Maple News reports that the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted a new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on March 3, targeting French-speaking Express Entry candidates. A total of 126 invitations were issued under the French-Speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) stream.
Eligible candidates required a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score between 455 and 467 and must have submitted their Express Entry profiles between March 3, 2020, and March 3, 2021. Those invited now have 45 days to submit a complete application for a provincial nomination from Ontario.
This is the second draw under the FSSW stream in 2021. The previous draw, held on January 13, saw 146 invitations issued. With this latest round, Ontario has invited a total of 271 French-speaking candidates so far this year.
The FSSW stream is aimed at individuals proficient in both French and English, aligning with Ontario’s efforts to strengthen its bilingual workforce. To qualify, candidates must generally meet the criteria of the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Minimum language benchmarks for eligibility are a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 in French and 6 in English.
Candidates must also demonstrate sufficient settlement funds and meet other criteria set by Ontario, including intention to reside in the province and relevant work or educational background.
Securing a provincial nomination is a significant advantage in the Canadian immigration process. It provides candidates with an additional 600 CRS points, effectively guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a future Express Entry draw, whether it is an all-program or PNP-specific round.
This latest draw reflects Ontario’s continued commitment to attracting skilled bilingual talent to support labor market needs and population growth. As Canada faces increasing competition for global talent, provinces are using targeted PNP streams like the FSSW to address regional priorities.