On May 13, 2020 the OINP issued 703Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to applicants in the Express Entry (EE) pool under the OINP Tech Program of the Human Capitals Priorities Stream (HCP).
Targeted Draw
OINP Tech draws requirequalifying experience in one of the six targeted tech sector priority occupations. During this draw, Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada (IRCC) limited NOI’s to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Candidates, which is the current path that the Government of Canada is taking due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reason being, most CEC candidates are already in Canada and candidates and employers will not have to deal with travel restrictions. Although the Federal Express Entry draws have moved to targeted Provincial Nominee and CEC draws, this is the first time the OINP has limited NOIs to CEC Candidates.
Minimum CRS and Targeted Priority Occupations List
The OINP targeted candidates had a CRS between 421 and 451, and work experience in the following NOC codes:
0213 Computer and information systems managers
2147 Computer engineers
2172 Database analysts and data administrators
2173 Software engineers and designers
2174 Computer programmer and interactive media developers
2175 Web designers and developers
The priority occupations chosen above are based on the needs of the Province. If a candidate does not demonstrate work experience in one of the eligible NOC codes, their application may be refused. A job offer is not needed to apply under this program.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a nomination, applicants must meet all seven criteria of the HCP Stream and demonstrate work experience in any one of the eligible NOC codes.
- Work Experience (must qualify under one of the Federal EE programs, like CEC or Skilled Worker). Under the CEC requirements, applicants must have 1 year out of the last 3 years of work experience.
- Post-Secondary Education – Minimum of a 3-yr bachelor’s degree
- Language – Must have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7
- Intent to live in Ontario – Your ties will be key here
- If you are in Canada, you must have legal status
- If qualifying based on Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), must have minimum 67 points on the six selection factors
- Settlement Funds – There is a certain amount of money you must have available to apply
Proof of Settlement Funds
You can meet this requirement through one or a combination of any 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
- a job offer in Ontario
Application Process
Receiving a NOI does not guarantee an Invitation. Applicants must apply online to be nominated. Once you receive a NOI, you have 45 days to submit an application to the OINP e-filing Portal. If you receive a nomination, you will receive an additional 600 points to your overall CRS Score, essentially guaranteeing an Invitation under EE.
Cost and Processing Time
The Cost for applying is $1,500. Processing times are approximately 60-90 days for the Nomination. To date, the OINP has issued 2623 Nominations.
Our firm is here to help! If you received an Invitation under the OINP Tech Draw and have questions regarding permanent residency to Canada, please contact us for additional information.
