COVID-19: Ontario Gives Update About Its Provincial Nominee Program

13 May 2020

Ontario has published an update associated with the impact of COVID-19 pandemic is having on many principal streams of its Provincial Nominee (PNP) Program. Ontario is Canadian biggest province with approximately 14.5 million people. It brought 45% of new PR visa holders that reached to Canada in the year 2019.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee (O.I.N.P) Program is a successful pathway for immigration applicants as Ontario announced a huge number of 7,350 provincial nominations in 2019. The province of Ontario has conducted 7 draws so far in 2020 including 3 O.I.N.P draws since the beginning of the pandemic.

The O.I.N.P will proceed to process applications and announce nominations as well as Invitations under Ontario’s Express Entry streams, despite specific coronavirus rules being in place.

The province is requesting applicants to proceed with their process of submission even if they are incapable to obtain demanded supporting documents, though they are directed to include a complete explanation letter describing the reasons for the missing data.

Companies should also keep in mind that applicants in the Employer Job Offer stream, which includes international workers, foreign students and in-demand skills applicants, are still expected to have a permanent and full-time employment offer accepted by the O.I.N.P.

Applications Provided to the Ontario PNP will be Evaluated upon Employment Confirmation

Appellants and companies are expected to promptly inform to the Ontario PNP about important changes to their application that comprising changes in job positions at the basis of employment offer streams.

The O.I.N.P plans to contact all companies to authenticate that employment offers, or positions remain to meet program guidelines. Applications will be treated depending on the answer given by companies about the employment status.

The O.I.N.P will proceed to process applications if companies designate that there has been no alteration in position. If an applicant’s job has been influenced by a temporary layoff, like a prolonged commencement date or decreased hours of work, the application will be retained for up to 90 days. If the job has been canceled or if the company has terminated the job, the application will be deemed as incomplete and the fee of application will be refunded.

Applications for OINP Entrepreneur Stream 

Those appellants who have obtained an invitation to apply below the Ontario's Entrepreneur Stream will get a temporary prolongation of 90 days and will be communicated by e-mail.

In addition, aspirants are asked to reach the Ontario PNP if they have already presented a full application below the Entrepreneur Stream and are facing problems such as:

• Delays in receiving information correlating to the follow-up of application
• Temporary closings, delay or substantial modifications in the activities of business
• Temporarily failure to meet hiring or business requirements

As per the 11 May program latest update, “No application will be rejected, and no endorsements will be canceled without notifying the candidate and company.” The O.I.N.P will review replies to these notices prior to making a last decision.

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