Ontario issues new invitations through Express Entry-aligned French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

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Ontario issued new invitations to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence to Express Entry candidates with eligible French-speaking abilities in a draw held May 22.

The 360 invitations were issued through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)'s French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, which is one of three Ontario immigration pathways aligned with the federal Express Entry system.

The Express Entry system is Canada's main source of skilled foreign labour and manages the pool of candidates for the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.

The French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream allows the OINP to search the Express Entry pool for Federal Skilled Worker Class and Canadian Experience Class candidates who meet its French and English proficiency requirements, among other selection criteria.

Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, effectively guaranteeing an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence from the Government of Canada.

Ontario's French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream does not require a job offer in Ontario nor does it require a minimum CRS score in order to be eligible.

Candidates, however, must be able to understand, read, write and speak French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 and have a CLB of 6 in those same four abilities in English, among other criteria.

The May 22 draw was the sixth conducted through the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream this year and the first since February 7.

A total of 549 invitations have now been issued through the stream this year.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs