Ontario Express Entry Invites 1,773 Tech Professionals!
February 9, 2021
|
Ontario recently invited 1,773 Express Entry applicants to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a new Tech Draw held on Thursday, August 1. Candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low as 435 received Invitations To Apply (ITAs), which is considerably lower than the previous cut off score of 459. It is the lowest score that the Express Entry System has seen this year. This is only the second Tech Draw that has taken place since it was implemented in July this year and 3,396 tech applicants have already received notifications of interest (NOIs) via provincial nomination.
Ontario is one of Canada’s primary tech centers and Toronto alone, Ontario’s capital, has created over 80,000 jobs in the past five years to account for the growing labour gaps in the tech sector. This indicates the strong need that Canada has for immigrant workers, particularly in the tech sector.
How Does the Tech Draw Work?
Ontario’s Tech Draw is geared specifically at Express Entry candidates who have tech work experience in 1 of the following 6 occupations:
| Express Entry Tech Draw Occupations | |
|---|---|
| NOC Code | Job Title |
| NOC 0213 | Computer and information systems managers |
| NOC 2172 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| NOC 2147 | Computer engineers |
| NOC 2173 | Software engineers and designers |
| NOC 2174 | Computer programmers and interactive media developers |
| NOC 2175 | Web designers and developers |
The tech draw allows the province to select and invite suitable candidates from the Federal Express Entry Draw pool to apply for Canadian permanent residence. It is conducted via the Human Capital Priorities Stream which falls under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). This is one of many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), each of which has its own requirements.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
The Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) allows experienced foreign skilled workers and international students to apply for permanent residency in the province. There are three categories under this program, each with their own streams, which is illustrated in the table below:
| Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) | |
|---|---|
| Employer Job Offer Category |
|
| Human Capital Category |
|
| Business Category |
|
How to Apply
1. Check that you meet the minimum criteria
Ontario’s Express Entry Human Priorities Stream has 7 main criteria that must be met in order to qualify.
1. Work Experience - You must have at least 1-year cumulative full-time work experience.
2. Education - You will need a Canadian bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. or equivalent in your country.
3. Language - You must be able to understand, read, write and speak English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 or higher.
4. Settlement Funds - You must have sufficient money to support yourself and your dependent relatives.
5. Intention to live in Ontario.
6. Legal Status - Applicable if apply within Canada.
7. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) - If apply via the FSWP, you must score at least 67 points in your Express Entry Profile.
2. Choose your stream
In this case, tech workers will need to apply via the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream. Before you apply, you will need to do the following:
- take a language test
- get an Educational Credential Assessment(ECA);
- determine your National Occupation Code. (NOC)
Once you have all your necessary supporting documents and the above mentioned has been completed, you can create an online Express Entry Profile, which includes information such as your age, education, and work experience. You will then be entered in the Express Entry Draw pool and ranked against other applicants according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-scoring candidates will then receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence.
3. Apply to be nominated by the Ontario Government
You will need to express your interest in the province by applying online via the OINP e-filing Portal.
4. Apply for Canadian permanent residence
If you are successful in your application, you will receive an NOI from the government and will need to apply for permanent residence. Permanent residence is granted at the discretion of the Government of Canada.
How We Can Help
With all this information at your fingertips, it is understandable that the process can seem confusing and overwhelming. But with MDC, our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) has the expertise to get your visa approved and are ready to assist you through the process. Thousands of candidates receive Canadian permanent residence each year, and you could be one of them. Simply contact us for your assessment and take the first step in making your dreams of living in Canada a reality.