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The Government of Ontario, as part of its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program(OINP), launched the Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream on August 16. It aims to provide an opportunity to in-demand foreign workers with specific occupations in agriculture and construction sectors to permanently settle in Canada. Remember, the stream is not aligned to the Express Entry System and only provides a provincial nomination certificate, using which the candidates can apply to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.
In order to apply in the In-Demand Skills Stream, you must have a job offer signed by yourself and an Ontario employer. It must be a permanent and full-time job in an eligible occupation. It must also meet the prevailing wage in Ontario for that occupation.
The job offer must be in one of the following eligible occupations in National Occupation Classification Skill Level C or D:
- NOC 7441 – Residential and commercial installers and servicers;
- NOC 7521 – Heavy equipment operators (except crane);
- NOC 8431 – General farm workers;
- NOC 8432 – Nursery and greenhouse workers;
- NOC 8611 – Harvesting labourers;
- NOC 7611 – Construction trades helpers and labourers;
- NOC 9462 – Industrial butchers, meat cutters, poultry preparers, related workers.
Other criteria required for foreign workers to apply in this stream:
- Twelve months of work experience in Ontario in the intended occupation within the preceding 36 months
- Hold the licence or certification if its mandatory for your job offer
- English or French language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 or above in all language competencies (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
- Have a minimum level of settlement funds in savings or income in Ontario
The employer who gives the job offer must also fulfill certain criteria which include:
- Must have been in active business for at least three years
- Must have business premises in Ontario where the applicant will work
- Must be in compliance with all provincial labour laws
If the employer is inside the Greater Toronto Area, they must have:
- A minimum gross annual revenue of $1,000,000
- Five permanent and full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents at the location, where the applicant will work.
If outside the Greater Toronto Area, the employer must have:
- A minimum gross annual revenue of $500,000
Three permanent and full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents at the location where the applicant will work
