Ontario opens application to International Students

Tomorrow, Ontario is opening applications to international students with job postings seeking provincial applications for permanent residency.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will be accepting applications for the Employer Job Opportunity: International Students stream on August 19. The OINP warns that the foreign worker stream registration link will be active, but for technical and testing purposes only. Any application submitted through this link will be removed from the system.

Applications for international graduate students will open “at some point” during office hours between 9:00 am EST and 5:00 pm EST, says OINP. The system will automatically shut down once the check-in spaces are filled. Typically, these opening times are a wild race to the finish line and the OINP expects no changes in tomorrow’s bid window.

“Due to the large number of users expected to access the system, you may experience a high volume message or be placed in a priority queue,” the OINP said in a press release. “If this happens, it is not a technical error and you do not need to contact the program.”

How to apply?

The OINP advises that interested applicants should access the OINP e-filing portal directly from the Employer Job Opportunity: International Student Stream page on the OINP website. Click on the “Apply” button. POCI recommends that you do not use mobile devices such as cell phones to access the e-Filing system.

New Employer Form Requirement

The new employer form introduced during the previous enrollment request is also required for international students enrolling tomorrow. The most recent version of the employer form must be completed and dated August 19, 2020, or later, otherwise, the application will be returned as “incomplete”.

The employer’s form says it must be submitted within six months of the signing date, but the form must contain the most recent information, the OINP says. Those who register successfully tomorrow will have 14 days to submit their completed application, and they can take advantage of this period to download their updated employer form.

Section B “Regulatory Compliance Information” of the Employer Form has been revised to indicate whether the Employer’s business is currently in compliance with provincial employment standards and occupational health and safety standards.

“Ask your employer to carefully review the information listed in the employer’s form to respond accurately to avoid unnecessary delays in processing your request,” the OINP said in the statement.

The OINP says anyone who is having technical difficulties registering should contact them directly at ontarionominee@ontario.ca and include:

• A screenshot the time and date stamp; and
• Details about how the error occurred;

Anyone whose application deadline is affected by scheduled maintenance is requested to contact the OINP through the same email address. Maintenance is scheduled to start tonight, August 18, at 5 p.m. EST until tomorrow. The province does not provide end time for scheduled maintenance.

Eligibility Criteria

As the name suggests, eligible applicants need a job offer from an eligible employer in Ontario. While the applicant does not necessarily need to be in Ontario, they must have legal status if they are applying in Canada. The OINP will accept applications from people with implied status.

The job offer must be in a skilled occupation classified as type 0, A, or B according to the National Occupational Classification of Canada.

Among other requirements, applicants must have graduated from an eligible full-time degree or diploma program in Canada within the past two years. More than half of their studies must have been completed while they were legally resident in Canada.

They will also need to demonstrate their intention to reside in Ontario and show their connection to the province, which could include previous experience or social connections, among others.

Reference is taken from CIC News