Canada: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Announces Temporary Pause On OINP "Base" Stream Applications

On November 16, 2015, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program ("OINP"), formerly known as the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program, announced that it has exhausted its base stream allocation for 2015. Annual provincial nomination targets for each year are determined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada ("CIC"). For 2015, the OINP received a base stream allocation of 2,500 nominations.

The OINP's two new Express Entry Streams (the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream and the Ontario French Speaking Skilled Worker Stream) are not considered base streams and are therefore still available. The Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream is for English-speaking skilled workers who want to live and work permanently in Ontario. The Ontario French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream is for French-Speaking skilled workers who have strong English language abilities and who want to live and work permanently in Ontario. However, applicants seeking nominations under one of these OINP Express Entry streams must first submit their profile under the Federal Express Entry Program and then wait to receive a Notice of Invitation from the OINP.

For applicants who have already submitted an application to the OINP but have not yet received a decision, their application will be finalized in 2016, under next year's allocation. If an employer's pre-screen application has been approved, the OINP will also continue to accept the corresponding nominee application(s) under the Foreign Worker Stream and International Student with a Job Offer Stream.

Between November 16th, 2015 and January 3, 2016, the program will not accept any new employer pre-screen applications or applications under the Master's Stream or PhD Stream. Any applications received during this time period will be returned to the applicant.

The OINP will again begin accepting new applications under all base streams on January 4, 2016.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.