OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

The Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It gives foreign workers with a job offer in specific in-demand occupations, such as in agriculture, construction, trucking or personal support work, the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario. This stream caters towards employers who wish to broaden their hiring pool to encompass international talent. This stream is open to foreign workers in and outside of Canada.

Among eligibility criteria, applicants must have a permanent, full-time job offer from an employer in Ontario in one of the stream’s in-demand occupations, as well as nine months of work experience in that occupation in Ontario within the past 36 months. There are 23 in-demand occupations, but notably 13 of these occupations are only eligible if the job offer is for a position located outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

The employer offering a job to the applicant must have been in business for at least the past three years, with additional criteria regarding annual turnover and staff size also considered. Employer requirements are dependent on whether the are located inside or outside of the GTA.

 

Program Highlights

Advantages:

  • Language requirement is low, making it easier for applicants who are not as strong in their language abilities
  • Work experience required can be cumulative and can be completed in both full-time hours and part-time hours that are the equivalent.
  • Fast-track way for foreign workers already working in Ontario to become eligible for Canadian permanent residency.
  • This program is not aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration system, therefore individuals who may not be eligible to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, or through another existing OINP stream, may now find that are eligible for provincial nomination in Ontario.

Disadvantages:

  • Employer requirements are detailed, which may be difficult to find an employer who fulfills all the requirements. Many small businesses and start-ups would not meet the minimum requirements.
  • The range of potential applicants to Ontario’s new Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream is likely to be quite narrow, as the eligibility criteria specify work experience in Ontario that must match one of the occupations considered in high demand, plus the requirement to have a job offer in the province.
  • The In-Demand Skills stream is not always open to new applicants. It operates using intake periods where at certain times the stream may either be open or closed to new applicants. Once the annual quota has been met, the stream will close.

 

Eligibility

Requirements Details
Employer Requirements Have been in active business for a minimum of 3 years. They must demonstrate that effort was made to recruit a Canadian citizen prior. Employer must meet gross annual revenue minimum and also meet the minimum amount of full-time employee requirements for the area in which candidate is applying
Work Experience Candidate must have at least 9 months of cumulative paid full-time work in Ontario is the same in-demand occupation as their job offer. Full-time work experience means working in a job with at least 30 hours of paid work in a week that amounts to at least 1,200 hours of paid work over a 9-month period
Intention to live in Ontario Candidate must show that they intend to live in Ontario to qualify for this program. This can be through visitations, previous work experience, personal relationships, etc
Language CLB level 4 or higher in either French or English
Education You must have a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or credential, or its equivalent in another country
Legal Status If you are applying from within Canada, you must have legal status (a visitor record, study permit, or work permit) at the time you apply and should maintain that status until the time of nomination
Funds All candidates for the Ontario In-Demand Skills stream must meet the settlement funds requirement as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). However, no initial investment is required

 

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