Ontario Masters Graduate is one of the Human Capital streams of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of Ontario. The Masters Graduate stream targets recent graduates with master’s degrees obtained at an eligible Ontario institution who have the intention of living and working in Ontario.
Candidates who are successfully nominated through the Ontario Masters Graduate Stream will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence.
In order to qualify for the Ontario Masters Graduate stream, candidates must demonstrate past residency in Ontario. Successful applicants must show that they have resided in Ontario for at least 12 out of the 24 months prior to the application.
The Masters Graduate stream requires a minimum language proficiency score, in either English or French, consistent with the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7.
Candidates must have completed a master’s degree from an eligible Ontario institution within the last two years. Eligible institutions of study for the Ontario Masters Graduate stream include the following:
All candidates for the Ontario Masters Graduate stream must meet the settlement funds requirements determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This can be demonstrated through their own finances, or through maintaining a valid offer of employment.
Applications also require proof of intention to reside in Ontario permanently, possibly through an Ontario job offer or family connections.
This stream is currently closed and will open under the OINP Expression of Interest system at a later date.
Once the Expression of Interest (EOI) system opens for this stream, eligible applicants can submit an EOI through OINP’s e-Filing Portal for the chance to be invited to apply for nomination. Profiles are ranked on an OINP points-based system. The highest-ranking candidates will be issued an invitation to apply in one of the OINP draws.
Once an invitation is received, the applicant has 14 calendar days to apply for nomination
If the province approves the application, Ontario will notify the applicant they have been selected for provincial nomination. This notification will be sent to the applicant’s ONe-Key account within the e-Filing Portal.
After receiving a provincial nomination, an applicant must submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.