Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

The French-speaking skilled Worker Stream is part of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It allows skilled foreign workers with relevant work experience, education, and French language proficiency to apply for permanent residency in Ontario.

To be eligible, you must have an active Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) from Ontario. Once invited, you can apply for a provincial nomination. If approved, you must submit your final application to IRCC, which makes the ultimate decision on your permanent residency.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this stream, you must meet the criteria outlined in Ontario Regulation 422/17, including work experience requirements based on one of two federal immigration programs:

1. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
2. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

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1. Work Experience Criteria

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

If applying under FSWP
✔️ At least one year of continuous, full-time paid work experience (or equivalent part-time) in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
✔️ Gained this experience within the last five years before applying to OINP.
✔️ Worked in the same primary occupation as listed in your Express Entry profile.
✔️ Experience can be gained inside or outside Canada.

🔹 Definition of Continuous Work Experience:

• No gaps in employment for at least one year.
• You can have back-to-back jobs with different employers, but one year must be in the same NOC occupation listed in your Express Entry profile.

💡 Self-Employment Considerations:
If you are self-employed, you must provide third-party proof of your work history, such as:
✔️ Client reference letters confirming your duties and employment period.
✔️ Payment records (e.g., invoices) showing earnings from your work.
✔️ Evidence that you completed at least 1,560 work hours over one year.

⚠️ Self-declared reference letters from yourself, business partners, or family members are not accepted.

By meeting these requirements, you increase your chances of obtaining Ontario’s nomination for permanent residency.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the two federal programs under Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream. This stream is designed for skilled foreign workers who have gained work experience in Canada and want to apply for permanent residency in Ontario.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify under the Canadian Experience Class, you must:

✔️ Have at least one year of cumulative, full-time paid work experience (or equivalent part-time) in Canada in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
✔️ If selected through a targeted draw, at least six months of your work experience must be in your primary NOC.
✔️ Have gained work experience within the last three years before applying to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
✔️ Have worked in one or more occupations in your Express Entry profile.
✔️ Have maintained legal status in Canada while working.

💡 Cumulative Work Experience Explained
Your work experience does not need to be continuous. As long as your total work experience adds up to one year (1,560 hours) within three years, you may qualify.

Special Rules for Physicians

If you are a physician, you may include self-employment experience to meet the work requirement, but only if your experience falls under one of these NOC codes:

🔹 NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
🔹 NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
🔹 NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians

🛑 Important Notes:

• Work experience gained while studying full-time (e.g., co-op placements) is not eligible under CEC.
• Self-employed experience is not counted, except for physicians in the listed NOC categories.

Work Experience Requirements for All Applicants

Regardless of whether you apply under FSWP or CEC, you must meet these general work experience requirements:

✔️ Minimum One Year of Work – You must have at least 1,560 hours of paid work over one year. Work completed in less than a year does not qualify.
✔️ Full-Time Equivalent Calculation:

• Full-time work = At least 30 hours per week for one year (1,560 hours).
• Part-time work = At least 15 hours per week for two years (1,560 hours in total).
• Multiple jobs = 30 hours per week across different jobs in one year (1,560 hours total).
  ✔️ If your job requires a license in Ontario, only work experience after obtaining your license will count.
  ✔️ Volunteer work and unpaid internships do not qualify as work experience.

🚨 Breaks in Employment:

• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, etc.) is not considered an employment gap.
• Extended leaves (e.g., maternity or unpaid leave) are considered interruptions and do not count toward work experience.

By meeting these requirements, you increase your chances of receiving Ontario’s provincial nomination for permanent residency!

2. Education Requirements

To qualify under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), you must meet specific education requirements.

General Education Requirement

You must have one of the following:
✔️ A Canadian bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degree, OR
✔️ An equivalent degree from another country, verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Exceptions for Nurses

Nurses do not need to meet the education requirement if they meet both of the following conditions:
✔️ They are registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) in the General, Extended, or Temporaryclass.
✔️ Their primary NOC falls under one of these occupations:

• NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors
• NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners
• NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for International Degrees

If you completed your studies outside Canada, you must get an ECA report to verify that your education is equivalent to a Canadian degree.

🔹 The ECA must be issued within the last five years at the time of submitting your application.
🔹 You must upload an electronic copy of your ECA report in your OINP application.

Approved ECA Organizations

You must obtain your ECA from one of these designated organizations:

📌 General Credential Assessment Organizations:

• Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
• International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
• Medical Council of Canada (for doctors)
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (for pharmacists)
• World Education Services (WES)

Each organization has different fees and processing times, so check their website to choose the best option for you.

How to Authorize OINP to Access Your ECA Results

The OINP must verify your ECA results electronically. To do this, follow the authorization steps based on your ECA provider:

✅ Comparative Education Service (CES): Submit an online request form.
✅ Medical Council of Canada (MCC): Log into physiciansapply.ca, go to “Other service requests”, and request a file transfer. Use [email protected] as the recipient’s email.
✅ World Education Services (WES): Order a copy of your ECA report online and select “Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program” as the recipient.
✅ Other ECA Organizations: No additional steps are required.

🛑 Do NOT send a paper copy of your ECA report to OINP.

For specific questions about your ECA process, contact your ECA organization directly.

3. Language Requirements

To qualify for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Express Entry stream, you must prove proficiency in English and/or French:

✅ English: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6 or higher
✅ French: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher

You must take an approved language test before submitting your application, and the test results must be less than two years old at the time of submission.

Accepted English Tests

✔️ IELTS General Training (Academic version not accepted)
✔️ CELPIP General (CELPIP Academic not accepted)
✔️ PTE Core (PTE Academic not accepted)

🛑 IELTS One Skill Retake is NOT accepted

Accepted French Tests

✔️ Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) Canada
✔️ Test de connaissance du français (TCF Canada)

4. Settlement Funds Requirement

You must prove that you have enough financial resources to support yourself and your dependent family members when settling in Canada.

Who is Considered a Dependent?

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Your spouse, common-law partner, and children under 22 (including their children).

How Can You Meet This Requirement?

You can prove settlement funds using one or a combination of:
1️⃣ Bank statements showing available funds (checking, savings, mutual funds, non-locked-in fixed deposits, etc.).
2️⃣ Annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario.
3️⃣ A valid job offer in Ontario.

Example Scenario:

🔹 Required funds for your family size: $29,000
🔹 You have:

• A job offer in Ontario with an annual salary of $25,000
• $5,000 in savings in your bank account
  🔹 Total: $30,000 ✅ You meet the requirement!

Important Notes:

📌 Large one-time deposits in your bank statement may require additional documentation to prove the funds are free of debt or liability.
📌 This requirement applies to all applicants, including those applying under Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

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5. Intention to Live in Ontario

You must demonstrate a genuine intention to settle in Ontario after receiving permanent residence. The OINP will assess your intent based on your ties to Ontario, which may include:

✅ Employment History: Working or having worked in Ontario.
✅ Job Market Activity: Receiving job offers, applying for jobs, or attending interviews in Ontario.
✅ Education: Studying in Ontario.
✅ Volunteering: Participating in volunteer activities in Ontario.
✅ Property Ownership: Leasing or owning property in Ontario.
✅ Visits: Past visits to Ontario.
✅ Social & Professional Ties: Membership in Ontario-based professional organizations, family connections, or personal relationships in Ontario.

6. Legal Status in Canada (If Applicable)

If you are applying from within Canada, you must have valid legal status at the time of application and maintain it until you receive a nomination.

✔️ Accepted Status Documents:

• Visitor record
• Study permit
• Work permit

Maintained Status (Implied Status)

You may apply under “maintained status” if you have already submitted an application to IRCC to renew or extend your visitor record, work permit, or study permit before it expired. This allows you to legally stay in Canada and continue working or studying under the same conditions until a decision is made.

7. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) Eligibility

If you choose to be assessed under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) you must score at least 67 pointson the following six selection factors:

1️⃣ Education – Higher education levels earn more points.
2️⃣ Language Skills – Proficiency in English and/or French.
3️⃣ Work Experience – More years of skilled work experience increases points.
4️⃣ Age – Younger applicants receive higher scores.
5️⃣ Arranged Employment in Canada – A valid job offer boosts your score.
6️⃣ Adaptability – Family ties, past work/study experience in Canada, and spouse’s language proficiency contribute to points.

👉 If you do not meet the 67-point threshold, you are not eligible under FSWP and must explore other pathways.

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Before You Apply

1️⃣ Create an Express Entry Profile

To receive an NOI from Ontario, you must first create a profile in IRCC’s Express Entry System by:

✅ Answering IRCC’s eligibility questionnaire.
✅ Taking a language test (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, or TCF Canada).
✅ Getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your education was completed outside Canada.
✅ Determining your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code for your work experience.
✅ Selecting Ontario or All Provinces and Territories when indicating your interest in Express Entry.

⚠️ Important:
You must provide accurate and truthful information in your Express Entry profile. If your information is incorrect or misleading:
❌ Your OINP application may be refused.
❌ Your nomination could be withdrawn.
❌ IRCC may bar you from reapplying for five years.

2️⃣ Qualify Under a Federal Immigration Program

To be eligible for Ontario’s Express Entry streams, you must qualify under one of these federal immigration programs:

✔️ Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
✔️ Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

If you are applying under the Skilled Trades Stream, you must meet the CEC requirements.

Notifications of Interest (NOI) and How to Apply

How OINP Selects Candidates

OINP searches the Express Entry pool to identify candidates who meet the eligibility criteria of an Ontario Express Entry stream.

If selected, you will receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) in your IRCC online account, inviting you to submit an application to OINP.

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After Receiving a Notification of Interest

📌 Key Points:
✔️ An Express Entry profile does not guarantee an invitation.
✔️ An NOI does not guarantee you will receive a nomination.
✔️ You must meet all stream and draw requirements at the time of application.
✔️ False or misleading information may lead to rejection, penalties, or prosecution.

🔹 Application Deadline:
Once you receive an NOI, you must submit your application within 45 calendar days.

🔹 How to Proceed:
1️⃣ Follow the OINP Express Entry application instructions.
2️⃣ Ensure you meet all stream and draw-specific requirements.
3️⃣ Check the OINP Program Updates page for details on your draw.

After You Apply

Once you submit your application, you’ll receive an email confirming that we’ve received it.

You can track your application status anytime through the OINP e-Filing Portal.

For updates on processing times, check the OINP Application Processing Times page.

If you’re nominated, your next step is to apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which makes the final decision.

After You Apply

Once you submit your application, you’ll receive an email confirming that we’ve received it.

You can track your application status anytime through the OINP e-Filing Portal.

For updates on processing times, check the OINP Application Processing Times page.

If you’re nominated, your next step is to apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which makes the final decision.

Withdrawing Your Application

To withdraw your application, click the “Withdraw” button next to your file number in the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Refund Policy: You can only receive a refund if you withdraw before processing begins.

Updating Personal Information

You must inform of any changes to your personal details, such as:

✅ Contact details (phone, email, address)
✅ Immigration status (work permit updates)
✅ Family changes, including:

• Marriage or common-law partnership
• Birth or custody changes
• Divorce, separation, or death

To update your phone number, email, or country of residence, log into the OINP e-Filing Portal, go to “My Profile”, and click “Save”.

For other changes or corrections (e.g., name or birthdate errors), you must:

1. Complete the Change of Personal Information form.
2. Submit it via webform.
3. If correcting your name or birthdate, attach a passport copy for verification.

Important: Failure to update your details may impact your application.

Keeping Your Express Entry Profile Active

Your Express Entry profile must remain valid from the time you apply until you are nominated.

• If it expires before you apply, update your profile details in the OINP e-Filing Portal.
• If it expires during processing, update us immediately via the portal.

You’ll need to submit:
📄 A copy of the IRCC letter confirming your new Express Entry number and job seeker validation code.
📄 A copy of IRCC’s letter explaining why your old profile was ineligible.

⚠️ Failure to update your Express Entry profile may result in your application being returned as incomplete.

What If You Get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from IRCC?

If IRCC sends you an Invitation to Apply (ITA) while your application is still in process with OINP, your profile is no longer eligible for nomination. You must choose to:

✔️ Reject the ITA and request OINP to continue processing your application. Submit a webform request with a screenshot showing your ITA rejection.
✔️ Withdraw your OINP application if you accept the ITA.

If You Are Nominated

If your application is approved, you’ll receive a nomination approval letter and a nomination certificate by email.

Your nomination details will be added to the IRCC Express Entry System, and you’ll get a notification via your IRCC account.

⏳ Next Steps:
✔ Accept or refuse the nomination within 30 days in the Express Entry system.
✔ If you accept, you’ll get 600 additional points, boosting your chances of an IRCC invitation.
✔ Once invited, you have 60 days to apply for permanent residence.

Note: A nomination does not guarantee permanent residence approval by IRCC.

Transferring or Extending Your Nomination

If your Express Entry profile becomes ineligible, you can request a transfer to a new profile by submitting a webform with:
📄 The IRCC letter confirming your new Express Entry profile.
📄 The IRCC letter explaining why your old profile was ineligible.

If your permanent residence application was returned as incomplete, you may request an extension of your nomination certificate by submitting:
📄 A letter explaining why you need the extension.
📄 The incomplete application letter from IRCC (if applicable).

Only eligible requests will be considered.

If Your Application Is Refused

If your application is denied, you will be notified by email.

If you believe a mistake was made, you can request an internal review within 30 days of the decision

How to Request an Internal Review:

1️⃣ Log into the OINP e-Filing Portal via your My Ontario account.
2️⃣ Click “Internal Review (IR)” under the Action column.
3️⃣ Follow the instructions and submit the required documents.

⚠️ You cannot submit new information unless it was unavailable at the time of your original application.

The internal review decision is final. You can check your review status in the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Applicant Checklist

When applying for the Ontario Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, you must upload the following documents:

✅ Required Documents:

• Notification of Interest from Ontario
• Applicant consent form
• Identity documents (passport, etc.)
• Immigration status documents in Canada
• Education credentials
• Language test results
• Proof of employment in Ontario (if applicable)
• Proof of settlement funds
• Resume
• Other optional documents (if applicable)

🔹 For Dependent Family Members:

• Passports
• Status documents (for spouse/common-law partner)
• Proof of work experience in Canada (if applicable)
• Language test results (if applicable)
• Proof of family ties in Canada (if applicable)

📌 Important:

• All documents are mandatory unless otherwise stated.
• You may be asked to submit additional documents during processing.

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Frequently Asked Questions