The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has made changes to the International Student stream, making it easier for foreign students who have completed a one-year college graduate certificate to apply for permanent residency.
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Starting from January 1, 2024, these modifications are now in effect. If you applied before this date, these changes won’t affect your application.
Previously, students with a one-year certificate from an approved institution could only apply through the OINP’s International Student stream if the program required a degree for admission. Now, this requirement has been removed.
This modification applies to any one-year college program that awards an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.
New Changes in Ontario-OINP International Student Stream
Effective January 1, 2024:
- Program Requirement: Students who completed a one-year certificate from an Ontario college and received an Ontario College Graduate Certificate are eligible.
- Program Eligibility: Most one-year graduate certificate programs in Ontario will become eligible. Previously, many certificates were ineligible.
Before January 1, 2024:
- Program Requirement: Students who completed a one-year certificate from an Ontario college were only eligible if their program required a degree for admission.
- Program Eligibility: Most certificates were ineligible.
This change opens up eligibility for more certificate programs under the OINP International Student Stream.
The Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring method for the highest educational degree and additional Canadian credentials has been updated to reflect these changes.
Additionally, the list of accredited educational institutions for this stream has been revised.
New Ontario-OINP International Student Stream Scoring Matrix
Calculate Your Score
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)
Canadian Colleges and Universities Eligible for OINP International Student Stream
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
