If Ontario switches towards the EOI system, then the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will manage the admission process more effectively and strategically. The new system could increase the labour market response, and it will also help in meeting the regional labour market needs. The Ontario province has also issued details of the expected changes for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. The expected changes would introduce the Expression of Interest (EOI) system in the following immigration streams:
- Employer Job Offer Category: Foreign Worker
- Employer Job Offer Category: International Student
- Employer Job Offer Category: In-Demand Skills
- Masters Graduate
- D. Graduate
In the preliminary steps, the applicants will have to submit their profiles in the new EOI system. This system will also place them in a pool. The applicants will also submit their personal details, labour market details and the human capital information. These characteristics will be used to issue ITA’s. The applicants will be ranked on the information provided, and Ontario will issue ITA’s to the applicants with higher scores. The selected candidates will receive an ITA, and they will be able to nominate themselves under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program stream.
This proposed system will be similar to the Federal Express Entry System. The Express Entry system is the application system that is responsible for managing the three main immigration streams of Canada. The streams under the Express Entry are:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Class
- Canadian Express Entry
Invitations round are held regularly under the Express Entry system, usually, rounds are held after every two weeks. This year Canada has invited 69,950 immigrants for permanent residence so far.
Ontario has yet to announce or decide the selection factors for its new immigration system. Previously the selection factors include age, education, work experience, language proficiency etc. Ontario will conduct general and targeted draws and it will publish EOI points on their provincial website.
The purpose of Ontario’s new system is to manage the intake more effectively and strategically. This will also help in the increase of OINP’s market response rate and also will help fill the labour shortages in the labour market.
Before this system, the five previous immigration streams under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) have been affected due to the issues in the receipts of applications. In the preceding streams applications, the number of applicant limits exceeded in the early hours of registration. The applicants complained about thus first come and serve priority, as they complained that people with high-speed internet can have early access.
These projected changes will be implemented after 45 days of public consultation that will end on October 23, 2020.