Expanding Ontario’s expression of interest system for master’s and doctoral graduate streams

A new pathway to expand Ontario’s expression of interest system has been opened for the flow of international master’s and doctoral graduates to apply for Ontario’s provincial selection program. Ontario graduates with a job offer in the province can now try their luck for provincial selection through two other immigration programs.

The master’s and doctoral graduate streams are the latest additions to Ontario’s new expression of interest (EOI) system. The other three programs that use the EOI system are: Required Specializations, International Students, and Foreign Workforce.

Now that Master’s and PhD applicants are part of the EOI system, they can apply to immigrate to Ontario at any time. Through the EOI system, Ontario ranks applicant files based on a point grid. Applicants are scored for education, work experience and intended destination in Ontario, among other factors. The purpose of ranking applicants in this way is to identify individuals who have the expertise and experience necessary to succeed in the Ontario job market.

Registering for the EOI system does not guarantee that applicants will be invited to apply for provincial selection. Files are valid for 12 months in the Ontario EOI pool. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) may contact registrants at any time to request provincial selection.

Impact on future immigration to Ontario

If you wish to eventually apply for immigration through one of Ontario’s Provincial Selection Programs (PNP), you can always file an EOI. Previously, registration was only possible when OINP opened its online portals.

After registration, your file will be entered into the selection pool and you will be awarded points based on your answers. Ontario will then invite applicants to apply for provincial selection. Registering for an EOI does not guarantee receipt of an invitation to demand. OINP will notify you or your representative if you are invited. EOI registration is valid for 12 months or until you receive an invitation. You can also cancel your registration. After 12 months, your EOI will be deleted automatically.

Registration is free, but if you are invited to apply, you must send the relevant fee along with your application.

Receiving an invitation does not mean receiving a provincial selection. You must meet all the requirements for the requested stream at the desired time. How to register to express interest, the first step is to file in the OINP electronic filing portal. After that, read the requirements for your desired immigration stream and ensure your eligibility. After that, you can register for one or more streams by expressing your interest. You can register for only one EOI case at any given time.

The information you provide must be accurate and correct at the time of registration. You can always update your file for new information.