The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is Canada's largest provincial nominee program with an annual allocation of 7,350+ nominations across 9 streams. Ontario targets highly-skilled professionals, French speakers, tech talent, and master's/PhD graduates.
OINP at a glance
- Annual allocation: ~7,350 nominations (federal-set)
- Processing time: 60–90 days after EOI selection
- EOI scoring: 100-point system separate from CRS
- Application fee: CAD $1,500 (Employer Job Offer streams), CAD $2,000 (other)
- Calculator: Free OINP calculator
OINP streams — pick the right one
| Stream | Best for | Job offer needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Human Capital Priorities | Express Entry candidates with CRS 350+ and 1+ yr skilled work | No |
| French-Speaking Skilled Worker | French speakers (CLB 7+ French, CLB 6+ English) | No |
| Skilled Trades Stream | Trades workers with 1+ yr Ontario experience | No |
| Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker | Foreign workers with permanent Ontario job offer | Yes |
| Employer Job Offer: International Student | Recent Ontario graduates with job offer | Yes |
| Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills | Workers in agriculture, construction, trucking (TEER 4/5) | Yes |
| Masters Graduate | Recent Ontario master's grads (no job offer needed) | No |
| PhD Graduate | Recent Ontario PhD grads (no job offer needed) | No |
| Entrepreneur Stream | Business owners investing CAD $400K+ in Ontario | N/A |
OINP Tech Draws — for IT professionals
The Human Capital Priorities stream regularly conducts targeted tech draws for these NOC codes:
- NOC 21211 — Data scientists
- NOC 21223 — Database analysts and administrators
- NOC 21230 — Computer systems developers
- NOC 21231 — Software engineers and designers
- NOC 21232 — Software developers and programmers
- NOC 21234 — Web developers and designers
- NOC 21311 — Computer engineers
Tech-stream cutoffs in 2025–2026 have ranged 360–451 CRS — significantly lower than general draws.
Step-by-step OINP application
- Create an Express Entry profile (required for Human Capital Priorities, French, Trades, Masters, PhD streams)
- Submit an EOI to OINP through the provincial portal. Ranked on a 100-point grid (education, language, work experience, age, employment, location, ties to Ontario)
- Wait for invitation. OINP issues NOIs (Notifications of Interest) in regular draws — sometimes targeted by occupation or score range
- Submit full nomination application within 14 days of NOI, with all supporting documents
- Receive nomination — 600 CRS points added to your Express Entry profile
- Receive ITA in the next federal PNP-specific draw (cutoff typically 720–805)
- Submit federal PR application within 60 days — processed in ~6 months
Common OINP refusal reasons
- EOI claims not backed by documents at application stage
- Work experience not at NOC TEER 0/1/2/3 level
- Failing the 14-day application deadline after NOI
- No genuine intent to settle in Ontario (better evidenced with family ties, prior visits, job in Ontario)
- Wage offered below provincial median for occupation (Employer Job Offer streams)
Useful official resources
Try our calculator: Check your OINP eligibility across all 9 streams with our free OINP calculator. Or book a free consultation for a personalized strategy.
