Ontario PNP Accepting New Applications, Increased Quotas

The province of Ontario has its own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) popularly referred to as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). In 2018, the province will be accepting a total of 6,600 applications through this program, which is 600 more applications compared to 2017. Those who have submitted their Express Entry profiles should keep an eye for the Notification of Interest which will be issued by the province of Ontario to those top-ranking candidates in the pool.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The Ontario Immigration Nominee Program gives candidates an opportunity to become permanent residents of Canada after receiving a Notification of Interest from the Province of Ontario. The province nominates candidates from the people who have completed their Express Entry profile. Once a candidate receives a provincial nomination from Ontario, they get an additional 600 points which basically qualifies them among those candidates who will receive an Invitation to Apply because of their top ranking in the pool.

When to expect NOIs

Candidates have to wait for the province to announce that they will be taking in new applicants. This year, Ontario announced their intake for the OINP on January 18th. The province reopened their online system later in June where they were accepting new applications from candidates who had received a valid NOI through their Express Entry profile. After receiving the NOI, candidates cold file their application for permanent residence through the e-Filing portal. Remember that you do not qualify to submit an application to the province if you haven’t received an NOI even if you think you meet all the requirements in your Express Entry profile.

OINP accepting more applications in 2018

In 2018, the province of Ontario is expected to accept more applications than in the previous year. They are targeting a total of 6,600 applications by the end of 2018; this is 600 more applications than what was the target for 2017. With higher quotas, it means that the province will be giving more people NOIs after reviewing their Express Entry profile. This means that you have a higher chance of being nominated by the province of Ontario to apply for permanent residence than you did last year. Consult a qualified Express Entry lawyer Canada to help you in filling up your profile and use the best approach to attract an NOI.

What do you need to receive the NOI from Ontario?

Ontario will issue NOIs to candidates with active Express Entry profiles. You may have met the minimum requirements for the OINP stream but this doesn’t guarantee that you will receive an NOI. The province of Ontario has to make the final decision as to which existing Express Entry candidates will be issued NOIs. There are however different ways to approach this and increase your chances of receiving an NOI if you’ve met the minimum criteria. You need to consult an immigration lawyer Canada who will review your situation and advice on the best approach. For instance, your lawyer may advise you to create a new Express Entry profile because the province sometimes prefers the recent profiles when issuing NOIs.