The Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream provides foreign workers with a skilled job offer the opportunity to live and work permanently in Ontario.

This stream welcomes foreign workers both inside and outside of Canada. To apply, first register in the OINP’s Expression of Interest System and secure an invitation to apply. Once invited, you can apply online for a nomination by the Ontario government for permanent residence.

If nominated, the next step is to apply to the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which will make the final decision on your permanent residency status. 

Job Offer Requirements

To qualify for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream, your job offer from an Ontario employer must meet specific requirements.

For detailed information, refer to section 4 of Ontario Regulation 422/17 and the Employer Guide.

Important: Your job offer must be valid either on the date you are nominated by the OINP if you are already employed in the approved position, or on the date you obtain a work permit and start working in the approved position. 

1. Full-time and Permanent:

•    The job offer must be for a full-time position (at least 1,560 hours a year and 30 hours of paid work per week).
•    It must be a permanent position with no end date (not seasonal or contract-based).

2. Eligible Occupation:

•  The job must be in a skilled occupation within TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

3. Median Wage Level:

•  The pay must meet or exceed the median wage level for that occupation in the specific region of Ontario where you will work.
•  If you are already working in the position, the wage must be equal to or greater than your current wage and meet the median wage level.
• Wage requirements do not apply if covered by a collective agreement.

4. Work Based in Ontario:

• Your work must primarily occur in Ontario.
• You or any immediate family members can only hold equity in your employer’s business if it is less than 10% and part of your remuneration package. Combined family equity must be less than 10%.
  (A family member includes your spouse, common-law partner, and children under 22, including their children).

Essential Applicant Requirement

Once you receive an invitation to apply, you can proceed with the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream. To ensure your application is approved, you must meet the following criteria:

Invitation and Expression of Interest

• Receive and Apply Promptly: You must have received an invitation and applied within the specified deadline.
• Qualifications Confirmation: Demonstrate that you possess the qualifications claimed in your expression of interest registered with the OINP.

Work Experience or Licensing

• Mandatory Licensing for Regulated Jobs: If your job offer requires a mandatory licence or other authorization in Ontario, you must hold a valid licence from the appropriate regulatory body at the time of application.
• Experience for Non-Regulated Jobs: For job offers that do not require licensing, you must have at least two years of cumulative paid full-time work experience (or equivalent part-time) in the same occupation as your job offer’s NOC code. This experience must have been gained within the last five years and be legally obtained if within Canada.

Commitment to Ontario

• Proving Your Intent: You must show your intention to live in Ontario after gaining permanent residence. This can be demonstrated through ties such as employment, job applications, studying, volunteering, property ownership, professional networks, and family relationships.

Maintaining Legal Status in Canada (If Applicable)

• If applying from within Canada, you must have legal status (visitor record, study permit, or work permit) at the time of application and maintain it until nomination.

For more detailed information on each requirement, please refer to section 5 of Ontario Regulation 422/17.

Scoring Factors Overview

When you register an Expression of Interest under this stream, you will be assigned points based on various factors. If you are invited to apply, you must submit specific documents to support each scoring factor for which you received points.

It is important to note that scoring factors differ from stream criteria. You must meet all criteria for this stream and provide the required documents with your application. For detailed information, refer to the document checklist for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream.

OINP Scoring Factor Table

If You Are Nominated Under This Stream

Successful applicants will receive:

• A nomination approval letter
• A work permit support letter (if applicable)
• A nomination certificate

Next steps include applying to IRCC for a work permit (if applicable) and permanent residence. Conditions include:

• Demonstrating intention to reside in Ontario
• Being employed in the approved position at the time of nomination
• Applying for a work permit within six months and starting the job within ten months if not    

already employed

• Informing OINP immediately if not starting the job within ten months
• Maintaining consistent terms of employment during the nomination period and notifying OINP of any changes