In addition to all federal permanent residence immigration programs (including the business, economic, and family classes), each province currently runs its own provincial nomination program. [In the case of Quebec, there is a selection program, which is separate from the discussion herein.] The number of allowable nominations per province per year is set by agreement between each province and the federal government. In effect, therefore, each province has a quota on the number of applicants it can nominate per year. Within each nomination program there can also be breakdowns of categories of applications that will be accepted, for instance, skilled workers, international graduates, and business applicants.
In the case of Ontario, a province with high demand, the quotas for the various categories of provincial nomination often fill quickly. Ontario’s program is often referred to as the OINP – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. Indeed, Many prospective applicants in various categories of the OINP have been ineligible to submit applications under the Ontario program since early 2016. Specifically, the OINP has not been accepting applications in the following categories:
- the International Masters Graduate Stream,
- Students who obtained a Master’s Degree in Ontario may apply for nomination without the need for a job offer
- the International PhD Graduate Stream, and
- Students who obtained a PhD in Ontario may apply for nomination without the need for a job offer
- the Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream.
- The OINP scans the federal Express Entry Permanent Residence Application pool, and selects applicants that it feels meet its selection criteria (based on age, education, work experience, etc.), and who have indicated Ontario (or ‘any province’) as the province of destination. It may then send the applicant a Notice of Interest, and the applicant may proceed to submit an application under this stream of the OINP.
Effective today, February 21, these specific programs are again accepting applications. Further information can also be found at the Ontario government`s web site at: http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/pnp/OI_PNPNEW.html.
If this is something that may be of value to an applicant or an organization hoping to secure permanent residence for a specific applicant, it would be prudent to take any necessary actions forthwith, before the quotas fill again.
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.