Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program: Employer Job Offer Streams

The firm provides legal representation for applicants seeking permanent residency through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) under the Employer Job Offer categories. These streams allow Ontario employers to support foreign nationals for permanent residence through a qualifying job offer that meets provincial program requirements. 

OINP Employer Job Offer Overview

The OINP Employer Job Offer category supports Ontario employers in recruiting and retaining foreign nationals on a full-time, permanent basis where there are labour shortages. To qualify, the employer must meet program requirements and the job offer must satisfy occupation, wage and business need criteria. 

Under this category, there are three streams:

• Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream for skilled workers in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations. 
• Employer Job Offer: International Student stream for recent graduates with a job offer in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation. 
• Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream for workers in eligible TEER 4 or 5 occupations with Ontario work experience. 

Employers begin the process in the OINP Employer Portal by creating a job offer and an application for the approval of an employment position. Applicants then register an Expression of Interest, may receive an invitation to apply, and if nominated, apply for permanent residence through IRCC.

Who This Service Is For

This service is suitable for:

• foreign workers with a full-time, permanent job offer in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation
• international students with an eligible Canadian credential and a skilled job offer in Ontario
• workers in eligible TEER 4 or 5 occupations seeking nomination under the In-Demand Skills stream 
• applicants already in Ontario on work or study permits who wish to transition to permanent residence
• employers who wish to support a foreign national under any Employer Job Offer stream
• applicants and employers who require guidance on the EOI system, scoring, and timelines
• individuals who have received a prior refusal or are concerned about employer or job offer eligibility

Legal Representation Provided

Eligibility and Strategy

• Identification of the appropriate Employer Job Offer stream based on occupation, education and work history
• Review of job offer eligibility, including TEER classification and whether it fits the Foreign Worker, International Student or In-Demand Skills criteria
• Assessment of the applicant’s work experience or licensing requirements under the Foreign Worker stream
• Assessment of Canadian education credentials and completion timelines for the International Student stream 
• Analysis of Ontario work experience, occupation list eligibility and education for the In-Demand Skills stream 
• Review of the applicant’s intention to reside in Ontario and ties to the province
• Confirmation that the applicant can maintain legal status in Canada during processing, where applicable

Employer and Job Offer Review

• Review of employer eligibility, including years in active business, Ontario business premises, and compliance with employment and health and safety legislation
• Assessment of revenue requirements based on GTA or outside-GTA work or reporting location
• Verification of the minimum number of full-time Canadian citizen or permanent resident employees at the work or reporting location 
• Review of the job offer for full-time, permanent status and alignment with the employer’s business activities
• Verification that the occupation and TEER category are eligible for the specific stream
• Confirmation that the offered wage meets or exceeds the required median wage (Foreign Worker and In-Demand Skills) or low wage (International Student), based on Job Bank data
• Guidance on domestic recruitment requirements and acceptable recruitment methods, where required by the program

Application Preparation

• Guidance on registering an Expression of Interest and understanding scoring factors for each stream
• Assistance with employer use of the Employer Portal, including job offer creation and application for the approval of an employment position 
• Preparation and organization of applicant documentation, including work history, education, licensing, language results and status documents
• Drafting of a legal submission addressing:
  • stream-specific criteria
  • job offer and employer eligibility
  • wage and occupation compliance
  • work experience or education requirements
  • intention to reside in Ontario
• Coordination of responses to OINP document requests for both employer and applicant
• Review of nomination conditions and post-nomination obligations, including continued employment in the approved position until permanent residence is granted

Complex Situations

Representation for:

• applicants with previous OINP or IRCC refusals
• employers with complex structures, multiple locations or mobile workforces
• applicants with equity in the employer’s business requiring review of ownership limits
• applicants relying on a mix of Canadian and foreign work experience or self-employment
• employers who have changed job duties, wages or work locations and need to assess program impact
• applicants with status gaps, maintained status, or other immigration history concerns

When to Seek Legal Assistance

Legal assistance is recommended where:

• the employer is unsure whether the business, revenue or employee counts meet OINP thresholds
• there is uncertainty about whether the job offer and wage meet stream requirements
• the occupation does not clearly fall within the listed TEER categories or In-Demand Skills occupations
• the applicant has limited documentation for work experience or education
• the applicant is close to education or status timelines and must manage deadlines carefully
• prior OINP, LMIA, or permanent residence applications have been refused or withdrawn
• there are proposed changes to the job offer during processing that may affect eligibility