June 10, 2015

The Birth of Ontario PNP Express Entry Streams

The Express Entry (“EE”) family is quickly expanding!  Their newest member is Opportunities Ontario with the introduction of two new EE streams under their current Provincial Nominee Program (“PNP”) regime.  Both of these new Ontario PNP EE streams do not require supporting job offers.  The two streams are:

1)      The Human Capital Priorities (“HCP”) Stream; and

2)     The French-Speaking Skilled Worker (“FSSW”) Stream

How it works:

Step One: Register for Express Entry

If you qualify for one of two Citizenship and Immigration (“CIC”) economic immigration programs, Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), you must first create an online EE profile. It is important to note that Ontario PNP will only be reviewing EE profiles that have been submitted on or after 1 June 2015 for eligibility under their two new streams.

Step Two: Ontario PNP may issue a Notification of Interest to those eligible

Ontario PNP will be searching the EE pool of eligible candidates to identify ones who have the following eligibility criteria:

• Express Entry Points:  Have a minimum Express Entry score of 400 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS);
• Education: Have a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree or an Educational Credential Assessment report indicating the foreign education is equivalent;
• Language:

o   For the HCP stream: Applicants must have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of level 7 or above in all language competencies (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)

o   For the FSSW stream: Applicants must have a CLB of level 7 or above in French language capability as well as CLB 6 in English language capabilities.

• Funds: Have sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents in Ontario;
• Work Experience: Meet the requirements for either CEC or FSWP;
• Ties to Ontario: Demonstrate your intention to reside in Ontario.

If you meet the criteria above, Ontario PNP may send you Notification of Interest from Ontario through your MyCIC account.  This notification will invite you to apply for a nomination certificate through the Ontario PNP.

Step Three: Apply to Ontario PNP under one of their EE streams

After you receive your Notification of Interest, you will have 45 days to apply to Ontario PNP under the stream you have been selected for.  This involves completing the Nominee Application Form and providing the required supporting documents.

Step Four: Accept the Ontario PNP nomination and apply for Permanent Residence

If your application is approved by Ontario PNP, a letter will be sent to your MyCIC account notifying you of your nomination certificate and you will have 30 days to accept it. This nomination will provide you with an additional 600 CRS points which will significantly increase your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from CIC on the next draw. Upon receipt of your ITA, you will have 60 days to submit your application for permanent residence through CIC.

Quota:

Ontario’s allocation of nominations for the 2015 year has already been set at 5,200.  This figure includes nominations issued for both PNP nominations under their regular streams as well as the new EE streams.  This quota fills quickly and so it is important to act fast if you are eligible.

For more information on Express Entry, please click here.

(Sources)