Ontario is the crown jewel in the Canadian landscape. This gigantic province, located in east-central Canada, is home the country’s largest city, Toronto, the national capital, Ottawa, and a host of other cities, towns, and communities that have welcomed newcomers from around the world for many decades.

Approximately 40 percent of Canadians live in Ontario, and the province is home to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, as well as Toronto, the country’s largest city and primary business and financial center. Ontario is the economic, social, and political heartland of Canada, and is by far the most popular destination in Canada for new immigrants from around the world. The most multicultural province in Canada, approximately half of the country’s new immigrants settlement in Ontario, and the province include people from 200 different countries that speak more than 125 languages.

The easiest way to immigrate to Ontario is with a provincial nomination under the Canada Express Entry online immigration system. The province of Ontario operates the OINP in partnership with the federal immigration department, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Interested candidates must follow a two-stage process: apply for a nomination to the provincial government, and then, if nominated, apply for permanent residence to the federal government.

OINP categories:

◾ General Category

◾ International Students Category

◾ Corporate Category

◾ Entrepreneur Category

◾ Human Capital Priorities

◾ French-Speaking Skilled Worker Category

Applicants must meet several requirements in order to be eligible as a foreign worker under the Provincial Nominee Program Ontario General Category:
Must have two years of work experience, within the past five years, in their intended occupation. Or, if applying for a regulated occupation in Ontario, must have the appropriate registration in the province. Work experience only counts if it was paid and verifiable. It can be obtained in Canada or abroad. Volunteer and other unpaid experiences do not count. Work experience in Canada will only count if there is proper work authorization.

Must have a permanent, full-time job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC levels 0, A, or B) from an Ontario employer. The employer must also submit an application that must first be approved by Opportunities Ontario. It must remain valid at the time the employee’s application is approved.
Must have legal status if living in Canada during application. Refugee claimants and asylum seekers are not eligible for the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program.
“Joint Verification” form signed by the employer is required. A “Pre-Screen Position” form is also required. Employers must also meet a wide range of requirements to be eligible under the General Category of the Ontario Nominee Program.