving to Canada with a spouse/common-law partner

Maximum CRS points when moving to Canada without a spouse/common-law partner

The number one benefit is that an enormous amount of time is saved in the immigration application process. OINP makes a decision within 60 days. In many cases, applicants are able to receive work permits in 6 months’ time.

Another major benefit is that it does not need candidates to take language proficiency examination when applying for provincial nomination program. The last benefit is that OINP allows the applicants to leave the province during the application process.  Since the candidate has shown that they have serious intention to start leaving and working in the province after their permanent residence is obtained, they are allowed to move freely in Canada.