Ontario Immigration - Opportunities Ontario Provincial Nominee Program

Opportunities Ontario: Who can apply

The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI) is the first point of contact and referral for companies or individual investors making an investment in Ontario who want to facilitate the permanent resident status of needed employees.

Please submit the Investment Referral Form by e-mailing Opportunities Ontario at Opportunities.Ontario@ontario.ca to start the referral process.

Investment Guidelines

To qualify, investments must be of significant importance to Ontario and must create jobs for Ontarians. New investments and expansions to current operations are eligible. Investments need to meet the following eligibility guidelines:

The investment must receive an official endorsement from another Ontario ministry at the Deputy Minister level for the investment and the number of key positions requested. For more information about the endorsement process, please visit the How to apply section.
The amount of the investment is at least $3,000,000.
The investment must create at least five net permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Ontario.
The investment has to also comply with Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). This federal law excludes individuals from provincial nomination who:
- are nominated because of capital provision, or
- engage in an “immigration-linked investment scheme”.

To comply with these exclusions, individual investors seeking nomination need to meet added eligibility requirements (please see section called Eligibility Criteria for Individual Investors)

Investment Nominee Position Guidelines

Investment Nominee Positions being considered for approval by Opportunities Ontario must:

Be necessary for the long-term success of the investment.
Be in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A, or B).
Be permanent, full-time positions.
Meet prevailing wage levels. Information about wages for a variety of professions can be found on the Service Canada Labour Market Information website.
Not affect the settlement of any labour dispute or affect the employment of a person involved in such a dispute, or adversely affect employment or training opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Ontario.

Requesting more than one position

Companies making an investment in Ontario can request multiple positions. For the first nominee position request, 5 net permanent, full-time jobs must be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents located in Ontario. For each subsequent nominee position request, one permanent, full-time job must be created for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident located in Ontario. The maximum number of nominee positions which can be requested is 25 nominee positions. “Net” refers to jobs created by the investment in Ontario minus jobs lost in the province, if any.

The following chart shows the number of nominee positions an investor may request.

Number of net nominee positions investors can request	Number of net jobs created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Ontario	Number of net jobs created as a result of the investment
1	5	6
2	6	8
3	7	10
4	8	12
5	9	14
6	10	16
11	15	26
16	20	36
21	25	46
25	29+	54+

Eligibility Criteria for Individual Investors

Although the investment component of Opportunities Ontario is geared towards corporate investments in the province, individual investors seeking nomination can also qualify for the program.

Ontario determines which economic immigrants it wishes to select (i.e. nominate) to the federal government for permanent resident status. However, Section 87 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPA), which governs all provincial nominee programs, limits that authority by excluding certain individuals from being nominated by any province.

To qualify for a provincial nomination, individual investors must meet all of the following four additional eligibility criteria as required by federal law:

Be actively involved, on an ongoing basis, in the management of the business
Control, or will control, at least 33.334% of the equity in the business, or make a minimum $1 million investment in the business
Not have the option of redeeming the investment after a specified period
Invest the capital in the business not for the primary purpose of deriving interest, dividends or capital gains

Learn more: How to apply

Can you provide a list of employers who are hiring for required occupations?

Opportunities Ontario does not maintain a list of eligible employers searching for employees. It is the responsibility of an Ontario employer to apply to Opportunities Ontario, and, if approved, recruit a qualified individual for the approved position. Learn more about the Ontario labour market and occupation classifications.
Can my family immigrate with me?

Accompanying ‘eligible’ family members of nominees may immigrate to Ontario once medical and security checks have been passed. Federal immigration law defines which family members can be included with a permanent resident application. Learn more about ‘eligible’ family members.
What happens to my application when the full quota has been reached?

Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. When the program reaches its target, submitted applications will be assessed in the next calendar year. All applications received will be processed. The processing fee is non-refundable, but guarantees the processing of the application irrespective of the calendar year. You can stay up to date by checking what’s new with Opportunities Ontario.
My work permit is about to expire. What should I do?

Even if nominated by Opportunities Ontario, it is your responsibility to ensure you remain in proper status in Canada until you receive permanent resident status from the federal government. You should either renew, extend or apply for proper temporary resident status throughout your stay in the country. Learn more about work permits in Canada and how to apply.
Do you accept IELTS or TOEFL results as proof of English proficiency?

Only Master’s graduate students require a language proficiency test. Opportunities Ontario accepts only IELTS – General with an overall band score of 7 for English, or TEF with an overall band score of 5 for French, that has been obtained within 12 months of applying.
Can I change jobs or temporarily leave Canada after I submit my application?

Once you become a permanent resident, you can live and work anywhere in Canada. If you leave your current employer during either the nomination process or the permanent residence application process, your nomination and application can be denied by Opportunities Ontario. Prolonged absences from Ontario can also affect your eligibility for the program. You should keep Opportunities Ontario informed.
What documents are required to prove my residency in Ontario?

To prove your intention to settle in Ontario, you will need to demonstrate one year of physical residence in Ontario, in the past two years, and your presence in the province at the time of your application. You should provide credit card statements, leasing documents or bills and accounts with your name and Ontario address. See Page 12, Demonstrating Residence in Ontario.
As a student, does my overseas money count towards the funds requirement?

If the account is in your name, your overseas bank statements will be accepted in support of your nominee application. If you have received financial support from your parents or any family member, you will need to submit a letter of support, stating their ongoing financial support, original bank statements and account balance.
As an international student, my final semester is part-time. Is that okay?

To qualify for Opportunities Ontario, international students are expected to study on a full-time basis. You may be considered eligible for the program if you have proof that course offerings at your university compelled you to complete your final semester on a part-time basis. However, studying part-time by choice rather than by compulsion may affect your eligibility for the program.
How long will it take to process my nomination and permanent resident application?

Opportunities Ontario aims to process nominee and employer applications on a first-come first-served basis within 90 days, provided they are complete. Federal government application processing times vary across visa offices. More information is available at your respective visa office.