
Canada
The 2016 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) quota has been met for several streams, and therefore intake for some high-volume streams has been suspended for the year. Lower-volume streams of the OINP and other options continue to be available.
The following streams will no longer accept applications:
- OINP Human Capital Priorities (Express Entry) stream (applications for this stream have not been accepted since February 16, 2016);
- Employer Pre-screen;
- International Student – Masters Graduate stream; and
- International Student – PhD Graduate stream.
Applications for the Employer Pre-screen and both International Student streams sent after 5pm EDT on May 9, 2016 will not be processed and will be returned to the applicant with the unprocessed payment.
The OINP will continue to accept and process Expressions of Interest for the Entrepreneur stream and applications for the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream and the Corporate stream.
It is expected that the province will reopen the OINP application period in the fall, once the 2017 nomination allocation is received.
Foreign Worker Programs Still Accepting Applications
The OINP will continue to accept applications from Foreign Worker applicants and International Student with a Job Offer applicants if their job offer has been approved through the Employer Pre-screen application process. These applicants will have 60 days from the date of the Employer Pre-screen approval letter to apply to either of these streams.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals seeking to enter Ontario should consult with their immigration professional regarding alternative application options if their stream has been closed for the year.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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