Overview

Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

It gives foreign workers with the required skilled work experience, language abilities and education the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.

You must have a valid profile in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) Express Entry system and receive a Notification of Interest from Ontario before you can apply online to be nominated by the Ontario government for permanent residence.

If you are nominated, your next step is to apply to the federal government through IRCC. They make the final decision on who becomes a permanent resident.

Before you apply

1. Create a profile in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Express Entry system

You must have a profile in IRCC’s Express Entry system before we can send you a Notification of Interest (NOI), which you need before you can apply to Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream.

To qualify for IRCCs Express Entry system, you should first answer a questionnaire designed by IRCC to determine what immigration program(s) you can apply for. The questionnaire is hosted on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s webpage: Do you want to come to Canada as a skilled immigrant? Based on your responses, the Express Entry system will indicate whether you qualify for the federal Express Entry program. If you qualify, you will be provided with a reference number, which can be used to create an online profile in the Express Entry system. Once you create your profile, you will receive an Express Entry profile number and a Job Seeker Validation Code. You will need these numbers if you receive a NOI from Ontario and wish to apply to Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream. You will also be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Your CRS score is calculated based on the information provided in your profile, including your age, education, language proficiency, skills, work experience, etc..

You must provide accurate and truthful information in your Express Entry profile. If the information in your Express Entry profile is inaccurate or not truthful, your OINP application could be refused or your nomination withdrawn. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada could also find you inadmissible and/or bar you from applying to immigrate to Canada for five years.

2. Make sure you meet the mandatory requirements

This stream has a number of mandatory requirements you must meet before you can apply.

3. Understand the application process

Please note:

  • from the date you receive a Notification of Interest issued by Ontario for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, you have 45 calendar days to apply to this stream.
  • you have to apply through the OINP e-Filing Portal
  • it takes about three hours to complete the application
  • you do not have to complete the application in one session, you can save your work and return to it later
  • you can complete the application yourself or have a representative complete it on your behalf
  • you have to pay $1,500 to apply
  • you have to pay by credit card, we only accept Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and Mastercard Debit

4. Have your supporting documents ready

You also need to make sure you have all your supporting documents, in English or French, scanned and ready to upload when you apply. If you do not, your application will be returned as incomplete and your application fee will be refunded.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Express Entry system

Express Entry is an online system IRCC uses to manage applications for permanent residence in Canada. We can search the system to find candidates who may meet the criteria of one of Ontario’s Express Entry streams.

What you need to do

Before you can create your profile in IRCC’s Express Entry system, you must:

Once you are ready, you can create your Express Entry profile.

If you meet the Express Entry criteria, you will be accepted into the Express Entry pool of candidates. You will receive an Express Entry profile number and a job seeker validation code. You will need to submit these with your application to the OINP.

To qualify for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, you must meet the requirements of one of these federal immigration programs:

When you submit your application to the OINP, you will need to select which federal program you would like to be assessed against: FSWP or CEC.

What we do

We search IRCCs Express Entry pool to find candidates who may meet the criteria of Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, as well as other parameters that may be set for each search.

If we identify you as a candidate, we will send you a Notification of Interest (NOI) through your IRCC online account inviting you to submit an online application to the OINP.

Please note: Before you apply, you will need to make sure you meet the mandatory requirements for this stream. An NOI does not guarantee that you meet stream criteria or that your application will be approved.

You have 45 calendar days after you receive your NOI through your IRCC online account to submit an application to OINP.

Due to demand for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, not all Express Entry candidates who meet Ontario’s stream criteria will receive an NOI. To be responsive to Ontario’s labour market needs, parameters are set for each search conducted in the Express Entry pool. NOIs may be issued to candidates who not only appear to meet stream criteria but who also appear to meet other requirements, such as having work experience in targeted occupations or sectors. You can review the details of each search conducted in the Express Entry pool.

Mandatory requirements

To qualify under Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, you must meet the all the criteria in the seven categories below. You do not need a job offer to apply.

Please refer to section 10 of Ontario regulation 422/17 for more details on each requirement.

1. Work experience

You must decide which of the following two federal programs you would like to be assessed against:

  • Federal Skilled Workers Program
  • Canadian Experience Class

Federal Skilled Worker Program

Under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you must have:

  • at least one year of continuous paid full-time work experience (or the equivalent in paid part- time work) in Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

Your work experience must have been:

  • obtained within the last five years from the date of submitting your application to the OINP
  • in the same primary occupation as you identified in your Express Entry profile

You may have gained your work experience in Canada or overseas.

Continuous means:

  • no breaks in employment over a one year period

Please note: Work experience may consist of back-to-back jobs with the same or different employer(s) (with no gap in between), but at least one year must be in the same NOC occupation as your primary NOC declared in your Express Entry profile.

If you are using periods of self-employment, you will need to provide employment documentation that is independently verifiable through third parties. This can include client reference letters indicating your duties and periods of work, as well as evidence of ongoing payments to you personally, for the services provided (for example, invoices). Please also note that your hours of self-employed work must be quantifiable to ensure that you accumulated at least 1,560 hours over one year of employment. Reference letters from yourself, your business partners and/or a family member are not accepted by the program.

Canadian Experience Class

Under the Canadian Experience Class, you must have:

  • at least one year of cumulative paid full-time work experience (or the equivalent in paid part-time work) in Canada in Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC

Your work experience must have been:

  • obtained within the last three years from the date of submitting your application to the OINP
  • in one or more of the occupations that you identified in your Express Entry profile
  • in Canada while maintaining legal status in Canada

Cumulative means:

  • the work you’ve done must add up to one year – it does not have to be one year of continuous work

Please note: Paid work experience gained while studying full-time at a post-secondary institution (for example, on a co-op work term) and self-employment are not eligible under the CEC.

Under both programs:

  • your work experience must have been obtained over a period of at least one year – work experience totaling 1,560 hours obtained in less than one year period does not qualify
  • full-time work experience means working in a job with at least 30 hours of paid work in a week that amounts to at least 1,560 hours of paid work in one year
  • part-time equivalent work experience means:
    • working in one job for at least 15 hours per week, for two years that amounts to at least 1,560 hours in that two-year period, or
    • working in more than one job for at least 30 hours per week, for one year, that amounts to at least 1,560 hours of paid work in that one year period
  • if your work experience was obtained in Ontario in an occupation that requires a licence or other authorization, only work experience acquired after becoming qualified to practice that occupation in Ontario will qualify
  • volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count as work experience

Vacation periods, regular sick leave and other standard paid leave entitlements as provided for in collective agreements, workplace legislation and/or individual employer policies are not considered interruptions to full-time employment. Extended leaves are considered interruptions to full-time employment and are not to be included in the calculation of work experience.

2. Education

You must have a Canadian bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree or its equivalent in another country.

If you completed your studies outside of Canada, you need to get an Educational Credential Assessment report that proves your education is equivalent to a Canadian degree.

The assessment must be done by one of the following organizations, designated by IRCC.

Please note that from November 21, 2019 until May 19, 2020 the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) will place a temporary pause on its assessment of educational credentials for immigration purposes so that it can address the backlog the organization is experiencing. International Qualifications Assessment Service will process applications for immigration purposes that were submitted and paid for before November 21, 2019.

Each organization charges a different fee and has different processing times. Please check the website of each ECA organization to choose the one that is best for you.

You must give us a copy of the ECA report when you submit your application. The report cannot be more than five years old at the time you submit your application.

We must be able to confirm your ECA results with the organization that completed it. This means you must authorize the organization to share the results with us (the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program).

To authorize us to see your ECA results from:

Note: For the other organizations, no additional steps are required.

Please contact the ECA organization directly if you have any specific questions about the process for getting an Educational Credential Assessment or how to authorize and share your ECA results with us.

You must authorize the organization to share the results of your assessment specifically with the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). Authorizing the organization to share the results of your assessment with IRCC is not sufficient for the purposes of your application to the OINP.

3. Language

You must be able to understand, read, write and speak either English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 or higher.

To prove that you have the mandatory language skills, you must take an approved English or French language test before you submit your application to this stream.

The test must not have been taken more than two years from the date you submit your application.

For English tests, we accept:

  • International English Language Testing (IELTS) — we only accept the General Training test
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) — we only accept the General test

For French tests, we accept:

  • Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF)
  • Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada)

Learn more about the English and French language tests

4. Settlement funds

You must have enough money to support yourself and your dependent family members when you settle in Canada.

Note that a family member includes your spouse, common law partner and children under the age of 22, including their children.

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

Learn more about the amount of money you must have available to apply (see How much money you'll need).

Example: You have checked how much money you must have available and, based on your family size, you must have $29,000 (CAD). You have a job offer in Ontario with an annual wage of $25,000 and you have a balance of $5,000 in your savings account for a total of $30,000. By using a combination of your job offer and bank statement, you would meet the settlements fund requirement.

Note: If you provide bank statements that include a one-time large deposit, we may ask you to provide additional documentation to support that your funds are free of debt or liability.

5. Intention to live in Ontario

You must intend to live in Ontario after you’re granted permanent residence. We determine this by examining your ties to Ontario, which can include things like:

  • working or have worked in Ontario
  • getting job offers or applying/ interviewing for jobs
  • studying
  • volunteering
  • leasing or owning property
  • visiting
  • having professional networks and affiliations, family ties and personal relationships

6. Legal status in Canada (if applicable)

If you are applying from within Canada, you must have legal status (visitor record, study permit, or work permit) at the time you apply and should maintain that status until the time of nomination.

You may apply if you are in ‘implied status’ at the time of your OINP application submission. ‘Implied status’ means that you submitted an application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to renew/extend your temporary status document (a visitor record, work permit, study permit) before its expiry date. You can remain in Canada and continue to work or study under the same conditions as your existing permit until a decision is made on your pending IRCC application.

7. Federal Skilled Worker Program

If you choose to be assessed against the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), you must score at least 67 points on the six selection factors (education, language skills, work experience, age, arranged employment in Canada and adaptability).

Learn more about the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the six selection factors.

Supporting documents

You must provide supporting documents to validate the information in your application and to prove you meet the eligibility criteria.

All supporting documents must be scanned and uploaded in your online application. Refer to the document checklist for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Stream for a list of mandatory documents.

If a supporting document is not in English or French, you must provide a copy of the original document and a notarized translation of document. Please read Document translation and notarization for more information.

Remember, if you do not upload all the required documents, your application will be returned.

Cost to apply

The application fee is $1,500 and covers the cost of processing your application.

We only accept Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and Mastercard Debit.

Refunds

We will only refund the fee if we find that your application is incomplete or you withdraw your application before we start processing it.

We will not refund the fee if your application is unsuccessful.

You can check the status of your application through your account in the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Use a representative to apply

Authorizing a paid representative to assist you can be helpful but is not necessary. If you choose to use a representative, please follow the steps on how to appoint one. This will ensure you retain access to, and control of, your online application and allow you to change or end your authorization if need be.

Submit an application

Before you start, make sure you:

  • meet all the necessary requirements under Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream
  • have your credit card ready (we accept only Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and Mastercard Debit)
  • have your supporting documents (in English or French) scanned and ready to upload
  • read the application instructions (important)

Application instructions

Once you click Submit an application:

  1. Choose whether you are a returning user or a new applicant
  2. Choose Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream
  3. If you are a new applicant you must pre-register with your name and date of birth (not required if you are already registered)
  4. Log into your ONe-key account. If you do not have one, click “Sign up now!”
  5. Once you’ve logged into your ONe-key account, you will be sent back to the OINP e-Filing Portal
  6. Create a profile in the OINP e-Filing Portal
  7. Once you’ve completed your profile, click “Finish” and you will be sent to your main page in the e-Filing Portal
  8. Click on the file number beside the Human Capital Priorities Stream to begin your application

Please note: It takes about three hours to complete your application. You don’t have to do it all at once but you must submit your application within 45 calendar days of receiving your NOI from Ontario.

Submit an application

After you apply

After you (or your representative) submit your application, you will get an email to confirm that we have received it.

You can check the status of your application through your account in the OINP e-Filing Portal.

For regular updates on processing times, read Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Application processing times and nominations issued.

Withdrawing your application

To withdraw your application, click on the “Withdraw” button next to your file number on your main page of the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Please note: We will only refund the application fee if you withdraw your application before we start processing it.

Changes in personal information

You must notify us if there are any changes to the information provided in your application, including (but not limited to) changes in:

  • contact information
  • immigration status (expiration or change in work permit)
  • family composition due to:
    • marriage or common-law relationship
    • birth of a child
    • change of custody of a child
    • divorce/separation
    • death

You can make changes to your telephone number, email address and country of residence by logging into the OINP e-Filing Portal and clicking on My Profile on your main page. After the change has been made, click Save.

For all other changes, or to correct a data entry error (for example, you misspelled your name):

  • complete and save a Change of Personal Information form
  • send the completed form  by email as an attachment to ontarionominee@ontario.ca
  • use  the subject line “Application Change Notice – [File number]”
  • if you are requesting a correction to your name or date of birth, please also include a copy of the personal details page of your passport to validate your request

Please note: We will not accept requests to completely change a name or date of birth.

Maintain a valid Express Entry profile

You must have a valid profile in the Express Entry system from when you apply until you are nominated.

If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence from IRCC while your application is being processed by the OINP, your profile is no longer available for us to nominate you.

You must decide to:

If you reject the ITA you must send us a request to continue processing your application as soon as possible by email to ontarionominee@ontario.ca and include a screenshot showing that you have rejected the ITA from IRCC.

If you are nominated

If your application is successful, you will receive a Nomination Approval Letter and an OINP Certificate of Nomination by email.

We will enter the details of your nomination into the Express Entry system. You will then receive a notification of your nomination through your IRCC online account.

You have 30 calendar days to accept or refuse the nomination in the Express Entry system.

If you accept, you will receive an additional 600 points for being nominated, which means you will receive an ITA for permanent residence from IRCC in the next round of invitations, which are usually done every two weeks. You then have 60 calendar days to submit your application to IRCC for permanent residence. You will need to include your nomination approval letter and nomination certificate.

Note: A nomination does not guarantee approval of your application for permanent residence with IRCC.

You may request a transfer of your nomination to a new Express Entry profile if your original Express Entry profile has become ineligible.

You can request a transfer to your new Express Entry profile by emailing the OINP at ontarionominee@ontario.ca with the following information:

  • A copy of the letter you received from IRCC acknowledging the new profile with Express Entry number and job seeker validation code; and
  • A copy of the letter received from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada explaining why your old profile became ineligible

You may request an extension of your nomination certificate if you applied to IRCC but your application for permanent residence was returned due to being incomplete, or you were delayed in gathering supporting documents (for example, police criminal record check) for your application for permanent residence.

Only requests that comply with the above requirements will be granted.

You can request an extension by emailing the OINP at ontarionominee@ontario.ca with the following information:

  • A letter of explanation describing the reason to extend your nomination certificate; and
  • A copy of the incomplete letter from IRCC (if applicable)

Approval of the nomination

Your nomination is subject to the following condition until you receive permanent residence:

  • You must continue to demonstrate on a reasonable basis an intention to reside in Ontario.

If you are not nominated

If your application is unsuccessful, we will let you know by email. If you think we made an error in our decision that led to your application being refused, you may ask for an internal review.

To request an internal review:

  1. Download and complete the Notice of Request for Internal Review form. Ensure that you carefully read the instructions on the form.
  2. In a separate document, clearly identify an error or errors in the director’s decision or order that, if not made, would have resulted in the decision or order being decided differently (see subsection 10(1)(a) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (General))
  3. Send the completed Notice of Request for Internal Review form and all supporting documents by email to internalreview-revisioninterne@ontario.ca. You must email us within 30 calendar days of receiving you notice of refusal.

Do not include any new information that you did not include in your original application, unless that information was not reasonably available to you at the time you submitted your application.

New information that you did not include in your application because of an oversight will not be considered.

Internal review requests must be sent by email. We will not accept requests by mail, fax or in person.

Contact us

Ask us a question by email at ontarionominee@ontario.ca or by phone from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at:

Technical problems

If you are experiencing technical issues with applying online, send us an email at ontarionominee@ontario.ca and include:

  • your file number
  • description of the problem
  • screenshot (if applicable)
  • your full name and contact information

We will review your email and respond to you as soon as possible.

Updated: August 26, 2021
Published: January 14, 2019