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Ontario has released more details of changes proposed to a few major streams of Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). According to OINP, the proposed changes aim “to improve the responsiveness of the OINP to current labour market and employer needs, including supporting regions that do not traditionally see significant levels of immigration.” These changes would come into effect only after the 45-day public consultation period ends on May 30, 2019.
Changes to OINP Entrepreneur stream
In certain cases, the minimum investment threshold would be reduced by half or more than half compared to the current requirements. Currently, the minimum personal investment is $1,000,000 if the proposed business is located within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). This will be reduced to $600,000. For the proposed business that will be located outside the GTA, currently the minimum personal investment is $500,000.This will be brought down to $200,000. The minimum personal investment of $500,000 for the businesses in the ICT/Digital Communications sector will also be brought down to $200,000.
The personal net worth required would be brought down as follows:
| Current net worth requirement | Revised net worth requirement |
| Minimum $1,500,000 if the proposed business is located within the GTA. | $800,000 |
| Minimum $800,000 if the proposed business is located outside the GTA. | $400,000 |
| Minimum $800,000 if the proposed business is in the ICT/Digital Communications sector. | $400,000 |
Changes have also been proposed for the job-creating requirements of businesses. A business located in the GTA would have to create at least two permanent, full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents within the first 20 months of launching the business. At the same time, a business located outside the GTA or in the Information and Communications Technology / Digital Communications sector needs to create only one permanent, full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident within the first 20 months.
Changes proposed for the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream of OINP
Three more occupations would be added to the current in-demand list. They are:
NOC 3413: Nurse aides, orderlies and patient services associates
NOC 4412: Home support workers and related occupations, excluding housekeepers
NOC 7511: Transport truck drivers
The work experience requirement would also be brought down from one year to nine months.
Changes to the Express Entry-aligned streams of OINP
A minor change has been introduced to the three OINP streams aligned with the federal Express Entry — the Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades streams. While earlier the work experience for these streams were assessed based on the date that an applicant received a Notification of Interest from Ontario, as per the new change, the work experience would be assessed on the basis of the date of application for provincial nomination.
Changes to Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams of OINP
As per the new changes, the candidate who apply for a provincial nomination through the Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams of the OINP, would have to submit either proof that they obtained their degree from an eligible Ontario institution OR a letter from an eligible Ontario institution to prove that they completed the necessary requirements for their degree. The document submitted must be dated not more than two years before the date of the application.
Termination of Corporate Stream
Ontario has decided to terminate the Corporate Stream of OINP as “it has not achieved its intended objective of bringing international businesses to Ontario.”
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