Imagine a place where you’re treated like family. A place that’s as beautiful and safe as it is exciting and surprising. No place is perfect, but there’s a place like that in Ontario.The Ontario nominee program is the most popular program for a reason. It is one of the easiest ways to immigrate to Canada and bring family members with you.
Streams
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is an immigration program that allows the province of Ontario to nominate eligible foreign nationals who want to immigrate to Canada. The OINP has the following streams:
The employer job offer stream is for foreign workers who have been offered a permanent full-time job with a Canadian employer who can demonstrate that they cannot find Canadians or permanent residents to fill the position.
The international student stream is for international students who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution with at least one year of work experience in their field of study.
The in-demand skills stream is for individuals with specific skills sets identified by Ontario employers as being in high demand.
The Masters Graduate stream is for applicants who have completed a master’s degree program at a publicly funded university in Ontario and who meet certain requirements.
The PhD Graduate stream is for applicants who have completed a PhD at a publicly funded university in Ontario and who meet certain requirements.
The entrepreneur stream allows foreign nationals with business ideas to establish an innovative start-up company in Ontario through self-employment if they cannot find employment immediately after arriving in Canada as part of their application under this stream of the OINP.
Eligibility Criteria
It is important to note that the ONP has two separate streams: one for entrepreneurs and the other for skilled workers. The criteria for each stream are different, but both require a skilled worker applicant to have a job offer from an employer in Ontario.
The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration website has a full list of all eligibility criteria, which are outlined below.
The key requirements of these streams include:
- A minimum language proficiency level in English or French (if you’re applying under the entrepreneur stream).
- A clean criminal record check.
Processing Time
The Ontario nominee program offers a streamlined application process for skilled workers and their families seeking permanent residency in Canada from countries that have a Canadian trade agreement. It’s known as one of the most efficient immigration programs in Canada, with an average processing time of about three months.
Thousands of people pursue this program every year because it allows them to both get away from their current life and make a new home for themselves. Maybe you want to start a new life that offers you a fiscal opportunity or maybe you want to reunite with family? Perhaps it is just not possible in your home country after being displaced by natural disasters. Whatever the case may be, there are numerous positive reasons for immigrating to Canada that you should investigate.