OINP Masters Graduate stream
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Masters Graduate stream requires applicants to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the OINP website. This EOI will be used to assign applicants a score, which the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) uses to select applicants. Try our free OINP Points Calculator to see what you would score.
If an applicant is selected by the OINP based on their EOI, they will be given 14 calendar days to submit their full application to the OINP. If that application is then approved, they will receive a provincial nomination. After receiving a provincial nomination, applicants can then apply to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence. The Employer Job Offer: International Student stream does not require an Express Entry profile. This means that applicants who receive a provincial nomination under this stream will not submit their application for permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
Education Requirements
For the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Masters Graduate stream, the applicant must meet the following educational requirements:
- completed a masters degree that
- was at least one academic year of full-time study (that is at least 15 hours of instruction per week over the academic year including any period of training in the workplace as part of your studies. Part-time studies may qualify, if the program is equivalent to at least one full-time academic year)
- is from an eligible university in Ontario
Applicants may not be eligibe if any of the following apply:
- they received a bursary, grant or scholarship that required them return to their home country after they earned their masters degree, unless they have fulfilled those commitments and can demonstrate an intention to live in Ontario
- they are enrolled as a student when applying, unless at least one of the following applies:
- it is for the purpose of meeting the requirements to be licensed in a regulated occupation in Ontario
- they are also working full-time in Ontario
Applicant Requirements
For the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Masters Graduate stream, the main applicant needs to meet all the following criteria:
- a minimum score of CLB 7 in listening, reading, writing, and speaking on an approved language test in English or French test, which is less than two years old at the time of application
- must have legally lived in Ontario for at least one year in the past two years before the date of application (can be cumulative)
- must be living in Ontario, or outside of Canada (you cannot be living in another Canadian province) at the time you apply
- you must submit your application within two years of completing the requirements necessary to obtain your master’s degree
- the date on your master’s degree must be within two years of your OINP application submission date, not the date you received the invitation to apply
- the intention to live in Ontario
- legal status in Canada, if applying from within Canada
- have a minimum amount of settlement funds required for their family size (main applicant, their spouse or common-law partner, and any dependent children of the main applicant or their spouse/common-law partner twho are under the age of 22)
- The settlement funds requirements are as follows:
| Number of family members | Funds required |
|---|---|
| 1 | $14,690 |
| 2 | $18,288 |
| 3 | $22,483 |
| 4 | $27,297 |
| 5 | $30,690 |
| 6 | $34,917 |
| 7 | $38,875 |
| If more than 7 people, for each additional family member | $3,958 |
You can meet this requirement through one or a combination of any of the following:
- funds as demonstrated by the balance listed in bank statements, or statements of accounts showing other investments such as non-locked in, fixed term deposits, mutual funds, etc.
- annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario
- a job offer in Ontario
Example: Based on your family size, you must have $38,875 (CAD). You have a job offer in Ontario with an annual wage of $35,000 and you have a balance of $5,000 in your savings account for a total of $40,000. By using a combination of your job offer and bank statement, you would meet the settlement fund requirement.
If the reviewing officer notices that your bank statements show a large one-time deposit, they may ask you to provide additional documentation to support that your funds are free of debt or liability.