Effective July 2, 2025, the stream will shift from an applicant-led process to an employer-led process, wherein employers must now initiate an application by sending details directly to the OINP (via the Employer Portal) before a candidate can register an Expression of Interest (EOI). More details below.
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program (OINP), the International Student (IS) stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Ontario | International Student – Overview
The International Student (IS) stream is one of Ontario’s PNP streams that requires the candidate to hold a job offer from an employer in Ontario to be eligible.
When receiving a nomination under the IS stream, candidates can then apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government of Canada.
This stream is not aligned with Express Entry, which means that candidates cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of Express Entry. Processing times of Provincial Nominee Programs (not aligned with Express Entry) are usually longer and take at least 1 year.
The IS stream does require a valid job offer as its main eligibility requirement, and candidates do not need to have previous work experience or to provide proof of funds. There are other requirements that must be fulfilled regarding the candidate, the employer, and the job offer.
The IS stream is quite similar to the Foreign Worker (FW) stream, except that candidates under the IS stream:
- need to have a degree from a Canadian university or college, which is not required under the FW stream,
- do not need to have previous work experience to be eligible, which is required under the FW stream, and
- need to have a job offer with a salary level at or above low wage levels (see eligibility requirements for more details), and the FW stream job offer needs a salary level at or above the median wage levels.
Ontario | International Student – Eligibility
There are 3 main categories of eligibility requirements that we will summarize below. You can apply to the International Student (IS) stream if you, your employer, and your job offer satisfy to all the requirements below. Again, there is no settlement funds required for this stream.
Job offer
To be eligible to the IS stream, the job offer must:
- be full-time (min. 30h/week and 1,560h/year) and permanent (no end date in the contract),
- be in an NOC TEER Category 0, 1, 2 or 3. You can learn more about NOC codes here,
- have a salary level at or above the low wage level for that occupation in the region where you will be working (if you have a collective agreement, i.e. a written contract between the employer and a union, in your workplace that determines your wages, the wage level requirements do not apply),
- align with your employer’s existing business activities and the position must be needed to maintain or grow ongoing business activity, i.e. the position must be necessary to the employer’s business, and
- be for a position primarily based in Ontario.
You, and members of your family (combined), cannot hold more than 10% of the equity of the employer, and cannot hold any equity of the employer except if obtained as part of the remuneration package as an employee.
Self-employed professionals, including physicians, are not eligible under this stream. Self-employed physicians may qualify under the OINP’s Foreign Worker, Human Capital Priorities, or French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams.
Applicant
To be eligible to the IS stream, you, the applicant, must have obtained from an eligible Canadian institution (see below for full list):
- an undergraduate degree or diploma that takes at least two years if pursued on a full-time basis from an eligible Canadian institution
- a graduate degree or diploma that takes at least one year if pursued on a full-time basis from an eligible Canadian institution
- a college graduate certificate that takes at least one year to complete if pursued on a fully-time basis from an eligible Ontario institution
- a university graduate certificate that takes at least one year to complete if pursued on a full-time basis from an eligible Ontario institution
More than half of your studies must have been completed at an eligible Canadian institution while living and studying in Canada.
To determine whether your graduate certificate is an eligible credential, check that the official credential you received from your institution is an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.
Not all college certificate programs are considered graduate certificate programs. A graduate certificate builds on knowledge and experience gained through previous postsecondary study. Admission to a graduate certificate program requires either a university degree, a college certificate or diploma.
Eligible Canadian and Ontario institutions
Ontario
- Colleges
- Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Canadore College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Centennial College
- Collège Boréal
- Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
- Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology
- George Brown College
- Georgian College
- Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
- La Cité collégiale
- Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Michener Institute of Education at UHN
- Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Royal Military College of Canada
- Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Sheridan College of Applied Arts and Technology
- St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology
- St. Lawrence College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Universities
- Algoma University
- Brock University
- Carleton University
- Lakehead University
- Laurentian University
- McMaster University
- Nipissing University
- Ontario College of Art and Design University
- Queen’s University
- Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
- Trent University
- Université de l’Ontario français
- University of Guelph
- Université de Hearst
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology
- University of Ottawa
- University of Sudbury
- University of Toronto
- University of Waterloo
- University of Windsor
- Western University
- Wilfrid Laurier University
- York University
- Indigenous Institutes
- Six Nations Polytechnic
Alberta
- Colleges
- Bow Valley College
- Keyano College
- Lakeland College
- Lethbridge College
- Medicine Hat College
- NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
- NorQuest College
- Northern Lakes College
- Olds College
- Portage College
- Red Deer College
- SAIT – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
- Universities
- Athabasca University
- MacEwen University
- Mount Royal University
- University of Alberta
- University of Calgary
- University of Lethbridge
British Columbia
- Colleges
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Camosun College
- College of New Caledonia
- College of the Rockies
- Douglas College
- Justice Institute of British Columbia
- Langara College
- Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
- North Island College
- Northern Lights College
- Okanagan College
- Selkirk College – Castelgar Campus
- Vancouver Community College
- Universities
- Capilano University
- Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Royal Roads University
- Simon Fraser University
- Thompson Rivers University
- University of British Columbia
- University of Northern British Columbia
- University of the Fraser Valley
- University of Victoria
- Vancouver Island University
Manitoba
- Colleges
- Assiniboine Community College
- Red River Polytechnic
- Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology
- Universities
- Brandon University
- University of Winnipeg
- Université de Saint-Boniface
- University College of the North
- University of Manitoba
New Brunswick
- Colleges
- Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Maritime College of Forest Technology
- New Brunswick College of Craft and Design
- New Brunswick Community College
- Universities
- Mount Allison University
- St. Thomas University
- Université de Moncton
- University of New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Colleges
- Centre for Nursing Studies
- College of the North Atlantic
- Western Regional School of Nursing
- Universities
- Memorial University of Newfoundland
Northwest Territories
- Colleges
- Aurora College
Nova Scotia
- Colleges
- Nova Scotia Community College
- Universities
- Acadia University
- Atlantic School of Theology
- Cape Breton University
- Dalhousie University
- Mount Saint Vincent University
- Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD University)
- Saint Mary’s University
- St. Francis Xavier University
- Université Sainte-Anne
- University of King’s College (Associated with Dalhousie University)
Prince Edward Island
- Colleges
- Collège de l’île
- Holland College
- Universities
- University of Prince Edward Island
Quebec
- Colleges
- Cégep André-Laurendeau
- Cégep Beauce-Appalaches
- Cégep d’Ahuntsic
- Cégep de Baie-Comeau
- Cégep de Bois-de-Boulogne
- Cégep de Chicoutimi
- Cégep de Drummondville
- Cégep de Granby Haute-Yamaska
- Cégep de Jonquière
- Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Cégep de l’Outaouais
- Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles
- Cégep de la Pocatière
- Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon
- Cégep de Maisonneuve
- Cégep de Matane
- Cégep de Rimouski
- Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup
- Cégep de Rosemont
- Cégep de Saint-Félicien
- Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe
- Cégep de Saint-Jérôme
- Cégep de Saint-Laurent
- Cégep de Sainte-Foy
- Cégep de Sept-Îles
- Cégep de Sherbrooke
- Cégep de Sorel-Tracy
- Cégep de Thetford
- Cégep de Trois-Rivières
- Cégep de Valleyfield
- Cégep de Victoriaville
- Cégep du Vieux Montréal
- Cégep Eduoard-Montpetit
- Cégep Francois-Xavier Garneau
- Cégep Gérald-Godin
- Cégep John Abbott
- Cégep Lionel-Groulx
- Cégep Marie-Victorin
- Cégep Montmorency
- Cégep Limoilou
- Cégep régional de Lanaudière
- Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
- Cégep Vanier
- Centre régional de formation à distance du Grand-Montréal
- Collège Ahuntsic
- Collège d’Alma
- Collège Dawson
- Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne
- Collège de Maisonneuve
- Collège de Matane
- Collège de Rosemont
- Collège de Valleyfield
- Collège Gérald-Godin
- Collège Héritage
- Collège Montmorency
- Collège régional Champlain
- Collège Vanier
- Centre de formation professionnelle EXPÉ – secteur des Sources
- Universities
- Bishop’s University
- Concordia University
- École de technologie supérieure (Université du Québec)
- École nationale d’administration publique (Université du Québec)
- École Polytechnique de Montréal (affiliated with Université du Montréal)
- École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal
- HEC Montréal (affiliated with Université du Montréal)
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Université du Québec)
- McGill University
- Télé-Université (TÉLUQ)
- Université de Montréal
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Université du Québec
- Université Laval
Saskatchewan
- Colleges
- Great Plains College
- North West Regional College
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Southeast College
- Universities
- Campion College (Federated with the University of Regina)
- First Nations University of Canada
- Luther College (Federated with the University of Regina)
- St. Thomas More College (Federated with the University of Saskatchewan)
- University of Regina
- University of Saskatchewan
Yukon
- Colleges
- Yukon University
You can apply to the IS stream within 2 years after the date on your degree. For example, if the date on the degree is May 6th, 2019, you cannot apply after May 6th 2021.
If you need a licence or authorization to practice the position in the job offer, you have to hold a valid one when applying.
You must also intend to live in Ontario. OINP will assess this through a series of factors, such as past studies, work, or tourism in the province, having family members or personal relationships residing in Ontario, etc.
If you do not have any of the ties listed above, we recommend talking about the following topics in your letter:
- Talk about your current job offer and the industry in which you work, and then add information about the prospects of your line of work in Ontario.
- Talk about Ontario in general, what you like about it (weather, festivals, etc.), and how you can settle without any problem there.
In short, you need to prove that you did your research, and do not talk about other provinces or territories.
When applying from inside Canada, you need to have the appropriate legal documentation to prove you are in the country legally, either a Work Permit, a Study Permit, etc. You should keep your status until you are nominated.
Employer
To be eligible to the IS stream, the employer must:
- have been in active business in the least 3 years,
- have a location in Ontario where you are expected to perform your duties, and
- have no outstanding orders made against them under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
For the most recent fiscal year, the employer must also satisfy the following requirements:
- If you will work or report to work inside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the employer must have at least (i) 1,000,000 CAD in annual gross revenues, and (ii) 5 full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- If you will work or report to work outside the GTA, the employer must have at least (i) 500,000 CAD in annual gross revenues, and (ii) 3 full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
The location where the applicant will report to work means (i) the location where the applicant’s immediate supervisor or manager works, or (ii) the administrative office where the applicant will receive work assignments.
Invitation to apply
The OINP will invite the highest ranking candidates to apply either on a general basis (rank all candidates who registered an expression of interest) or on a targeted basis (rank only those candidates who have one or more targeted labour market or human capital attributes).
The following are the scoring factors used in this IS stream:
Job offer – NOC skill level (NOC codes here)
- NOC TEER Category 0 or 1 – 10 points
- NOC TEER Category 2 or 3 – 8 points
- NOC TEER Category 4 – 0 points
- NOC TEER Category 5 – 0 points
Job offer – NOC broad occupational category (first digit of the NOC code)
- Broad occupational Category 0, 2 or 3 – 10 points
- Broad occupational Category 7 – 7 points
- Broad occupational Category 1 or 9 – 5 points
- Broad occupational Category 4 or 8 – 4 points
- Broad occupational Category 5 or 6 – 3 points
Job offer – Wage
- CAD 40 per hour or more – 10 points
- CAD 35 to CAD 39.99 per hour or more – 8 points
- CAD 30 to CAD 34.99 per hour or more – 7 points
- CAD 25 to CAD 29.99 per hour or more – 6 points
- CAD 20 to CAD 24.99 per hour – 5 points
- Less than CAD 20 per hour – 0 points
Work/study permit status
- With valid work or study permit – 10 points
- Without valid work or study permit – 0 points
Canadian work experience with job offer employer
- 6 months or more working in job offer position – 3 points
- Less than 6 months working in job offer position or not currently working in position – 0 points
Canadian work experience – Earnings history
- CAD 40,000 or more in a year – 3 points
- Less than CAD 40,000 in a year – 0 points
Highest level of education
- PhD – 10 points
- Masters – 8 points
- Bachelors or equivalent – 6 points
- Graduate diploma or certificate – 6 points
- Undergraduate diploma or certificate – 5 points
- Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma – 5 points
- Less than college or trade certificate – 0 points
Field of study (of the eligible education credential being used for the application)
- STEM/Health (Engineering, Health, Math, Computer Science) and Trades (agriculture and natural resources operations and management, mechanics and repair, architecture, construction and precision production) – 12 points
- Business and administration, social, legal, education, behavioral science, personal, security and transport services, social work and related programs – 6 points
- Arts and humanities, business, humanities, arts, social science and education (BHASE), programs and programs that are not elsewhere classified (n.e.c) – 0 points
Canadian education experience (for post-secondary education credential, from an eligible institution above, that takes at least one year to complete on a full-time basis)
- More than one Canadian credential – 10 points
- One Canadian credential – 5 points
Official language ability (Language tests here)
- CLB9 or higher – 10 points
- CLB8 – 6 points
- CLB7 – 4 points
- CLB6 or lower – 0 points
Knowledge of official languages
- 2 Official Languages – 10 points (min. CLB7 in one official language and a min. CLB6 in the second official language)
- 1 Official Language – 5 points
Regional immigration – Location of job Offer
- Northern Ontario – 10 points
- Includes the following Census Divisions: Muskoka Haliburton, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Algoma, Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora
- Other areas outside GTA (except Northern Ontario) – 8 points
- Includes all Ontario regions except those listed as part of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and Northern Ontario
- Inside GTA (except Toronto) – 3 points
- Includes the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel and York
- Toronto – 0 points
- Includes the City of Toronto
Regional immigration – Location of study (where you physically attended classes)
- Northern Ontario – 10 points
- Includes the following Census Divisions: Muskoka Haliburton, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Algoma, Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora
- Other areas outside GTA (except Northern Ontario) – 8 points
- Includes all Ontario regions except those listed as part of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and Northern Ontario
- Inside GTA (except Toronto) – 3 points
- Includes the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel and York
- Toronto – 0 points
- Includes the City of Toronto
- Credential was completed without physically attending (in-person) classes – 0 points
Strategic priorities (To address immediate labour market needs)
- As determined by OINP – 10 points
- One of the OINP Strategic priorities is the Regional Immigration Pilot. To obtain the 10 points, the job offer must be from an employer located in one of the following pilot communities :
Ontario | International Student – Application Process
For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the International Student (IS) stream. Candidates must:
- Have the employer start the process by registering their business and provide information about the position by submitting a job offer in the Employer Portal, and then register an expression of interest in the OINP e-Filing Portal for the IS stream within 30 calendar days.
- After receiving an invitation to apply, apply to the IS stream within 17 days by submitting their application through the OINP e-Filing Portal (filling in forms and uploading required documents).
- Apply for permanent residence to the federal government (IRCC) within 6 months of receiving the nomination (after OINP processes their application). Candidates need to apply online to IRCC, and include the Nomination Approval Letter and the Certificate of Nomination received from OINP.
Ontario | International Student – Application Fees
The fee for this stream is quite expensive, the most expensive in all other Provincial Nominee Programs. It is set at 1,500 CAD. It can only be paid by a credit or debit card (Visa or MasterCard).
Application fees can only be refunded if the processing of the application has not started, either (i) if the applicant withdraws his/her application before processing starts, or (ii) if the application is refused as being incomplete by the OINP.
