OINP PhD stream Settle in Ontario with a PhD degree

The OINP PhD stream is a pathway of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program that allows you to permanently settle in Canada if you hold a Ph.D. degree from an eligible university in Ontario.

This article includes:

Eligibility requirements for Ontario PhD stream
Scoring factors
List of eligible universities
OINP PhD graduate: processing time and fee
Steps to apply for OINP PhD stream
OINP draws for PhD stream

Eligibility requirements for Ontario PhD stream

I. A valid Invitation to Apply.

Receive an Invitation to Apply or ITA in the OINP draws. Before applying to the OINP PhD stream, you will need to register the OINP EOI or Expression of Interest. You will get a score in the EOI system according to the information you provide. If your score is higher than the score cut-off of the Ontario PNP draws, you will receive an ITA to apply to the OINP Phd graduate stream.

II. Academic requirements

You must have earned a PhD degree from an eligible university in Ontario. Additionally, you must have completed at least 2 years of your PhD program while legally studying and staying in the province of Ontario. Also, you must apply to this OINP program within two years of getting your PhD degree.

You cannot apply to the PhD graduate stream if you enrolled in the program through a scholarship or a grant that mandates you to return home after getting the degree. You will be eligible only after you fulfill the commitments of the scholarship and can successfully convey your aim to permanently settle in Ontario.

III. Living in Ontario

You must have legally lived in Ontario for at least a year in the last two years before applying to the OINP PhD stream. This one-year duration needs not to be continuous. Your stay in Ontario must be collectively 12 months within the last two years before you apply to OINP

IV. Intention to live in Ontario

You must display your plan to permanently settle in Ontario and economically and socially contribute to the Canadian province. This can be proven through the following:

A work history in Ontario
Actively applying for job-offers in Ontario and appearing for interviews
Studying in Ontario
Proof of having rented or leased a property in the province
Having professional and personal connections in the province.

V. Availability of settlement funds.

You must be financially secure and stable to be able to support yourself as well as your family members (if they are accompanying you), till you have a stable job in the province. The minimum amount of money you require to be eligible for the OINP PhD program is tabulated below:

Number of family members	Canadian dollars required
1	$13310
2	$16570
3	$20371
4	$24733
5	$28052
6	$31,638
7	$35,224

These funds must be immediately available to you and should not be borrowed.

You can meet the mandatory funds requirement by combining:

Annual salary earned from a job in Ontario, and
Existing funds as substantiated through bank statements, mutual funds, fixed-term deposits, etc.

VI. Your legal status in Canada

If you are applying for the OINP PhD stream from Canada, you must have a legal status such as a valid study permit, work permit, or a visitor visa, at the time of application. If you have applied to extend your permit to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you can apply to OINP under the ‘implied status’.

VII. Time of Application

You must apply to the Ontario PhD program within two years or 24 months of completing your PhD program. For example, if your degree is dated June 1, 2023, you will need to apply to the program before June 1, 2025.

Scoring Factors

Your Expression of Interest for the OINP PhD graduate stream will be scored on the following criteria.

Work or study permit status
You have a valid study permit or work permit	10 points
Without a valid work or study permit	0 points
History of your Canadian income
Earned more than $40k annually	03 points
Earned less than $40k annually	0 points
Field of study
If your Canadian credential is in academic field of: Engineering, Health, Mathematics, Computer Science (STEM) Trades, agriculture, natural resources operations, management, construction, architecture, construction and precision production, mechanics and repair.	12 points 12 points
Business and administration, programs related to social work, behavioral science, academics, law, transport services, personal and security services, etc.	06 points
Experience in Canadian education
If you have more than one Canadian degree	10 points
If you have one Canadian degree	05 points
Language proficiency
CLB 9 or more	10 points
CLB 8	06 points
CLB 7	04 points
CLB 6 and less	0 points
Multilingualism
If you are proficient in both English and French	10 points
If you are proficient in either French or English	05 points
Location of study
If you have studied in North Ontario	10 points
Areas outside the Great Toronto Area (GTA)-excluding northern Ontario	08 points
Inside GTA excluding Toronto	03 points
Toronto	00 points
Maximum points available	65 points

List of eligible universities in Ontario

You must have completed your PhD program from one of the 25 Ontario universities in order to be eligible to apply for the OINP PhD stream. All eligible universities are listed below.

Brock University
Carleton University
Dominican University College
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
Queen’s University
Royal Military College of Canada
Ryerson University
Saint Paul University (Federated with the University of Ottawa)
St. Jerome’s University (Federated with the University of Waterloo)
Trent University
University of Guelph
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Ottawa
University of St. Michael’s College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Toronto
University of Trinity College (Federated with the University of Toronto)
University of Waterloo
University of Windsor
Victoria University (Federated with the University of Toronto)
Western University
Wilfrid Laurier University
York University

OINP PhD graduate: processing time and fee

The application fee of the OINP PhD stream is $1500.
The processing time for the program is 90 to 120 days or 3 to 4 months.

Steps to Apply for the OINP PhD graduate stream

STEP 1: Register an EOI or Expression of Interest and get a score out of 65 points.

STEP 2: Get an ITA in the OINP draws

STEP 3: Apply to the OINP PhD stream within 14 days from getting the ITA

STEP 4: Upload all the mandatory documents

STEP 5: Pay $1500 and submit the application

STEP 6: Once your application is approved by the OINP, you will receive a nomination approval letter, and nomination certificate.

STEP 7: Apply to the IRCC for Canada PR through the Provincial Nominee Program within 6 months of receiving your nomination certificate.

STEP 8: Upload all the required documents for Canada PR

STEP 9: Pay $1365 and submit the PR application

STEP 10: Receive the COPR or the Confirmation of Permanent Residence if your PR application is approved.

OINP draws for PhD stream

The OINP draws for the Ph.D stream issued 445 ITAs in the year 2022. The OINP Phd stream draws for the year 2022 are tabulated below.

Date of Draw	ITAs received	EOI Cut-off
25.10.2022	106	24
30.08.2022	101	26
01.06.2022	65	28
28.02.2022	173	16
Total ITAs: 445

The draws in the year 2022 are graphically represented in the image below.

OINP draws for PhD graduate stream in 2021

In the year 2021, the OINP issued 204 ITAs to the applicants of the OINP PhD stream. The draws for the stream in the year 2021 are tabulated below.

Date of Draw	ITAs issued	EOI Cut-off
20.10.2021	63	25
14.09.2021	64	16
18.08.2021	77	17

OINP PhD stream is Ontario’s way of attracting young and potential skilled workers to settle in the province and facilitate in strengthening its economy and contributing to research and innovation.

Talent Connected Worldwide is India’s only CICC authorized immigration consultancy that offers the safest and hassle-free immigration process. From helping you register an Expression of Interest, getting an ITA, to assisting you with complete paperwork, we are the absolute best in the immigration industry.

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