Ontario Nominee Program

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is the province's economic immigration program which works in partnership with the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Since the OINP program recognizes and nominates experienced, skillful, and educated immigrants needed by the Ontario economy, international students and foreign workers apply for nominations, and the Canadian government decides whether to approve the applicants for permanent residence or not.

Qualifications for Permanent Residency Nomination

The candidate must have been permitted to work for 18-20 months before being nominated for permanent residence;
The candidate can buy an existing business or set up a new business;
There is no mandatory exploration trip for the applicants;
The candidate must go through a mandatory interview;
If possible, the applicant should have co-applicants.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

The net worth of all assets between husband and wife must be at least CAD$800,000 ($400,000 for outside of GTA);
The candidate must have investment totaling at least CAD$600,000 ($200,000 for outside of GTA);
The applicant must have ICT industry investment worth at least $400,000 between husband and wife and at least investment worth CAD$200,000;
The candidate must hire at least 2 Canadian employees in the new business (the more employees hired, the more points he gains);
To operate and manage a company, the candidate must be at least 80% present in Canada;
The third-party audit company must verify all the candidate's assets in his or her home country.

Benefits for the Nomination Candidates

It is not mandatory to go through the International English Language Test System or the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework to qualify;
Applicants of all ages are eligible to apply;
There is no minimum academic qualification;
A candidate can opt for investments in the ICT industry (Information Communication Technology) which requires a lower investment value of $200,000.

Disadvantages

The candidate must have been actively running a company in Canada for a minimum of 2 years before being nominated for Permanent Residency;
The minimum requirements remain higher unless the candidate has an investment in the ICT industry.