Ontario opened applications for two streams under its Employer Job Offer category, yesterday. After experiencing technical difficulties and a short application period, both streams have reached their intake limit and have been closed.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Employer Job Offer category allows immigrants with a job offer to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence. They can apply in Canada or from abroad, as long as they have been hired for a permanent position with an Ontario employer.

On March 3, the OINP released a statement opening up applications to the International Student Stream. Intake was quickly paused due to “technical issues,” according to the OINP webpage.

It was later re-opened along with the Foreign Worker Stream, but shortly after applications to both streams had reached their intake limits and were closed.

The OINP said they received 1,322 successful registrations during the application intake window. Those who were successfully registered and received a file number have 14 days to submit an application, which takes about three hours on the OINP web portal.

“Demand for the streams was extremely high, so not all who wished to register were able to do so,” a representative from the OINP wrote CIC News in an email. “The OINP will continue to monitor intake of applications across all streams to determine when the Employer Job Offer: International Student and Foreign Worker streams will reopen in 2020.”

For now, applications to these two streams remain closed until further notice.

Applications are open to those who are eligible for the In-Demand Skills Stream under Ontario’s Employer Job Offer category.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

Immigrating to work in Ontario

There are three streams under Ontario’s Employer Job Offer category:

• Foreign Worker Stream, where applicants need a job offer in a skilled occupation with a National Occupation Classification (NOC) code type 0, A, or B.
• International Student Stream, where eligible international student graduates require a job offer in a skilled occupation.
• In-Demand Skills Stream, for international workers who have job offers in certain in-demand occupations.

However, the Employer Job Offer category is not the only option for foreigners who want to immigrate to Ontario.

The OINP Human Capital Category does not necessarily require candidates to have a job offer in the province. It includes sub-categories for both international student graduates and foreign workers.

Workers who are eligible for a federal Express Entry-managed program may be able to immigrate to Ontario through one of three streams:

• Ontario Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities Stream, a pathway for candidates who qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Worker Program. They must also meet certain work experience, study, and language requirements.
• Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, bilingual candidates with skilled work experience may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination under this stream.
• Ontario Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream, for candidates in the Federal Skilled Trades Program who have ongoing or recent experience working in the province.

Ontario’s International Graduate Streams include options for Masters and PhD graduates.

• Masters Graduate Stream, international students who graduated with a master’s degree from an eligible Ontario institution may be able to apply for immigration to the province without a job offer. This stream is currently not accepting applications.
• PhD Graduate Stream, those who obtained their PhD from an eligible Ontario university may be eligible for a provincial nomination without a job offer. Applications are currently open for this stream.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

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