Human Capital Category Ontario
The very first way in which an applicant becomes eligible for the OINP, under the Human Capital Priorities Stream, is that they have to qualify for the federal Express Entry pool either under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class. They can’t apply directly. They will have to get a Notification of Interest, or NOI, from the OINP. Based on its specific criteria and its CRS score, the OINP picks candidates from the pool. Invited candidates have 45 days since they receive the invitation to apply online to the OINP. Successful applicants will be issued a nomination to apply for permanent residence at IRCC. The minimum CRS score for this stream varies with each draw.
Minimum eligibility requirements
As a component of the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream, an applicant must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:
- Eligibility for the Federal High Skill Program:
a) Qualify under any of the following programs of the federal high-skills program: the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class.
b) The FSWP applicants would also need to score at least 67 points out of a total of 100 points using the six selection factors of the IRCC, namely, language, education, work experience, age, arranged employment in Canada, and adaptability. - Work Experience: Meet the stream requirements of this selection factor.
- Education: A Canadian degree at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD levels or hold an Educational Credential Assessment report from an organization designated by IRCC showing your foreign degree, diploma, or certificate is equivalent to a Canadian degree upon completion of a program at the Bachelor’s level or higher or equivalent, that is either: induced at the Master’s or Ph.D.
Note: The ECA report should not be older than five years from your date of submission. - Language Proficiency:
a) Reach a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 in speaking, reading, writing, and listening.
b) Demonstrate language proficiency using test results from any one of the following testing agencies, which carry dates within two years of your application date:- International English Language Testing System, General Training Test; Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, General Test
- French Placement Test for Canada
- Test de Connaissance du Français pour le Canada
- Intent to Reside in Ontario: Document proof of intention to reside in Ontario.
- Legal Status in Canada:
a) If living in Canada, one must have legal status up to the date of application.
b) Applications under the maintained status are being accepted by OINP. - Comprehensive Ranking System Score: To be eligible, a person must have scored a CRS score equal to or above the minimum score as decided by the director under the Express Entry System.
- Out-of-Province Additional Criteria: Meet the additional criteria for either the FSWP or the CEC.
- Settlement Funds: Demonstrate an amount enough for settlement allowances in Ontario through bank statements, earnings from employment in Ontario, and/or an offer of employment in Ontario; the amount required, which should equal or exceed the amounts demonstrated for each family size, is updated annually.
Find out if you are eligible to get in Canada →
Work experience requirements
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
If applying under the FSWP through the Express Entry pool, candidates must score:
- Continuous, paid, full-time work: at least one year or the part-time equivalent within the past five years, either in Canada or abroad, before receipt of a Notification of Interest (NOI) from Ontario.
- Full-time work: This means at least 30 hours per week for a total of 1,560 hours of paid employment in one year.
- Note: Work experience cannot be less than a year of volunteer work.
- Continuous work: No breaks in employment The jobs can be with one or more employers; however, they must be in continuity, that is, without gaps, and at least one year experience must be obtained in the job currently listed on the NOC occupation in the EE profile.
- Part-time equivalent work:
- At least 15 hours per week in one job equals 1.560 in two years, or
- At least 30 hours per week in multiple jobs, for a total of 1,560 hours in one year
- NOC Classification: Experience must be in an occupation that is classified under NOC Type/Level 0, A, or B.
- Job Duties: Work activities include those described in the lead statement and the main duties in the NOC description.
Self-Employment
Under the FSWP, self-employment experience will only be counted if it is paid, full-time, or part-time equivalent and falls under NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B.
- Documentation must be independently verifiable. Evidence of ongoing payments will be required, e.g., invoices.
- Those hours have to be measurable to demonstrate at least 1,560 hours in a single year.
- We do not accept any reference letters from the applicant, their business partners, or their family members.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Candidates seeking admission under the CEC in the Express Entry pool must meet the following requirements:
- Accumulated, paid, full-time work: at least one year or the part-time equivalent in the three years immediately preceding the date of issue of an NOI.
- Full-time work: at least 30 hours a week for at least 1,560 hours of paid employment in one year. Work experience acquired while studying or working a part-time job is not considered. Neither volunteer work nor unpaid internships.
- Cumulative work is equivalent to one year, but periods of unemployment are permitted.
- Partially equivalent work:
- The equivalent of at least 15 hours a week in a single job for at least 2 years, or a total of at least 1,560 hours in 2 consecutive years
- At least 30 hours per week over more than one job for an equivalent of 1,560 hours over one year.
- Legal Status: The applicants must have had legal status during the period while working in Canada.
- Exclusions: The paid work experience obtained while studying full-time, through co-op terms, or as a self-employed individual is not included in the CEC calculation.
Human Capital Priorities Application Process
To apply through this stream, applicants must receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) from Ontario via their Express Entry profile. The NOI is valid for 45 calendar days, during which the application to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) must be submitted.
Preparation tip: After the NOI, an applicant shall become familiar with the checklist documents and prepare them well in advance.
Process Overview:
1. Eligibility Criteria
- To have an active profile; and
- To be an eligible candidate under Express Entry through FSWP or CEC.
2. Steps to Get an Express Entry Profile
- An individual needs to register themselves by opening his or her online profile in the system of Express Entry.
3. OINP Identification
- OINP selects potential candidates from the Express Entry pool.
4. Notification of Interest (NOI)
- Get an NOI from OINP.
5. Apply to OINP
- Submit an application to the OINP through the Human Capital Priorities Stream not later than 45 calendar days from the day of receipt of the NOI.
6. Nomination
- Once an applicant is nominated, he or she gets an automatic email for the Nomination Approval Letter as well as the OINP Certificate of Nomination.
- Accept the nomination, through the Express Entry system, within 30 calendar days from the date of being nominated.
7. CRS Points and Invitation to Apply ITA
- An approved nomination automatically gets an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System CRS points.
- an ITA to submit an application for permanent residence in the subsequent draw from the Express Entry Pool.
8. Application for Permanent Residence
- Apply to the IRCC for permanent resident status in Canada within 60 days of receiving an ITA.
OINP Tech Draws
From time to time, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program issues invitations through the Human Capital Priorities Stream by conducting draws. This is done for those Express Entry pool candidates who qualify under the stream, provided that:
The invited candidates have had corresponding work experience in any one of the below-mentioned six occupations in the tech sector:
- Software Engineers and Designers NOC 2173
- Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers (NOC 2174)
- Computer Engineers NOC 2147
- Web Designers and Developers NOC 2175
- Database Analysts and Data Administrators (NOC 2172)
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (NOC 0213)