Important Updates on Ontario Immigration Nominee Program

Note: The following information is provided in Ontario Government’s Website. As of May 9, 2016, the Government of Ontario stopped accepting applications under several categories of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). People who wish to apply to immigrate to Canada under the OINP program are encouraged to consult with the Law Office of Jeff J. Li to discuss their options.

May 9, 2016

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

As a result of changes Ontario has made to more closely align the streams of the program with the needs of its labour market, the province has already received the sufficient number of OINP applications to meet its 2016 federal allocation. This is further proof that Ontario remains a very sought after destination for highly-skilled workers.

Following the lead of other jurisdictions, Ontario has made the responsible decision to place a temporary pause on the intake of applications for select, high-volume OINP streams. Other provinces have also done this in the past after fully maximizing their allotments. It’s important to note that lower-volume streams of the OINP and other options continue to be available.

  • Ontario stopped sending Notifications of Interest (NOIs) for the OINP Human Capital Priorities (Express Entry) stream effective February 16, 2016.
  • Ontario temporarily paused the intake of new applications for the following select, high-volume OINP streams effective 5 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2016:
    • Employer Pre-screen
    • International Student – Masters Graduate stream
    • International Student – PhD Graduate stream
  • All applications for the Employer Pre-screen and International Students (Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate) streams sent after 5 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2016 will not be processed and will be returned to the applicant along with the unprocessed payment.
  • The OINP will continue to accept applications from Foreign Worker and International Student with a Job Offer applicants as Employer Pre-screen applications are assessed. Only those Foreign Worker and International Student with a Job Offer applicants whose job offer has been approved through the Employer Pre-screen application process may apply to the OINPThese applicants will have 60 days from the date of the Employer Pre-screen approval letter to apply to either of these streams.
  • The OINP continues to accept and process applications for the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream and the Corporate stream. The OINP also continues to accept Expressions of Interest for the Entrepreneur stream.
  • Ontario remains a top destination for workers and their families from all over the world.
  • Ontario anticipates that it will receive its 2017 nomination allocation from the federal government before the end of November 2016, and the province expects to be in a position to accept applications for some streams in six months.
  • Given the positive effect of the program on Ontario’s economy, the province continues to engage the federal government on nominee numbers.

 

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