Maple News reports that Ontario has officially launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for two key streams of its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream and the Employer Job Offer: International Student stream. This change signals a shift away from the province’s former first-come, first-served processing model, aiming instead for a more strategic and fair candidate selection system.
Under the new EOI system, prospective immigrants can now register their interest at any time through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) e-Filing Portal. Previously, applicants had to wait for limited-time openings and race against thousands of others, often encountering technical issues due to high demand. With the new model, profiles are submitted into a pool and scored based on a comprehensive set of factors.
These factors include a candidate’s job offer details (such as National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level and wage), work experience in Canada, education level, language proficiency, and regional considerations like whether the job is located outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Ontario may also allocate up to 10 discretionary points to profiles that align with its current labour market needs.
Importantly, registering an EOI is free, although successful candidates invited to apply will still need to pay the application fees and demonstrate eligibility for the stream they are applying under. EOIs remain valid for up to 12 months unless withdrawn or replaced earlier.
In addition to the currently available streams, Ontario has indicated that the EOI system will soon expand to include other popular immigration pathways such as the In-Demand Skills, Masters Graduate, and PhD Graduate streams.
The move brings Ontario in line with the majority of Canadian provinces, which already operate similar EOI-based systems. It’s part of a larger effort to address high volumes of interest and to ensure that the provincial nomination system is both sustainable and responsive to economic needs.
Ontario, Canada’s most popular province for newcomers, approved this EOI model earlier in 2021 after conducting public consultations. The new system is intended to improve program fairness by streamlining application intake and eliminating the unpredictability of the previous system.
Overall, this modernization effort is a welcome step for both the province and immigration candidates. It enhances transparency, supports economic growth, and offers a more efficient and equitable pathway for skilled workers and international graduates aspiring to settle in Ontario.
According to Maple News, this development will likely have a significant impact on skilled professionals and graduates looking to make Ontario their future home.