Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream explained

July 10, 2019: Ontario announces new tech-specific draws to be taking place through the Human Capital Priorities stream. Six occupations will be targeted.

Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream

Ontario’s Express Entry-aligned Human Capital Priorities Stream is a unique, dynamic way of bringing people to Canada’s most populated province.

Since being introduced in 2015, the Human Capital Priorities Stream has been an undeniable success. In many ways, it has become the centrepiece of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), through which Ontario welcomes newcomers from around the world.

For the first three years of its existence, criteria for this stream included a requirement for candidates to have at least 400 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in the Express Entry pool, though certain exceptions were made on occasion for certain occupations. By September, 2018, however, this requirement was replaced with a requirement that candidates ‘Must have obtained a minimum CRS score under the Express Entry system as determined by the director [of the OINP].’

Successful applicants to the Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream receive 600 additional CRS points, followed by an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

A job offer is not required in order to qualify under this stream, though candidates with a job offer have been prioritized for invitation in the past.

How is it unique?

Ontario searches the Express Entry pool for candidates who meet the criteria, who may then receive a Notification of Interest (NOI, effectively an invitation) from the OINP. This makes the program passive, because not only can candidates not apply directly, they also can’t make an ‘Expression of Interest’ in eventually applying. This offers hope to eligible candidates that Ontario may issue them a NOI.

How is it dynamic?

Ontario has issued NOIs to eligible candidates on an intermittent basis. However, the province has also on occasion tweaked its own eligibility criteria in order to select certain candidates.

Most notably, in July 2019, Ontario announced that it was introducing tech-specific draws to the Human Capital Priorities stream. These draws target tech workers with experience in one of the following occupations:

Prior to the addition of the tech-specific, there were several other instances when Ontario issued invitations outside of its own eligibility criteria. For example:

• In June, 2017 immigration authorities in Ontario announced that Express Entry candidates with work experience in certain Information Technology (IT) occupations may receive a NOI, allowing them to apply for a provincial nomination, even if they had a CRS score below the 400-points benchmark. Click the slide immediately below to find out which candidates benefited from this strategy.

• On a number of occasions in 2018, candidates with CRS scores around 350 were invited to apply to the OINP through the Human Capital Priorities stream.

• Ontario has removed the requirement for candidates to have 400 CRS points, and the OINP director can decide what CRS threshold, if any, may apply in any round of invitations under the stream.

How can Express Entry candidates benefit?

Ontario can only search what is already in the pool, so it is important to have an up-to-date Express Entry profile. The potential pay-off is huge — successful applicants receive 600 additional CRS points, followed by an ITA for permanent residence.

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Ontario Human Capital Priorities stream eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible under Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, individuals must meet certain criteria.

Express Entry profile criteria

Candidates must:

• have a valid profile in the Express Entry pool;
• be eligible under either the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
• indicate an interest in immigrating to either Ontario or “All Provinces and Territories” in the Express Entry profile.

Additional criteria

• Work Experience:
  Candidates must have a minimum of either one year of work experience within the past five years according to the criteria under the FSWC OR one year of work experience within the past three years according to the criteria under the CEC.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Language: A minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French.
• Settlement Funds: A minimum level of savings or income.
• Intent: An intention to live in Ontario.
• Legal Status in Canada (if applicable): Must have legal status in Canada (i.e., study permit, work permit, visitor record) if currently residing in Canada.
• CRS score:  Must have obtained a minimum CRS score under the Express Entry system as determined by the director.

Ontario Human Capital Priorities stream: How it works

It is entirely feasible for an individual to complete the entire process of immigrating to Canada under the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream within a 12-month period, if not even more quickly than that.

Below is a run-through of the process, from beginning to end.

1. Meet the criteria of the FSWC or the CEC (note that candidates eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades Class only are not eligible under this stream).
2. Create an Express Entry profile.
3. Meet the criteria for the Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream.
4. Receive a NOI from the OINP (note that not all eligible candidates may be issued a NOI).
5. After receiving a NOI, you have 45 calendar days to apply to OINP.
6. To apply, you must submit your application through the OINP e-Filing Portal and ensure that you include all the required supporting documents.
7. Pay the OINP fee of $1,500.
8. If your application is approved, you will receive a letter from OINP through your Express Entry account notifying you of your nomination. You have 30 calendar days to accept the nomination from Ontario in the Express Entry system.
9. Receive 600 additional CRS points and an ITA for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.
10. Submit an application for permanent residence within 60 days of receiving the invitation to apply (ITA).
11. Become a permanent resident of Canada.

The Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream is one of three Express Entry-linked OINP streams. The other two are the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream and the Skilled Trades stream.

You can keep track of all updates for the Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream, including the latest draws as they happen, with our Canada PNP Live Tracker.

You can also view the complete application guide here.

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