Ontario PNP Changes For Nurses & Other In-Demand Occupations

Key Takeaways

• Nurses will benefit from a streamlined application process for the Ontario Human Capital Priorities stream and French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream. 
• On July 1, 34 new occupations were added to the list of eligible occupations for Ontario’s Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Stream. 
• This is generally good news for labourers and trades workers. These occupations featured heavily in the updated list.
• Most of the newly-added occupations are only eligible if the applicant receives a job offer outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). There are significant restrictions on eligibility for workers looking to work for an employer based in the GTA. 

Nursing Requirements Streamlined 

Nurses who are looking to apply to Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities stream or the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream will benefit from streamlined requirements from July 1, 2024. 

Nurses will not need to demonstrate their education if they are registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario in the General, Extended, or Temporary class. This change applies to nurses working in the following occupations:

• NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors
• NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners
• NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses. 

This change can help to streamline applications for nurses, who will no longer need to provide a valid credential assessment as part of their application to the province.

While welcome, this change is only helpful at the provincial level. To be selected from the Express Entry pool, applicants will still need an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) for any international education to receive the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for their Express Entry profile.  

Original Occupations Eligible For The Employer Job Offer: In Demand Stream

The following occupations have been eligible for Ontario’s Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Occupations stream for a job offer based inside or outside of the GTA prior to the proposed changes: 

NOC 44101 – Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations

NOC 65202 – Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale

NOC 75110 – Construction trades helpers and labourers

NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators

NOC 85100 – Livestock labourers

NOC 85101 – Harvesting labourers

NOC 85103 – Nursery and greenhouse labourers

NOC 94141 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers.

The following occupations have been eligible for Ontario’s Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Occupations stream for job offers based outside of the GTA: 

NOC 94100 – Machine operators, mineral and metal processing

NOC 94105 – Metalworking and forging machine operators

NOC 94106 – Machining tool operators

NOC 94107 – Machine operators of other metal products

NOC 94110 – Chemical plant machine operators

NOC 94111 – Plastics processing machine operators

NOC 94124 – Woodworking machine operators

NOC 94132 – Industrial sewing machine operators

NOC 94140 – Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing

NOC 94201 – Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers

NOC 94204 – Mechanical assemblers and inspectors

NOC 94213 – Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators

NOC 94219 – Other products assemblers, finishers and inspectors

NOC 95102 – Labourers in chemical products processing and utilities.

These occupations are still eligible for the OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Stream on the same terms. The proposed changes will add more occupations to the existing list without removing any occupations. 

Which Occupations Have Been Added To The Employer Job Offer: In Demand Stream In July 2023? 

34 occupations are proposed to be added to the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills occupations list for job offers outside of the GTA, namely: 

NOC 14400 – Shippers and Receivers

NOC 14402 – Production logistics workers

NOC 65320 – Dry cleaning, laundry and related occupations

NOC 74200 – Railway yard and track maintenance workers

NOC 74203 – Automotive and heavy truck and equipment parts installers and servicers

NOC 74204 – Utility maintenance workers

NOC 74205 – Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers

NOC 75101 – Material handlers

NOC 75119 – Other trades helpers and labourers

NOC 75211 – Railway and motor transport labourers

NOC 75212 – Public works and maintenance labourers

NOC 85102 – Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers

NOC 94101 – Foundry workers

NOC 94102 – Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters

NOC 94103 – Concrete, clay and stone forming operators

NOC 94104 – Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing

NOC 94112 – Rubber processing machine operators and related workers

NOC 94120 – Sawmill machine operators

NOC 94121 – Pulp mill, papermaking and finishing machine operators

NOC 94123 – Lumber graders and other wood processing inspectors and graders

NOC 94142 – Fish and seafood plant workers

NOC 94143 – Testers and graders, food and beverage processing

NOC 94200 – Motor vehicle assemblers, inspectors and testers

NOC 94202 – Assemblers and inspectors, electrical appliance, apparatus and equipment

manufacturing

NOC 94203 – Assemblers, fabricators and inspectors, industrial electrical motors and

transformers

NOC 94205 – Machine operators and inspectors, electrical apparatus manufacturing

NOC 94211 – Assemblers and inspectors of other wood products

NOC 94212 – Plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors

NOC 95100 – Labourers in mineral and metal processing

NOC 95101 – Labourers in metal fabrication

NOC 95103 – Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing

NOC 95104 – Labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing

NOC 95106 – Labourers in food and beverage processing

NOC 95107 – Labourers in fish and seafood processing.

Those working in “NOC 75119 – Other trades helpers and labourers” occupations will be eligible under the stream for jobs offered inside or outside of the GTA. 

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