Minimum score will now be ‘determined by the director’

Ontario has revised the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score requirement for its Express Entry-linked Human Capital Priorities immigration stream.

Whereas candidates previously were required to have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 400, the stream’s guidelines now say the minimum score will be “as determined by the director.”

A further update asks candidates to indicate their interest in immigrating to either Ontario or “all provinces and territories” when creating an Express Entry profile. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) did not immediately respond to a request from CIC News for more information regarding these updates.

The OINP has waived the CRS minimum of 400 in three draws so far this year, two of which targeted Express Entry candidates with a job offer in Ontario and another that targeted those with French language abilities of CLB 7 or higher. For these draws, Ontario dropped the CRS minimum and even pushed it as low as 350 in its August 9 targeted job offer draw.

About Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is an economic immigration program designed to help Ontario meet its labour market and economic development priorities. The program allows Ontario to nominate, for permanent residence, individuals who have the skills and experience to contribute to Ontario’s economy, and assists employers in recruiting and retaining foreign workers.

The OINP is operated by the province of Ontario in partnership with the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The OINP assesses applications and nominates candidates for permanent residence. Individuals nominated by the OINP can then apply for permanent residence through IRCC, IRCC makes the final decision on each application and issues permanent resident visas to successful applicants.

The OINP is made up of three categories: Business, Employer Job Offer and Human Capital. Each category is comprised of various streams under which applicants may submit an application.

Notifications of Interest

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will be issuing Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to candidates in the Express Entry pool who qualify for one of Ontario’s Express Entry streams on a regular basis. After each round of the NOIs, the OINP will post the details and methodology used for each search below.