ABOUT ONTARIO
Capital: Toronto
Largest City: Toronto
Population: 15,996,989 (Source: Statistics Canada, Q2 2024)
Official Language: English
Industry: Manufacturing, Construction, Service, Food Processing, Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Technology, Mining
Tourist Attractions: Toronto Downtown, Thousand Islands, CN Tower,Niagara Falls, Blue Mountain, Muskoka, Pukaskwa National Park, Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, James Bay Frontier, Quetico Provincial Park, Lake of the Woods, Manitoulin Island, Sleeping Giant
Education: There are over 4800 public elementary and secondary schools, More than 600 career colleges, 24 colleges and 22 universities in Ontario.
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM
The main objectives of the OINP are to respond to skill shortages in targeted areas, make it easier to invest in Ontario, and make sure newcomers can settle and integrate well in the province. Some Ontario immigration streams are base streams and others are enhanced streams. Enhanced streams are those that are aligned with the Express Entry system. Base streams are streams that are not aligned with the Express Entry systems.
There are 3 main streams to immigrate to Ontario
STREAM 1: HUMAN CAPITAL CATEGORY
The following programs come under human capital category
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Human Capital Priorities
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Skills Trades
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French Speaking Skilled Workers
​
The following are the minimum general requirements needed to be eligible through one of the streams under the Human Capital Category:
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Must have enough funds to support yourself and your family
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Must intend to live in Ontario
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Must meet the additional requirements for the stream you are applying for, set out below:
BELOW ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
CATEGORY | IS A JOB OFFER REQUIRED? | EXPRESS ENTRY ALIGNED? | ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS |
---|---|---|---|
Human Capital Priorities Stream
No
Yes
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Must have a valid Express Entry profile.
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Must have at least one year of full-time paid work experience.
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Must have a bachelor’s, masters or PhD degree.
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Language requirement: CLB level 7 or higher (English or French)
French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
No
Yes
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Must have valid Express Entry profile
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Must have at least one year of full-time paid work experience
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Must have a bachelor’s, masters or PhD degree
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Language requirement: CLB level 7 or higher (French).
Skilled Trades Stream
No
Yes
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Must have valid Express Entry profile
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Must have at least one year of full-time paid work experience
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Must have a valid certificate or license (if applicable)
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Must be currently living in Ontario and hold a valid work permit at the time of application
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Language requirement: CLB level 5 or higher (English or French)
STREAM 2: EMPLOYER JOB OFFER CATEGORY
The following three programs exist under the Employer Job Offer Category
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Foreign worker stream: for skilled workers
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International students: for recent graduates of Ontario post-secondary institutions
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In-demand skills stream: for intermediate skilled workers in certain sectors, such as agriculture, construction, trucking and personal support workers
​Following are the minimum general requirement needed to be eligible through one of the streams under the Employer Job Offer Category:
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Must have a full-time, permanent job offer in an eligible occupation in Ontario
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Must have work experience, license or other authorization that is required to perform the job
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Must intend to live in Ontario
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Employers must meet additional requirements (business, revenue, employment)
BELOW ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
CATEGORY | IS A JOB OFFER REQUIRED? | ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS |
---|---|---|
Foreign Worker Stream
No
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Must have two years of work experience if occupation does not require license or other authorization
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Pay must be higher than the median wage level for that occupation in Ontario
In-Demand Skills Stream
Yes
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Job must be in an in-demand occupation
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Must have nine months of work experience
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Language requirement: CLB 4 or higher (English or French)
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Must have a high school diploma
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Pay must be higher than the median wage level for that occupation in Ontario
Skilled Trades Stream
Yes
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Pay must be higher than the low wage level for that occupation in Ontario
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Must have a two-year degree or diploma from a Canadian institution.
STREAM 3: BUSINESS CATEGORY
The Business Category is for those who wish to start a business or buy an existing business in Ontario. There is currently only one stream under the Business Category - Entrepreneur Stream.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
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Must have business experience of 24 months in the last 60 months
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Must have a net worth of CAD $800,000 if the business will be located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) OR CAD $400,000 if the business will be located outside the GTA
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Must make a minimum personal investment of CAD $600,000 if the business will be located in the GTA OR CAD $200,000 if the business will be located outside the GTA
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Must control at least one-third of the equity in the business.
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Must be actively involved in the management of the business
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The main purpose of investing must be to make profit
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Must create at least two permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, if the business will be in GTA, OR one permanent full-time job if the business will be outside the GTA. If the business is in the information and communications sector, or digital communications sector, only one full-time job is required, regardless of location.
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Must meet additional requirements if you are purchasing an existing business.