Ontario, the province with the largest population in Canada, is on course to accept nearly as many immigrants this year as it did last year when it admitted a record amount.

According to figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Ontario received 132,755 new permanent residents in the first eight months of this year. If the current trend continues, Ontario might receive 199,132 new permanent residents this year.

That would bring it within striking distance of the 199,280 new permanent residents the province welcomed last year.

Additionally, it would suggest that Ontario, which hosts nearly 15 million people, or 38% of Canada's population of 38.8 million, will once again become Canada's largest immigration source.

The overall number of new permanent residents expected to enter Canada this year is 463,850, of which 42.9% are expected to arrive in Ontario.

Since 2015, Ontario immigration has been consistently rising, with the exception of the sharp decline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2015 saw the arrival in Ontario of 103,580 new permanent residents. The next year, it increased by about 6.1% to 109,880, and in 2017, it increased by an additional 1.9% to 112,005.

In 2018, 137,465 new permanent residents moved to Ontario; this number increased to 153,370 in 2019, the final full year before the pandemic, an increase of about 11.6%.

Need Help? Get In Touch With Us

Immigration to Ontario decreased significantly, just like it did for all Canadian provinces and territories, as a result of the pandemic public health restrictions, border closures, and travel limitations. Only 82,960 new permanent residents had moved to Ontario by the end of 2020, a decrease of 45.9%.

In 2021, immigration to Ontario increased.

The number of new permanent residents arriving in Ontario more than doubled last year, rising by 140.2% to 199,280, as Canadian immigration roared back to life.

Monte McNaughton, the minister of immigration for Ontario, urged Ottawa late last year to quadruple the number of skilled immigrants that Ontario may accept because he wants to do more.

In a tweet, McNaughton urged the federal government to boost the number of skilled immigrants Ontario may accept. Our country is experiencing a historic labour shortage. The people are needed to help our government rebuild a better, stronger Ontario.

Using the Job Offer from the Employer: The province offers foreign employees with a job offer in certain in-demand occupations the opportunity to apply to live and work permanently in Ontario through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program's (OINP) In-Demand Skills stream.

The positions must be in one of the following professions with a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level C or D and can be located anywhere in Ontario (even beyond the Greater Toronto Area):      

NOC 3413

nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates;

NOC 4412  

home support workers and related occupations, excluding  housekeepers

NOC 7441

residential and commercial installers and servicers;

NOC 7511

transport truck drivers;

NOC 7521

heavy equipment operators (except cranes);

NOC 7611

construction trades helpers and labourers;

NOC 8431

general farm workers;

NOC 8432

nursery and greenhouse workers;

NOC 8611

harvesting labourers,

NOC 9462

 

industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers, and related

Workers.

Many more professions are eligible for the in-demand stream as long as they are outside the GTA.

Any of the following vocations may also qualify as additional employment opportunities, provided they are located outside the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto, Durham, Halton, York, and Peel regions):

NOC 9411

machine operators, mineral and metal processing;

NOC 9416

metalworking and forging machine operators;

NOC 9417

machining tool operators;

NOC 9418

other metal products machine operators;

NOC 9421

chemical plant machine operators;

NOC 9422

plastics processing machine operators;

NOC 9437

woodworking machine operators;

NOC 9446

industrial sewing machine operators;

NOC 9461 

process control and machine operators, food, beverage and                             associated products processing

NOC 9523

electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors, and testers;

NOC 9526

mechanical assemblers and inspectors;

NOC 9536

industrial painters, coaters, and metal-finishing process operators

NOC 9537

Other product assemblers, finishers, and inspectors.

Click here to check Ontario PNP Points

Ontario submits candidates for skilled workers under its human capital category.

The OINP is able to nominate applicants for the Human Capital Category who has the training, credentials, and work experience needed to contribute to Ontario's economy and labour market. It consists of two foreign student streams and three Express Entry streams:

  • The Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream;
  • Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream;
  • Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream;
  • Masters Graduate Stream, and;
  • PhD. Graduate Stream.

Only candidates who have the support of an Ontario employer who has made them a full-time, indefinite work offer are eligible for consideration under the employer job offer category. There are four streams in it:

  • The Foreign Worker Stream;
  • International Student Stream;
  • In-Demand Skills Stream, and;
  • Regional Immigration Pilot.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool receive periodic Invitations to Apply (ITAs) via its Expression of Interest system and Notifications of Interest (NOIs), enabling them to submit an application for nomination under one of the targeted streams. After the draws are completed, the specifics and methods are made public.

The processing timelines are broken down into two periods: the time it takes the province to issue the nomination, followed by the time it takes to process and issue the Canada permanent resident visa.

For the majority of streams, Ontario presently anticipates processing timeframes to be between 60 and 90 days.

Applications for Express Entry Skilled Trades are handled in 30 to 60 days. The length of time it takes to process a file in a business application depends on its complexity.

  • Express Entry is a straightforward process.
  • Submit your application and join the Express Entry Pool;
  • If you meet the minimum point requirement, you will receive an invitation to apply;
  •  Submit an application within 60 days;
  • Await a decision for six months; and
  • If accepted,
  • Move to Canada.

Candidates receive points under Express Entry based on fundamental characteristics like age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.

To know more about the latest draw and Canada Immigration News Updates: VISIT HERE

Also read:

💡 Provincial Nominee Program your easiest gateway to Immigrate to Canada

💡 Migrate to Canada through Express Entry and Calculate Your CRS Points

💡 Express Entry rules will change starting in 2023 in Canada