ONTARIO, June, 2015 – The province of Ontario has announced two new Canadian immigration streams aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. The Opportunities Ontario: Human Capital Priorities Stream and French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream both enable the Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) to choose candidates for Canadian immigration from the Express Entry pool.
Under both streams, OOPNP nominates Express Entry candidates who meet the requisite criteria of education, skilled employment, linguistic ability, and other qualities that will facilitate successful social and economic integration in the province of Ontario.
Selected candidates receive a PT Notification of Interest from the province of Ontario through their MyCIC account, officially inviting them to apply under their chosen stream within 45 days.
To enter the Express Entry pool, candidates must qualify for either the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program. They must declare their desire to immigrate either to Ontario or “All Provinces and Territories” when registering for Express Entry.
Read below to learn the requirements for the two new streams.
- Opportunities Ontario: Human Capital Priorities Stream
Under this stream, OOPNP reviews the Express Entry pool to select potential candidates who
- score at least 400 points according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
- fulfil the requirements of Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream.
Individuals must meet the following provincial requirements to be eligible to apply for the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream:
- Minimum level of work experience:
Those who opt to be assessed according to Canadian Experience Class criteria must have at least one year of cumulative full-time employment (i.e., a minimum of 1,560 hours) or an equivalent amount of part-time employment in a National Occupation Classification level 0, A, or B occupation in Canada within the past three years from the date of their PT Notification of Interest from the province.
Those opting for assessment according to Federal Skilled Worker Program criteria must have at least one year of continuous full-time employment (a minimum of 1,560 hours) or the equivalent in part-time paid work experience in one specific NOC level 0, A, or B occupation within the past five years from the date of their PT Notification of Interest from the province. - Education: All applicants require a degree from a Canadian institution (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D.) or foreign credentials verified as equivalent to a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a designated organization.
- Language Proficiency: All applicants require a language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or above in all language competencies (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in either English or French, as proven by language test results from a standardised language test recognised by the governments of Canada and Ontario.
- Comprehensive Ranking System score: All applicants must maintain at least 400 CRS points throughout the processing stage of their Ontario nomination and their federal application for permanent residence.
- Settlement Funds: All applicants must have bank statements verifying their unfettered access to sufficient funds to cover Ontario settlement costs. These funds must be readily transferrable in a convertible currency.
- Intention to Reside in Ontario: All applicants must demonstrate their intention to reside in Ontario through a statement of intent and declaration of personal ties to the province.
- French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
Also aligned with the federal Express Entry system, this stream is open to French-Speaking skilled workers with strong English fluency who wish to live and work permanently in the province. OOPNP reviews the Express Entry pool to select potential candidates who fulfil the following requirements:
- Language Proficiency: Applicants require a minimum language level of CLB 7 in French and CLB 6 in English, as proven by standardised language test results recognised by the federal and provincial governments.
- Minimum level of work experience for either CEC or FSWP
- Educational requirements: The equivalent of a Canadian Bachelor’s degree or above.
- Settlement funds
- Intention to reside in Ontario
After selected candidates receive their PT Notification of Interest, they must apply to the stream within 45 days. If the Ontario government approves their application, OOPNP will notify them of their nomination through their MyCIC account, giving them 30 days to accept. Nominated candidates under the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream earn an extra 600 CRS points and are invited to apply for permanent residence.
To confirm whether you are eligible for the Opportunities Ontario: Human Capital Priorities Stream, the OOPNP French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, or any of the available Canadian immigration programs, consult with a legal adviser from First Immigration Law Firm. You may learn more about the Express Entry selection system elsewhere on our website.