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EXPRESS ENTRY CANDIDATES MIGRATE TO FOR CANADA CAN LOOK AT ONTARIO!!
Two new immigration streams on the Canadian province of Ontario have opened for candidates to apply under new immigration streams through its Opportunities Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) for Canadian immigration. The Human Capital Priorities stream and the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream, both streams are aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system.
Successful Applicants nominated from Ontario through one of these streams will result in an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points being awarded and will be invited to apply for permanent residence to Canada.
Applicants will only obtain a provincial nomination through one of these streams after receiving a Provincial/Territorial (PT) Notification of Interest from the OONPNP.
Applicants in the Express Entry pool, as well as many of those thinking of planning to lodge an Express Entry profile, have been waiting for the Opportunities of Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) to open up which will inturn help applicants to adjust their points system to be eligible to qualify through Express Entry.
Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, carry on to be the most wanted province by prospective immigrants to live in Canada. The aim to establish both new streams, and a unique aspect of the OOPNP, compared with other PNPs that contain Express Entry streams, is that eligible applicants cannot make an application without first entering the Express Entry pool or else they should have lodged their application under the Express entry before they can be selected.
These OOPNP streams place eligibility criteria above and beyond the criteria to enter the pool, applicants must either have at least 400 CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points or have French language proficiency in order to obtain a PT Notification of Interest from the OOPNP.
HUMAN CAPITAL PRIORITIES
The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) Human Capital Priorities stream has attracted a great deal of attention for applicants to receive Provincial/Territorial (PT) notifications of Interest towards their application. Applicants who register for Express Entry and wish to obtain a Provincial/Territorial (PT) notification of Interest must indicate their intent in immigrating to either Ontario or “All Provinces and Territories.” They must also be eligible to enter the pool through either the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Applicants who are only eligible to enter the pool through the Federal Skilled Trades Program will not be considered for this stream.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) searches the Express Entry pool and classify potential applicants who have the following requirements:
- Should have minimum of 400 CRS points
- Created an Express Entry profile on or after June 1, 2015; and
- Should also meet other criteria of Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream
Applicants identified by the Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) receive a Provincial/Territorial (PT) notification of Interest from Ontario, allowing the applicants apply to the Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP) for nomination under the Human Capital Priorities stream and from his point, selected applicants have 45 days to apply to the Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP).
Important feature on this system is that an applicant who has created a profile before 1st June 2015 and has more than 400 CRS points is eligible to withdraw their original EOI application / profile and can create a new EOI application / profile. It is also advised that few applicants who followed this method have also received a PT Notification of Interest from the government of Ontario.
To be eligible to apply for the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points: All applicants must score a minimum of 400 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The score must remain at or above 400 during both the Ontario nomination processing stage and at the federal application for permanent residence processing stage.
Work Experience: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates must have a minimum of one year of continuous full-time employment (1,560 hours or more) or an equal amount in continuous part-time paid work experience in a National Occupation Classification (NOC) level 0, A, or B occupation in the past five years from the date of the PT Notification of Interest from Ontario.
This work experience must have been completed in one specific NOC occupation. CEC candidates are required to have a minimum of one year of cumulative full-time employment (1,560 hours or more) or an equal amount in part-time paid work experience in a NOC 0, A, or B occupation in Canada in the past three years.
Qualification: All applicants must have a qualification equivalent to Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report produced by a designated organization indicating that their foreign education is the equivalent of a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree, which must be assessed by ECA.
Language Proficiency: All applicants must have a language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or above in all language competencies (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in either English or French, as proven by language test results from a uniform language test recognised by the governments of Canada and Ontario.
Settlement Funds: All applicants must show sufficient funds that are available for transfer based on the size of the family to cover settlement costs in Ontario. This must be supported by bank statements and letter obtained from recognised banks.
Intention to Reside in Ontario: All applicants must intend to reside in Ontario, as demonstrated by a statement of intent and indication of ties to Ontario, or else must show what kind of research they have made to make Ontario their home.
Applicants while lodging their Express Entry application and whose application meets the pool and have fulfilled all the above requirements and have the required points of 400 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points have few options for becoming eligible to be picked up from the system.
They can increase their CRS score by improving language ability in English and/or French, gain additional skilled work experience, complete a study program at a higher education level, or find out whether their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score would improve if an accompanying spouse or common-law partner’s factors are also added to the profile. Applicants are also advised to look for a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer, which may also result in an additional 600 CRS points being awarded.
FRENCH-SPEAKING SKILLED WORKER
The French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream has so far not attracted any applicant the same initial level of interest as the Human Capital Priorities stream, it is likely to catch the attention of French-speaking skilled workers who also have strong English language abilities. It also believes applicants who want to live and work permanently in Ontario. Applicants are required to have at least adequate-intermediate French language skills.
In outcome, the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream also has the same eligibility requirements as the Human Capital stream, except for the following two aspects which are different:
There is no requirement for applicants to have at least 400 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points;
- Applicants must have a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 in French and CLB 6 in English, as demonstrated by results from a standardised language test recognised by the governments of Canada and Ontario;
- Applicants may get discouraged by the French requirement, a proficiency of CLB 7 is far from being perfectly fluent. Applicants who studied French in high (secondary) school or have previously been exposed to the language may, with a bit of additional effort and revision, reach adequate-intermediate proficiency and potentially benefit from this new option for Canadian immigration.
Applicants can apply under Express Entry system which includes: The Federal Skilled Worker Program, The Federal Skilled Trades Program and The Canadian Experience Class and obtain their family visas provided they have the pass mark.
Potential applicants need to assess their eligibility before they can proceed in lodging a Express Entry application. All applicants must meet minimum language requirements in either English or French and also have their qualification assessed with ECA (Educational Credential Assessment).
Bilimoria & Associate is specialised in Immigration visas to Canada with 19 years of experience and will be able to guide applicants to lodge different visa applications based on your eligibility. Bilimoria & Associate liaisons with Member of Law Society of Upper Canada and Canadian Bar Association (Immigration section) (CPTLS). We can assist you with preparing a successful visa application to Canada.
Applicants can forward their resume to assess their eligibility under Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canadian Experience Class or Provincial Nominee Program and be successful in obtaining a family Immigration visa.
You can write to us to assess your eligibility at: neville@bilimoriaassociate.com (or) contact us at +91 44 2822 7222 / 2823 9229 / 4350 8191 to guide you and assist you in your visa application to Canada.