The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program includes the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream, which can lead to permanent residence for foreign workers in specific in-demand occupations (such as agriculture, construction, and personal support work).
This is not Express Entry. Ontario first invites you through its Expression of Interest (EOI) system, then you apply to OINP, and only after nomination do you apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
A common reason people lose time is missing the Employer Portal deadlines. Ontario’s process is now employer-led and time-sensitive.
What is the In-Demand Skills stream?
This stream is part of Ontario’s Employer Job Offer category. Ontario explains the basic flow:
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employer submits a job offer in the Employer Portal
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worker registers an EOI
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if invited, worker applies online for nomination
Who can apply?
You need an eligible job offer (TEER 4 or 5)
Ontario requires a job offer that is:
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Full-time (at least 1,560 hours/year and 30 hours/week)
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Permanent (no end date; seasonal/contract jobs are not eligible)
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In a listed NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation (Ontario publishes the list on the official page)
You must meet the work experience requirement (9 months in Ontario)
Ontario requires at least 9 months of cumulative paid work experience in Ontario, in the same in-demand occupation (same NOC code) as your job offer.
Key details:
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the experience must be gained within the 3 years before you submit your application (not the ITA date)
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“cumulative” means it does not need to be continuous
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full-time is at least 1,200 hours over 9 months; Ontario also explains part-time equivalents
Language: CLB 4 minimum
You must meet CLB 4+ in English or French and the test must be within 2 years of your application submission date.
Ontario lists accepted tests, including IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, PTE Core, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada.
Education: high school or equivalent (ECA if outside Canada)
You need a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent. If your education is outside Canada, Ontario requires an ECA showing equivalency to a Canadian high school diploma, and the ECA must be no more than 5 years old at application submission.
Intention to live in Ontario
Ontario assesses your ties (work history, studies, property, visits, family ties, etc.).
Legal status (if you apply from inside Canada)
You must have legal status at the time you apply and should maintain it until nomination. Ontario also allows applying from maintained status in certain cases.
Job offer rules that often cause refusals
Wage must meet the median wage for your region
Ontario requires the wage to meet or exceed the median wage for the occupation in the region where you will work (with exceptions when a collective agreement sets wages).
Ontario’s Employer Portal guide also explains how wages are calculated and what does not count (bonuses/commissions are not counted as base wage).
The job must be based mainly in Ontario
Ontario states the work must occur primarily in Ontario.
Equity limits
Ontario limits equity ownership: you and your family can only hold less than 10% in the employer’s business under specific conditions.
Employer requirements (what your employer must meet)
Ontario lists key requirements, including that the employer must:
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be in active business for at least 3 years
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have premises in Ontario
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have no outstanding orders under employment standards or OHSA
Recruitment: If you are outside Canada or working outside Ontario, Ontario expects domestic recruitment unless you already have a valid Ontario work permit or the employer has a positive LMIA (and Ontario warns recruitment done by an immigration representative is a conflict of interest).
Revenue thresholds (most recent fiscal year):
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$1,000,000 if the job is in the GTA
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$500,000 if outside the GTA
Employee minimums:
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5 full-time Canadian/PR employees at the GTA location
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3 full-time Canadian/PR employees outside GTA
Step-by-step application process (2025+ Employer Portal system)
Step 1: Employer submits a job offer in the Employer Portal
This is required even if you already work in the position.
Step 2: You register an EOI within 30 days
You must register your EOI within 30 calendar days after the job offer is submitted, or the job offer expires and must be recreated.
Step 3: If invited, your employer and you both submit (14 days + 17 days)
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Employer submits position approval within 14 calendar days
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You submit your application within 17 calendar days
Step 4: Nomination → apply to IRCC for PR
If Ontario nominates you, you apply to IRCC under the Provincial Nominee process (non-Express Entry). IRCC makes the final PR decision after admissibility checks.
Fees and processing times (what to say safely)
OINP fee (Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker + In-Demand Skills):
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$1,500 if the job offer is outside GTA
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$2,000 if the job offer is inside GTA
IRCC PR fees: IRCC lists $1,525 for many economic PR applications (processing $950 + right of PR fee $575).
Processing times vary. Use IRCC’s processing time tool for current estimates and don’t rely on fixed timelines.
Required documents (fix your template)
Remove these (they are not for OINP In-Demand Skills):
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“Endorsement Certificate from an Atlantic Province” (AIP only)
Typical documents include:
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Job offer details from Employer Portal (Job Offer ID)
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Work experience proof (pay stubs, letters) matching the same NOC
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Language test results (CLB 4+)
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High school credential or ECA (if outside Canada)
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Proof of legal status in Canada (if applicable)
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Any required licence/authorization (regulated occupations)
FAQ
Do I need Ontario work experience?
Yes. Ontario requires 9 months of cumulative paid Ontario work experience in the same NOC as the job offer, within the last 3 years.
Is a job offer mandatory?
Yes. This is an Employer Job Offer stream and requires a full-time, permanent job offer in an eligible TEER 4–5 occupation.
What language score is required?
Minimum CLB 4 in all skills, with a test taken within 2 years of application submission.
How long do I have after my employer submits the job offer to register my EOI?
30 calendar days.
How fast do I need to apply after an invitation?
Employer: 14 days. Applicant: 17 days.
Reality check
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This stream is invitation-based. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation.
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Deadlines are tight (30/14/17 days). Missing one usually means starting over with a new job offer ID.
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Ontario can refuse if wages don’t meet median wage levels or if employer requirements aren’t met. Review the official job offer and employer rules before you rely on this pathway.
OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream (official):
https://www.ontario.ca/page/oinp-employer-job-offer-demand-skills-stream
How to use the OINP Employer Portal (deadlines 30/14/17 days):
https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-use-employer-portal-ontario-immigrant-nominee-program
OINP Expression of Interest system (Ontario):
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-immigrant-nominee-program-expression-interest-system-streams
Ontario Regulation 422/17 (OINP regulation):
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/170422
Job Bank wage data (median wage lookup used by Ontario):
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/
IRCC fee list (PR fees):
https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp
IRCC processing times tool:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html
