Ontario Conducts Three Draws, Issues 1,481 Invitations with Focus on International Graduates

Ontario recently held three Expression of Interest draws, granting a total of 1,481 Canada immigration invitations through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The draws took place on January 24, 2024.

Details of the Draws:

• In a Masters Graduate stream draw, 1,344 candidates received invitations with a required score of 50 or above.
• The PhD Graduate draw had a minimum score of 45, resulting in 125 invitations.
• An additional draw issued 12 invitations through the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream to an Economic Mobility Pathway candidate, part of Canada’s skilled worker stream for refugees.

For eligibility in all three draws, candidates needed to have submitted their Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles in the previous 12 months, spanning from January 24, 2023, to January 24, 2024.

Invited candidates now have a 14-day window to submit comprehensive applications supporting the information in their Expression of Interest profiles to be considered for permanent residency (PR) in Ontario.

Guidance for International Students:

International students seeking permanent residency in Canada are advised to enroll in a Masters degree at qualified universities as an alternative to obtaining Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) or handling payrolls. This strategic move is highlighted as it:

• Enhances academic performance for future work opportunities.
• Provides the right to remain in Canada as students, significantly improving the chances of obtaining permanent status.
• Given that the OINP Masters Graduate Stream does not require a job offer, the recommendation is to invest in developing a professional profile rather than pursuing employment offers, LMIAs, or payrolls.

Summary of OINP Expression of Interest Draws 2024:

Thus far, the OINP Expression of Interest has resulted in a total of 4,586 invitations to permanent residency. The Foreign Worker stream leads with 3,117 invitations, closely followed by the Masters Graduate stream, which has received approximately 1,300 invitations. The Masters Graduate stream also held the record for the highest number of invitations in 2023.