Ontario’s provincial government has outlined a two-phased strategy to revamp the process of selecting nominees for permanent residency.
In the first phase, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) plans to merge its three ‘Employer: Job Offer streams’ into a unified stream.
Phase two will involve discontinuing all existing streams and introducing three new streams:
- A priority healthcare stream.
- An entrepreneur stream.
- An exceptional talent stream.
The OINP is currently seeking input from stakeholders on these proposed changes.
The province has not disclosed its plans for handling ongoing applications under the current streams during the implementation of phase two.
Phase 1: New Employer Job Offer Stream
The new Employer Job Offer stream would consist of two pathways: one for NOC TEER 0-3 level occupations and another for TEER 4-5 occupations.
TEER 0-3 Pathway
This pathway targets skilled workers, giving preference to candidates already in Canada with advanced qualifications. Eligibility criteria include wage, work experience, and education requirements.
Job Offer Wage
The job offer must meet the median wage for the occupation in Ontario. Recent graduates from eligible Ontario institutions may qualify with a low-wage job offer.
Work Experience
Applicants must meet specific work experience criteria, including at least 6 months of work in Ontario with the same employer in the job offer NOC.
Education
Post-secondary credentials are required, unless the applicant has 6 months of work experience in the job offer occupation in Ontario.
Employer Job Offer – TEER 4-5 Track
This track supports employers in roles that typically require a high school diploma or on-the-job training and are experiencing shortages in frontline, service, manufacturing, and support occupations.
Key features of this track include eligibility across all TEER 4 and 5 NOCs, targeted draws based on labour market needs, and a minimum language requirement.