OINP International Student Category- Alpha Consultants.......

The OINP International Student Category targets foreign graduates who wish to become economically established in the province of Ontario.

This category is open to graduates both with and without job offers in Ontario. The International Students Category is divided into the following three streams:

International Student with a Job Offer Stream
International Student - Master's Graduate Stream
International Student - PhD Graduate Stream

For a nomination certificate to be issued under this category, both the employer and the international student must submit an application to show that eligibility requirements are met. Eligible employers are required to first submit a Pre-screen Application to OINP to have the position they want to fill approved. If the OINP approves this application, the prospective nominee (the international student the employer is seeking to recruit), must submit a Nominee Application within 60 days of the approval of the Pre-screen Application.

International students with an approved job offer from a Canadian employer are eligible to apply under this stream if they:

Have graduated from, or have met the requirements of a full-time degree or diploma program, at an eligible publicly-funded Canadian college or university;
- The program of study must have been at least two years in length, OR a one-year post-graduate certificate program, which requires a previous degree or diploma.
- The previous degree or diploma may have been obtained outside Canada.
Have completed at least half of their studies in Canada;
Have acquired an approved permanent, full-time job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC levels 0, A, or B); and
- The job offer must meet the entry-level wage levels in Ontario for that occupation.
- Note: the job need not be in the same field as the degree or diploma.
Apply within two years of the date on which they received their Canadian degree or diploma.

Ontario's Masters Graduate Stream gives international students, who have graduated with a master's degree from an eligible university in Ontario, the opportunity to immigrate permanently to Ontario without the requirement of a job offer.

Applicants who meet the education, language, and other program requirements may receive a provincial nomination from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and may then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.

Eligible graduates do not need a job offer to apply.

For more information on the Ontario Masters Graduate Stream, below are the links that will cover the following:

Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Who is not Eligible to Apply for the Masters Graduate Stream
Eligible Ontario Universities

In order to be eligible for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream, individuals must:

Have completed the requirements to obtain a master’s degree;
- Have graduated from an existing master's program at an eligible university in Ontario;
- The program of study must have been at least one year in length and must have been completed on a full-time basis.
Submit the application within two years of completing the requirements necessary to obtain the master's degree;
Be residing in Ontario with legal status (i.e., study permit, work permit, visitor record) OR residing outside of Canada;
- The OINP accepts applications from potential applicants who are in implied status at the time of applying.
Demonstrate a high language proficiency level in English or French of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or above in all four competencies (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
- Applicant must take an approved English or French language test from the following approved agencies:
  - International English Language Testing (IELTS) General Test scores; and
  - Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) (General test) for English.
  - Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF); and
  - Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF) for French.
- Applicants must have the following minimum scores under each of the language abilities:

Competency	IELTS	CELPIP	TEF	TCF
Listening	6	7	249-279	458-502
Reading	6	7	207-232	453-498
Writing	6	7	310-348	10-11
Speaking	6	7	310-348	10-11

Possess sufficient funds and/or income to cover settlement costs for themselves and their dependent family members (whether or not the family members are accompanying the applicant or not). Potential applicants can determine the settlement funds required based on family size. The amount is updated annually by the federal government.
- Dependent family members include: Spouse or common-law-partner, children under the age of 22 and their children.
Demonstrate residence in Ontario for at least 12 of the last 24 months before the application submission date;
Intend to live and work permanently in Ontario; and
Not intend to pursue further academic studies in Ontario.

Potential applicants to the OINP Masters Graduate Stream must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to economically establish themselves in Canada.

Applicants can meet this requirement through one or a combination of the following:

Funds as demonstrated by bank statements, or statements of accounts showing other investments, such as fixed term deposits and mutual funds, that can be readily converted to cash;
Annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario; and/or
A job offer in Ontario.

If an applicant uses employment or a job offer in Ontario to meet the settlement funds requirement, he or she must include an employment contract/job offer letter indicating the position, hours of work, and wage. If currently working in Ontario, the applicant must provide two (most) recent pay slips as proof of funds.

A potential applicant can demonstrate a connection to Ontario through:

Current and/or previous employment in Ontario
Job offers or jobs applied/interviewed for in Ontario
Education in Ontario
Volunteer work in Ontario
Lease agreements for a residence in Ontario or property ownership
Professional networks and affiliations
Family ties
Social connections or personal relationships
Previous visits to Ontario

An applicant's degree must be dated within two years of the OINP application submission date. For example, if the degree is dated June 1, 2017, the eligible graduate must apply before June 1, 2019. If the degree has not yet been granted, the OINP will accept the date indicated on an official letter from the university specifying when the degree will be granted.

Before Applying

Prior to submitting an application, the OINP encourages potential applicants to review the eligibility criteria, document checklist, and ensure that the application is complete. All documents uploaded to Ontario's e-Filing portal must be clear and legible.

The OINP may request additional supporting documents while processing the Masters Graduate Stream application.

Applying

Applying for the Masters Graduate Stream online through the OINP's e-filing portal may take approximately two hours to complete. However, potential applicants do not have to complete an application in one session, but they must submit their application within 14 calendar days or the registration will expire and get withdrawn.

The OINP encourages applicants to complete an application before submitting a payment. Once an application is submitted to the OINP, the applicant will not be able to make any changes.

Applicants are responsible for the translation and notarization of any supporting documents that are not in English or French. It is the responsibility of the applicant to locate a certified translator accredited by the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) and/or obtain a notarization of documents translated by a translator not certified by the ATIO.

If an applicant located in Ontario is not able to find a certified translator accredited by the ATIO, the translation must be notarized. A letter explaining the reasoning and efforts taken to locate a certified translator must included with the application.

If applying from outside Ontario, the translation must be notarized. If deemed insufficient, the OINP may require applicants to obtain a translation from a certified translator accredited by the ATIO. Translations completed by the applicant, their representative, or others with personal ties to the applicant will not be accepted even if these individuals are considered certified translators.

After Applying

If the OINP considers an application to be incomplete, individuals looking to apply for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream will be required to resubmit a new application. An application may be deemed incomplete if inaccurate supporting documents are provided or documents that require translation are not certified or notarized.

Applicants who believe the OINP's decision was made in error may request an internal review of the application within 30 calendar days of receiving the notice of the decision (if residing in Canada) or within 60 calendar days if residing overseas. The request must not include any evidence that was not submitted to the program before the decision was made unless the evidence was not reasonably available at the time of applying. The OINP's internal review decision is final.

If the application is successful, applicants will be issued a Letter of Nomination (Nomination Approval Letter) and a Confirmation of Nomination (OINP Certificate of Nomination).

Nomination

Successful nominees must submit an application for permanent residence to IRCC within six (6) months of being nominated by the OINP. Applicants must include a copy of both documents (Letter of Nomination and OINP Confirmation of Nomination) with their permanent residence application to IRCC.

The OINP states that a nomination does not guarantee the approval of an application for Canadian permanent residence with IRCC. The OINP requires that nominees continue to demonstrate, on a reasonable basis, the intention to reside in Ontario.

While nominations are valid for a six-month period, the nominee may submit a request for an extension of the Nomination Certificate if it is no longer valid and:

IRCC returns the permanent residence application due to incompleteness requiring the submission of a new application; or
the nominee is experiencing delays in securing supporting documents for the permanent residence application (i.e. a police criminal record check) and has not yet applied to IRCC.

The following individuals are not eligible to apply under the Ontario Masters Graduate Stream:

Individuals who have not yet completed their master’s degree. The OINP will not accept applications from international students in their final semester of studies. Applicants must have met the degree requirements at the time of application.
Individuals who are currently enrolled in further academic studies, unless it is for the purpose of meeting the requirements to be licensed in a regulated occupation in Ontario, or unless the individual is working on a full-time basis in Ontario.
Individuals who completed their master’s degree more than two years ago.
Individuals who are the recipient of a grant, bursary, or scholarship that requires them to return to their home country or another jurisdiction (another Canadian province/territory or another country) after the completion of their studies (provided that the obligations have not been fulfilled).
Individuals who currently live in Canada, but outside of Ontario.
Individuals who currently live in Canada without legal status.

The OINP has an immigration stream dedicated to international students who have a PhD degree from an eligible Ontario university. Learn about the OINP PhD Graduate Stream.

To qualify for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream, the master’s degree must be completed at one of the following universities:

Algoma University
Brescia University College (Affiliated with the University of Western Ontario)
Brock University
Carleton University
Dominican University College
Huron University College (Affiliated with the University of Western Ontario)
King’s University College at the University of Western Ontario
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
Ontario College of Art & Design University
Queen’s University
Royal Military College of Canada
Ryerson University
Saint Paul University (Federated with the University of Ottawa)
St. Jerome’s University (Federated with the University of Waterloo)
Trent University
University of Guelph
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Ottawa
University of St. Michael’s College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Toronto
University of Trinity College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Waterloo
University of Windsor
Victoria University (Federated with the University of Toronto)
Western University
Wilfrid Laurier University
York University

The Ontario PhD Graduate stream gives international students, who have graduated from a PhD program at an eligible university in Ontario, the opportunity to immigrate permanently to Ontario without the requirement of a job offer.
Applicants who are successfully nominated under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP's) PhD Graduate Stream may apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent resident status.

Eligible PhD graduates do not need a job offer to apply.

For more information on the Ontario PhD Graduate Stream, this page will cover the following topics:

Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Who is not Eligible to apply for the PhD Graduate Stream?
Eligible Ontario Universities

In order to be eligible for the OINP PhD Graduate Stream, individuals must:

Have completed all the necessary requirements to obtain a PhD degree from an eligible Ontario university with at least two years of the degree requirements completed while lawfully living and studying in Ontario;
Have been legally residing in Ontario for at least 12 of the last 24 months before the application submission date;
- The applicant will be required to provide documentation with his or her full name and address in Ontario to prove that this requirement is met. For example, phone bill, car insurance, hydro/energy bill, leasing document, etc.
Possess sufficient funds and/or income to cover the settlement costs for themselves and their dependent family members (whether or not the family members are accompanying the applicant or not). Potential applicants can determine the settlement funds required based on family size. The amount is updated annually by the federal government.
- Dependent family members include: Spouse or common-law-partner, children under the age of 22 and their children.
Submit the application within two years of the date on which the PhD was granted;
Intend to live and work in Ontario; and
Have legal status (i.e. study permit, work permit, visitor record) if living in Canada at the time of the application.
- The OINP accepts applications from potential applicants who are on implied status at the time of applying.

Potential applicants to the OINP PhD Graduate Stream can demonstrate they have sufficient funds to economically establish themselves in Canada through one or a combination of the following:

Funds as demonstrated by the balance listed in bank statements, or statements of accounts showing other investments such as non-locked in, fixed term deposits, mutual funds, etc;
Annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario; and/or
A job offer in Ontario.

While potential applicants to the PhD Graduate Stream do not need to be residing in the province at the time of applying, all applicants must intend to reside in Ontario.

Potential PhD Graduate Stream applicants can demonstrate a connection to Ontario by listing his or her ties to the province, which can include:

Current and/or previous employment in Ontario;
Job offers or jobs applied/interviewed for in Ontario;
Education in Ontario;
Volunteer work in Ontario;
Lease agreements for a residence in Ontario or property ownership;
Professional networks and affiliations;
Family ties;
Social connections or personal relationships; and/or
Previous visits to Ontario.

Application Period

An applicant's degree must be dated within two years of the OINP application submission date. For example, if the degree is dated June 1, 2017, the eligible graduate must apply before June 1, 2019. If the degree has not yet been granted, the applicant can use the date indicated on an official letter from the academic institution indicating when the degree will be granted.

Before Applying

The OINP may request additional documents from PhD Graduate Stream applicants during the processing of the application.

Applying

Applying for the PhD Graduate Stream online through the OINP's e-Filing portal may take approximately two hours to complete.

Once a registration to apply is submitted through the OINP's online system, the applicant has 14 calendar days to complete and submit the application or the registration will expire and get withdrawn. The OINP encourages applicants to complete an application before submitting a payment. Once an application is submitted to the OINP, the applicant will not be able to make any changes.

After Applying

If the OINP considers an application to be incomplete, individuals looking to apply for the OINP PhD Graduate Stream will be required to resubmit a new application. The OINP may consider an application to be incomplete if inaccurate supporting documents are provided or documents that require translation are not certified or notarized.

If the application is successful, applicants will be issued a Letter of Nomination (Nomination Approval Letter) and a Confirmation of Nomination (OINP Certificate of Nomination).

Nomination

The next step after obtaining a nomination from the OINP is to submit a Canadian permanent residence application to IRCC within six (6) months of being nominated by the OINP. Applicants must include a copy of both the Letter of Nomination and the OINP Confirmation of Nomination with their permanent residence application to IRCC.

While nominations are valid for a six-month period, the nominee may submit a request for an extension of the Nomination Certificate if it is no longer valid and:

IRCC returns the permanent residence application due to incompleteness requiring the submission of a new application; or
the nominee is experiencing delays in securing supporting documents for the permanent residence application (i.e. a police criminal record check) and has not yet applied to IRCC.

The OINP has an immigration stream dedicated to international students who have a master's degree from an eligible Ontario university. Learn about the OINP Masters Graduate Stream.

The following individuals are not eligible to apply under the Ontario PhD Graduate Stream:

Individuals who have not yet completed their PhD degree. The OINP will not accept applications from international students who are in their final semester of studies. Applicants must have met all the degree requirements at the time of application.
Individuals who completed their PhD degree more than two years ago.
Individuals who are the recipient of a grant, bursary, or scholarship that requires them to return to their home country or another jurisdiction (another Canadian province/territory or another country) after the completion of their studies (provided that the obligations have not been fulfilled).
Individuals who currently live in Canada without legal status.

To apply for the PhD Graduate Stream, the PhD degree must be completed at one of the following universities:

Brock University
Carleton University
Dominican University College
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
Queen’s University
Royal Military College of Canada
Ryerson University
Saint Paul University (Federated with the University of Ottawa)
St. Jerome’s University (Federated with the University of Waterloo)
Trent University
University of Guelph
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Ottawa
University of St. Michael’s College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Toronto
University of Trinity College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Waterloo
University of Windsor
Victoria University (Federated with the University of Toronto)
Western University
Wilfrid Laurier University
York University

OINP International Student Category