Ontario

Ontario is the most populous province of Canada and considered its economic heartland, bordered by Quebec to the east, Manitoba to the west and the American states of New York, Michigan and Minnesota to the south. Its population of about 14,400,000 comprises about 40% of Canada’s total population, concentrated particularly around the provincial capital of Toronto and the national capital of Ottawa. Ontario is accepting immigrants in the following categories:

STUDENT

Ontario’s universities and colleges have a wide range of programs for students. Applicants can work part-time during their studies and may be eligible for work permits for three years after graduation, depending on their program of studies. They are eligible to apply for permanent residency.

SPONSORSHIP

Canadian citizens or permanent residents at least 18 years of age can be eligible to sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, dependent or adopted children younger up to the age of 22, or parents and grandparents to become permanent residents and live and work in Canada.

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) offers qualified skilled workers, professionals and managers intending to settle in Ontario the opportunity contribute their education, skills, training and experience to the province and to be nominated by Ontario to apply for permanent residency in Canada.  The OINP offers the following categories and their associated streams:

Express Entry Ontario Category

Qualified applicants with skills and experience targeted by Ontario may be nominated by the province to apply for permanent residency under these associated streams:

Human Capital Priorities Stream:

Skilled workers with a valid Express Entry profile and at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada or overseas

Skilled Trades Stream:

Skilled workers with a valid Express Entry profile and at least one year of qualified work experience in Ontario

French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream:

Skilled workers with a valid Express Entry profile, sufficient proficiency in French, at least one year of skilled work experience and a minimum of a bachelor’s degree

Employer Job Offer Category

Qualified skilled workers with job offers from Ontario employers may be nominated by the province to apply for permanent residency under these associated streams:

Foreign Workers Stream:

Skilled workers with an indeterminate full-time job offer from an Ontario employers and at least two years related skilled work experience in Canada or overseas

In-Demand Skills Stream:

Skilled workers with an indeterminate full-time job offer from an Ontario employers and at least one year of eligible work experience in Ontario

International Student with a Job Offer Stream:

Graduates of Canadian post-secondary institutions with at least a two-year diploma or one-year post-graduate diploma and an indeterminate full-time job offer from an Ontario employer

International Student Category

Qualified graduates of post-secondary institutions in Ontario and the rest of Canada may be nominated by the province to apply for permanent residency under these associated streams:

Master’s Graduate Stream:

Graduates of Master’s degree programs from eligible Ontario universities residing in Ontario

PhD Graduate Stream:

Graduates of PhD programs from eligible Ontario universities residing in Ontario for at least one year

ENTREPRENEUR

The Business Category of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) provides opportunities to entrepreneurs, managers and business owners willing to come to Ontario to invest in the province under the following streams:

Entrepreneur Stream:

Applicants must have  a minimum net worth of net worth of $1,500,000 if investing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA); $800,000 elsewhere in Ontario, or $800,000 for ICT/Digital Communications businesses anywhere in Ontario.

Applicants must also make a mimnium investment of CAN $1,000,000 if investing in the Greater Toronto Area, CAN $500,000 if investing outside the GTA, or CAN $500,000 in an ICT/Digitnal Communications Business anywhere in Ontario. Applicants must also have a minimum 1/3 control of the equity in the business.

Corporate Stream:

International private corporations, public corporations or partnerships  that have been established for a minimum of 36 months can seek permanent residency nominations for key staff coming to Ontario to operate a new or existing business in Ontario. Applicants must invest a minimum of CAN $5,000,000 and commit to creating five new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each key staff member nominated.