Ontario Now Accepting Expressions of Interest For Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

Ontario is now accepting expressions of interest through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s In-Demand Skills stream, for jobs that are in high demand in the agricultural or construction industries.

“The expression of interest system will remain open throughout the year and you can register an expression of interest at any time,” notes the province on its website. “You must carefully review the relevant website pages to ensure that you meet all stream criteria before registering an expression of interest.”

The In-Demand Skills stream of the Employer Job Offer category started accepting these Expressions of Interest (EOI) on Monday, June 28.

---

Read More

Ontario Express Entry Draw: Province Issues 583 NOIs Targeting 10 Occupations
Ontario Immigration Issues 940 Invitations In New Expression of Interest Draw
New Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Draw Sees 986 NOIs Issued

---

The EOI system is already processing expressions of interest for the Foreign Worker and International Student streams of the Employer Job Offer category. 

Ontario launched its EOI system to allow it to better respond to specific labour market needs, manage high OINP demand and prioritize the best candidates. 

The province’s move followed in the footsteps of several other Canadian provinces that already operated their own EOI systems at the time of the announcement, including Quebec, which launched its Arrima platform in 2018 and sent out its first invitations in 2019.

In-Demand Skills Stream Applications Need A Job Offer

Registration in Ontario’s EOI system does not guarantee a foreign worker will be invited to apply for immigration. The expressions of interest, which are valid for up to 12 months, are evaluated based on a point system.

Those points are awarded based on:

• level and field of education and where they completed their studies;
• proficiency in English or French;
• intention to settle outside of the Greater Toronto Area;
• skill and work experience level, earnings history, other factors relevant to prospects in Ontario job market, and;
• the labour market needs in the province or region of the province.

To qualify for the In-Demand Skills Stream, applicants must:

• have a permanent and full-time job offer under certain occupations in the agriculture or construction sector that meets the median wage in Ontario for the occupation and the position must be necessary for the business;
• for those already working in such a position, the proposed wage must be equal to or greater than the current wage being paid;
• have nine months of cumulative work experience in the last three years in one of the eligible occupations. Experience must be paid and full-time or the equivalent amount in part-time work in Ontario. Seasonal work does not count;
• have attained the equivalent of Canadian high school education or higher;
• possess a valid certificate or license at the time of the application for any claimed work experience;
• attain a minimum CLB/NCLC 4 in English or French for all language competencies;
• be living abroad, or be working, studying or visiting Canada on a valid permit, and;
• intend to settle in Ontario.

Step One is Creating a Profile, Submitting an EOI

The first step in applying under the In-Demand Skills stream is to create a profile in the OINP e-Filing Portal and submit an EOI.

Those selected from the candidate pool will receive an invitation to apply and will be able to submit that application online through the OINP e-Filing Portal by submitting an application within 14 calendar days of receiving an invitation to apply and paying the application fee of either $1,500 or $2,000, depending on the location of the job offer, payable by Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and Mastercard Debit.

“It takes at least three hours to complete the application,” states the province on its website. “You do not have to complete the application in one session. You can save your work and return to it later.”