Ontario-OINP International Student Stream Changes 2024 Update

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has implemented revisions to the International Student stream for permanent residency, expanding eligibility for foreign students holding a one-year college graduate certificate.

Effective January 1, 2024, the new changes to the OINP International Student Stream eliminate the previous requirement for applicants with a one-year certificate from an approved institution to apply only if their program mandated a degree for admission. This modification extends eligibility to any one-year college program granting an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.

Key Changes in the OINP International Student Stream:

1. Program Requirement:

Prior to January 1, 2024: Students eligible only if the program required a degree for admission.

Effective January 1, 2024: Students completing a one-year certificate from an Ontario college resulting in an Ontario College Graduate Certificate are eligible.

2. Program Eligibility:

Prior to January 1, 2024: Most certificates were ineligible.

Effective January 1, 2024: Most one-year graduate certificate programs in Ontario become eligible.

3. Scoring Matrix Changes:

The Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring method has been updated to reflect the expanded eligibility.

Changes in the scoring for the highest educational degree and additional Canadian credentials have been implemented.

4. Job Offer Requirement:

A full-time and permanent job offer is required for the OINP International Student Stream.

5. Eligible Canadian Colleges and Universities:

A comprehensive list of eligible colleges and universities in Ontario and other provinces has been provided.

These changes aim to increase the number of eligible certificate programs and enhance the overall flexibility and accessibility of the OINP International Student Stream. It is crucial to note that applicants who submitted their applications before January 1, 2024, are not affected by these modifications.

SCORING MATRIX 

Education

Highest level of education

Canadian credential or educational credential assessment is required.

• PhD: 10 points
• Masters: 8 points
• Bachelors or equivalent: 6 points
• Graduate diploma or certificate: 6 points
• Undergraduate diploma or certificate: 5 points
• Apprenticeship, trades certificate or diploma: 5 points
• College diploma or trade certificate: 5 points
• Less than college or trade certificate: 0 points

Employment and labour market factors

Job offer: NOC TEER category

• NOC TEER 0 or 1 – 10 Points
• NOC TEER 2 or 3 – 8 Points
• NOC TEER 4 – 0 Points
• NOC TEER 5 – 0 Points

Job offer:
NOC broad occupational category

• Occupational Category 0, 2, 3, or 10 points
• Occupational Category 7: 7 points
• Occupational Category 1, 9 – 5 points
• Occupational Category 4, 8 – 4 points
• Occupational Category 5, 6 – 3 points

Job offer: wage

• $40 per hour or higher: 10 points
• $35 to $39.99 per hour—8 points
• $30 to $34.99 per hour—7 points
• $25 to $29.99 per hour (6 points)
• $20 to $24.99 per hour—5 points
• Less than $20 per hour—0 points

Work or study permit status

• With valid work or study permit, 10 points
• Without valid work or study permit, 0 points

The work or study permit must confer legal status.

Job tenure 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

The work in the job offer position must have occurred within Ontario.

Earnings history

Based on a Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency in the last five years,

• $40k or more earnings in a year: 3 points
• Less than $40k earnings in a year: 0 points

Field of study

Points are awarded based on the field of study of the eligible education credential being used for the OINP 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, behavioural 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

A credential must be a post-secondary education credential from an eligible institution 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

Language

Official language ability

• CLB 9 or higher: 10 points
• CLB: 8 – 6 points
• CLB 7: 4 points
• CLB 6 or lower: 0 points

Knowledge of official languages

• 2 Official Languages: 10 points
• 1 Official Language: 5 points

Regionalization

Regional immigration: location of job offer

• Northern Ontario: 10 points
• Other areas outside GTA (except Northern Ontario): 8 points
• Inside GTA (except Toronto): 3 points
• Toronto: 0 points

Regional immigration: location of study (where you physically attended classes)

• Northern Ontario: 10 points
• Other areas outside GTA (except Northern Ontario): 8 points
• Inside GTA (except Toronto): 3 points
• Toronto: 0 points
• Credential was completed without physically attending (in-person) classes; 0 points

ELIGIBLE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

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
• 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
• 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

Universities that offer Graduate Certificate of at least one year in duration

• Algoma University
• Trent University
• University of Windsor
• York University

Indigenous Institutes

• Six Nations Polytechnic

Alberta

Colleges

• Alberta College of Art and Design
• Banff Centre
• Bow Valley College
• Grande Prairie Regional 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
• Northwest Community College
• Okanagan College
• Selkirk College – Castelgar Campus
• Vancouver Community College

Universities

• Capilano University
• Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
• Kwantlen University College
• 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
• École technique et professionnelle
• Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology
• 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)

Nunavut

Colleges

• Nunavut Arctic College

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
• Cégep@distance
• 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 François-Xavier-Garneau
• Collège Gérald-Godin
• Collège Héritage
• Collège John Abbott
• Collège Lionel-Groulx
• Collège Montmorency
• Collège régional Champlain
• Collège Shawinigan
• Collège Vanier
• École nationale d’aérotechnique
• Service régional de l’admission des cégeps du Saguenay-Lac St-Jean
• Sources Adult and Career Centre

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)
• 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

• Carlton Trail Regional College
• Cumberland Regional College
• Great Plains College
• Lakehead College
• North West Regional College
• Northlands College
• Parkland College
• Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies
• 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 College

Gather, integrate, and refine.

Link: https://immigrationnewscanada.ca/ontario-oinp-international-student-stream/?fbclid=IwAR0K7l6nwp9EI2qoYid4GPxg8QAU4zAiL6YecrYU5zBsX6lRCsfQOt_k_cI