As an applicant to immigrate to Ontario, you have 3 immigration paths in front of you. Let’s take a look at these apps:

• Classification of human capital
  • Express Entry Ontario
  • Ontario Masters and PhD Graduates
• Ontario job offer categories
• Business Category – Entrepreneurship Ontario

Classification of human capital

Express Entry Ontario subgroup

The following programs fall under the Human Capital category of Ontario’s Express Entry branch:

• Human capital priorities: This category includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
• Ontario’s skilled trades workforce: For individuals with relevant work experience in Ontario in an eligible business occupation.
• French-speaking skilled workforce: This program works like human capital priorities through FSWP and CEC. Applicants for this category must have high skills in both French and English.

If you receive a nomination through Express Entry Ontario, you will be notified. After that you have to accept or reject it. If you accept this nomination, you will be awarded an additional 600 CRS points. This means that you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in all Express Entry draws.

Requirements for the Ontario Express Entry program

• Sufficient financial ability to financially support yourself and your family
• Proof of intent to live in the province of Ontario

You must also meet the following conditions for this category in order to apply for immigration to the province of Ontario, Canada through this program.

Subgroup of master’s and doctorate graduates

The Ontario Foreign Graduate Program is not compatible with Express Entry. As an applicant, you must create a profile and register an expression of interest or EOI:

• Master’s Graduate Program: For individuals who have received a master’s degree from an Ontario university
• Doctoral Graduate Program: For individuals who have received a doctoral degree from the University of Ontario.

Application fee: 1500 Canadian dollars
Processing time: 60-30 days

Job offer category of the employer

The Job Offer Ontario program consists of three subgroups and a regional pilot program:

• Foreign Workforce Program: For Skilled Workforce
• Foreign Workforce Program: For Skilled Workforce
• In-demand skills program: for mid-skilled labor in specific sectors, such as agriculture, construction and transportation
• Regional pilot program: for workforce needs in rural and sparsely populated Ontario

Minimum requirements

• You must have a permanent full-time job offer in Ontario.
• You must have work experience, license or other necessary permits to perform the work.
• You must intend to live in Ontario.

How does this category work?

You must first create a profile on the OINP e-filing portal and file your Expression of Interest (EOI). Ontario regularly holds provincial lotteries to invite top-ranked candidates. If you are invited, you will receive a notification on the portal and you must submit your application within 14 days.

Read more on the Ontario Job Offer page.

Business Category – Entrepreneurship Ontario

The business category is for those looking to start a business or buy an existing business in Ontario. Currently, there is only one program under the business category, the Ontario Entrepreneurship Program.

How much does it cost to apply for the Ontario Business Program?
3500 Canadian dollars

How long does it take to process business application applications?

• Evaluation of EOI: Less than 30 days
• App evaluation: It depends on the complexity of the program.

What are the minimum requirements for the Ontario Business Program?

• You must have business experience for 24 months in the last 60 months
• If the business is located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), you must have a net worth of $800,000 CAD.
• If your business is located outside the GTA, you must have a capital of $400,000 CAD.
• If the business is located in the GTA, you must have a personal investment of at least CAD 600,000.
• If your business is located outside of the GTA, $200,000 CAD is your minimum personal investment.
• You must own at least one-third of the equity in a business.
• You must actively participate in the management of the business.
• If the business is located in metropolitan Toronto, it must create at least two permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
• If the business is outside of metropolitan Toronto, create a permanent full-time job.
• If the business is in the information and communication sector or the digital communication sector, it is enough to create a full-time job, regardless of the location.

How does this program work?

You should first send your Expression of Interest (EOI) to the OINP by email and ask them to send you a copy of the registration form. Then complete the form and send it via email.

You are then placed in a pool and ranked against other candidates. Ontario regularly conducts lotteries where the highest-ranking candidates intending to immigrate to the province of Ontario are invited to submit an application for the Entrepreneurship Program through the Ontario Provincial Immigration Program e-portal.