Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP): Pathways, Eligibility, EOI  Scoring & PR Representation:

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is the primary economic immigration mechanism for foreign workers, international students, and skilled professionals seeking Canadian Permanent Residence (PR) in Ontario. A nomination certificate under an Express Entry-aligned stream awards 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Non-Express Entry streams offer a direct pathway to permanent residence via the federal online PR Portal.

Securing an OINP nomination involves navigating Ontario’s dynamic Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring matrix, strict employer revenue and payroll thresholds, and tight filing deadlines (often only 14 to 17 calendar days post-invitation). A minor wage calculation discrepancy, an incorrect NOC TEER classification, or an incomplete employer compliance filing can result in an immediate refusal and a multi-year ban under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015.

At Euro Consultants Canada, principal counsel Ahmad Junaid Salik (LL.B., RCIC-IRB, CICC License #R509291) provides comprehensive legal representation. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, our office manages the entire tripartite process between candidate, Ontario employer, and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD).

• Regulated RCIC-IRB Representation: Direct legal counsel from a Level 3 immigration consultant licensed for unrestricted practice before IRCC, ESDC, CBSA, and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

• Employer Compliance & Audit Protection: Hands-on verification of employer revenue thresholds, full-time employee headcounts, and prevailing median wage standards.

• T13 Work Permit Integration: Securing LMIA-exempt work permits under IRPR Section 204(c) using Ontario’s Provincial Support Letter so you can maintain legal work authorization while your PR application processes.

Book an OINP Assessment Consultation

Navigating OINP Pathways-2026:


1.  Ontario workforce priority: TEER 0-3 category.

2.  Ontario workforce priority: TEER 4-5 category.

3.  Ontario workforce priority: self-employed physician category

            i.  Certificates of registration authorizing independent practice.

ii.  Certificates of registration authorizing academic practice.

iii.  Provisional certificates of registration.

ELIGIBILITY: 

• EXPERIENCE:

1. • Recent Grads: 3/12 months
   • Job Offer TEER 0,1,2,3: 6/12 months
   • Job Offer TEER 4,5: 9/24 months
   • Trades: 6 months
   • Engineers/Pharmacist/Pharmacy technicians/Nurses: 2 years in last 5 years

• EDUCATION:
  1. TEER 0,1,2,3: 1 yr PS
  2. Trades: Grade 12
  3. Nurses 33102: 1 year Ontario College Certificate
  4. TEER 4,5: Grade 12
• LANGUAGE:
  1. TEER 0,1,2,3- CLB 6
  2. Trades: CLB 5
  3. TEER 4,5: CLB 4
  4. Ontario grads in last 3 years – Exempt from test
• EMPLOYER’S ELIGIBILITY
  1. Active business for at least 3 years prior to submitting the application
  2. Meet revenue requirements based on the location of your job offer
  3. Have a minimum number of Canadian citizen or permanent resident full-time employees based on the location of your job offer
  4. Inside GTA:
     1. Gross Annual Revenue: $1000,000
     2. Employees: 5 FT
  5. Outside GTA
     1. Gross Annual Revenue: $500,000
     2. Employees: 3 FT
  6. WAGE:
     1. Must be at least equal to the wage level that the employer currently pays the applicant in that position
     2. The position must meet at least, the median wage level that applies for the occupation and region to which the position relates,
     3. Recent Grads– the low wage level that applies for the occupation and region to which the position relates
  7. POINTS TABLE:
     1. TEER:
        1. 0,1: 9
        2. 2,3: 6
        3. 4,5: 0
     2. NOC Broad Occupational Category
        1. Occupational Category 3: 10 points
        2. Occupational Category 7: 8 points
        3. Occupational Category 2 — 6 points
        4. Occupational Category 0, 1, 4, 8, 9 — 4 points
        5. Occupational Category 5, 6 — 2 points
• Wage:
  1. $40 per hour or higher — 15 points
  2. $35 to $39.99 per hour — 12 points
  3. $30 to $34.99 per hour — 10 points
  4. $25 to $29.99 per hour — 8 points
  5. $20 to $24.99 per hour — 5 points
  6. Less than $20 per hour — 0 points
• Ontario Work Experience
  1. Job Offer Applicants:
     1. Over 24 months working in job offer position — 18 points
     2. 13 to 24 months working in job offer position — 15 points
     3. 6 to 12 months working in job offer position — 12 points
     4. Less than 6 months working in job offer position or not currently working in position — 0 points
  2. If the applicant has less than 6 months work experience in the job offer position, the scoring is as follows:
     1. Over 24 months working in Ontario — 12 points
     2. 13 to 24 months working in Ontario — 9 points
     3. 6 to 12 months working in Ontario — 6 points
     4. Less than 6 months working in Ontario or not currently working in Ontario — 0 points

1. 1. 1.  

• Self-employed physicians
  1. Over 24 months (2 years or more) cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 18 points  
  2. 13 months up to 24 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 15 points 
  3. 6 months up to 12 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 12 points 
  4. Less than 6 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 0 points 
• Canadian work experience: earnings history

Based on a Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency in the last 5 years.

1. $70k or more earnings in a year — 8 points
2. $50k to $69,999 — 6 points
3. $30k to $49,999 — 4 points
4. Under $30k earnings in a year — 0 points.

• Legal status in Canada

The work or study permit must confer legal status.

1. With valid work permit — 10 points
2. With valid study permit — 5 points
3. Without valid work or study permit — 0 points

• Education

Highest level of education

Canadian credential or ECA required.

1. Doctorate or degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry — 10 points
2. Masters degree — 8 points
3. University certificate or diploma above a bachelor level — 6 points
4. Bachelors degree or equivalent — 6 points
5. Ontario College Graduate Certificate — 5 points
6. University certificate or diploma below a bachelor level — 5 points
7. College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma that is not an Ontario College Graduate Certificate — 5 points
8. Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma — 5 points
9. Less than college or trade certificate — 0 points

• Number of Canadian education credentials

Credential must be a post-secondary education credential from an eligible Canadian institution that takes at least one year to complete on a full-time basis.

1. More than one Canadian credential — 10 points
2. One Canadian credential — 5 points
3. No Canadian credential — 0 points

1. Language

Official language ability (English or French)

You must take an approved English or French language test, and you will receive points based on your lowest CLB level across the 4 language areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking).

If you have taken both an English and French test, you will receive points based on the test with the higher CLB level. We do not accept Academic or One Skill Retake tests.

1. CLB 9 or higher — 15 points
2. CLB 8 — 12 points
3. CLB 7 — 8 points
4. CLB 6 — 4 points
5. CLB 5 or lower — 0 points

• Knowledge of official languages

To receive points for 2 official languages, you must have at least CLB 6 across the 4 language areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking) for both tests. 

1. 2 official languages — 10 points
2. 1 official language — 5 points

• Regionalization

Regional immigration: location of work location in job offer

For EOI registrations with a job offer, regional immigration will be determined based on the location of the work location in the job offer entered by the employer.

For self-employed physicians, regional immigration will be determined based on your Ontario practice address per your OHIP billing number registration.

1. Northern Ontario — 15 points
2. Eastern Ontario — 10 points
3. Central Ontario outside GTA — 10 points
4. Southwestern Ontario — 10 points
5. Inside GTA (except Toronto) — 5 points
6. Toronto — 0 points

 

Why Retaining a Licensed Consultant (RCIC) is a Must for OINP

Applying for OINP involves provincial statutes (Ontario Immigration Act, 2015) alongside federal immigration laws (IRPA and IRPR). Unlike federal programs where officers primarily review your personal documentation, OINP subjects both the applicant and the sponsoring employer to strict regulatory scrutiny.

Retaining a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) is essential because:

1. Protection Against Strict Strict-Liability Penalties

Under Section 15 of the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, providing inaccurate or inconsistent information is treated as misrepresentation. Ontario imposes severe administrative penalties, including:

• Immediate application refusal and cancellation of your EOI registration.

• A mandatory two-year to five-year ban from applying to any OINP stream.

• An administrative monetary penalty (AMP) assessed against the applicant or employer.

2. Strict Filing Deadlines

Once Ontario issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA) or a Notification of Interest (NOI), the countdown begins:

• EOI Streams: The employer must submit the employer form within 14 calendar days, and the applicant must submit all supporting forms and government processing fees within 14 to 17 calendar days.

• Express Entry Streams: Applicants have 45 calendar days from receiving an NOI to assemble and submit a comprehensive document package.

  Missing these deadlines results in immediate expiration without an extension. An RCIC audits and compiles your complete document file in advance so your application is ready to file the moment an invitation is issued.

3. Substantiating “Intent to Reside” in Ontario

Section 87 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) requires nominees to demonstrate a genuine, exclusive intent to settle in Ontario. If an applicant maintains out-of-province bank accounts, holds residential leases outside Ontario, or previously studied in another province, officers routinely issue Procedural Fairness Letters (PFL). An RCIC builds an objective evidence portfolio documenting ties to the local community, Ontario banking records, employment history, and family connections.

4. Direct Assistance with Employer Portal & Wage Compliance

Many Ontario employers are willing to support valuable staff but are hesitant to disclose sensitive financial statements or navigate government portals. An RCIC coordinates directly with your employer’s HR and executive teams, ensuring their T4 summaries, Notices of Assessment, and commercial lease agreements meet provincial standards without adding friction to their day-to-day operations.

How Ahmad Junaid Salik at Euro Consultants Canada is Different

Feature	Unlicensed Agents / General Agencies	Ahmad Junaid Salik (Euro Consultants)
Accreditation Level	Unregulated overseas consultants or junior agents with limited legal standing.	Level 3 RCIC-IRB (CICC License #R509291), licensed for unrestricted legal practice before IRCC, CBSA, and all four divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
Formal Legal Background	Short certificate programs without formal legal training.	Holds an LL.B. (Hons) from the University of London (UK), bringing formal common-law statutory interpretation and administrative jurisprudence to every file.
Local Ontario Presence	Remote operations with no physical presence in Ontario.	Direct, local practice based in Mississauga, Ontario (serving Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, and the GTA), providing in-person and virtual consultations with direct insight into Ontario’s regional labour market.
Extensive Track Record	Newly formed businesses or volume-driven call centers.	Over 13 years of continuous practice in Canadian immigration (since 2013), with thousands of files handled across provincial nominations, employer compliance.
End-to-End File Coordination	Drops candidates once the nomination certificate is received.	Full lifecycle support: from OINP EOI scoring optimization and T13 LMIA-exempt work permit filing to federal permanent residence landing.
Tribunal & Dispute Authority	Ineligible to act if an application is challenged or refused.	As a Level 3 RCIC-IRB counsel, authorized to respond to OINP Intention to Refuse notices, request internal administrative reviews, and coordinate Federal Court judicial reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for OINP if my employer is located inside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)?

Yes. However, the employer eligibility requirements depend on location. Employers inside the GTA (City of Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, and York regions) must show at least $1,000,000 CAD in gross annual revenue and have at least 5 full-time Canadian citizen or permanent resident employees. Employers located outside the GTA must show at least $500,000 CAD in gross annual revenue and have at least 3 full-time Canadian or PR employees. Additionally, working outside the GTA earns you higher points on the OINP EOI scoring matrix.

Can I work in Ontario while my OINP permanent residence application is processing?

Yes. If you receive an official OINP nomination and hold a valid job offer, Ontario can issue an official Provincial Support Letter for a Work Permit. Under Section 204(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), you can apply for an employer-specific, LMIA-exempt work permit (Code T13). This allows you to work legally in Ontario without requiring your employer to apply for a federal LMIA.

What happens if the OINP issues an “Intention to Refuse” letter?

If an OINP officer intends to refuse your application—due to questions about job duties, wage compliance, or intent to reside—they will issue an Intention to Refuse Notice giving you a strict 30-day window to submit a formal response. An experienced RCIC can review the officer’s concerns, gather missing corroborating evidence, and draft a formal legal submission citing the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 and OINP policy guidelines to resolve the issues before a final decision is made.