By admin 
Starting July 2, Ontario will introduce a major change to how applications are made under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)’s Employer Job Offer streams. Foreign nationals will no longer be able to start the application process themselves. Instead, a new online Employer Portal will be launched, and the process will now begin with the employer.
Employer-Led Process Replaces Applicant-Led System
Currently, candidates apply to the OINP Employer Job Offer streams by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI), followed by an employer form submitted in support of their job offer. This process will soon be replaced.
Under the new system, employers will be required to register first and submit key job and company details through the new Employer Portal. Only after this step will foreign candidates be able to register their EOIs. The shift means the process will now be employer-led, and foreign nationals will need to coordinate closely with their employers before applying.
EOIs Already Submitted Will Expire
Candidates who have already submitted EOIs in any of the Employer Job Offer streams will see their profiles automatically withdrawn and marked as expired during the system transition. These candidates will need to resubmit new EOIs once their employer has completed the required registration on the new portal.
Streams Affected by This Change
This new system will apply to the following three OINP streams:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream
- Employer Job Offer: International Student stream
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream
Timeline of Key Changes
The OINP has shared a step-by-step timeline of the transition process:
- June 20 – July 2: No new EOIs will be accepted under the Employer Job Offer streams.
- June 21 – 22: All EOIs already in the system will be removed and marked as expired.
- June 27 – 29: The entire OINP online system will be temporarily offline.
- July 2: The new Employer Portal will go live. Employers can start registering and submitting their job offers to the OINP, which will allow candidates to re-enter their EOIs.
The new EOIs submitted after July 2 will be valid for 12 months and will be considered for upcoming draws.
More Changes Are on the Way
Ontario has also announced a few other updates that will come in the near future. These include:
- Giving OINP inspectors the power to request in-person interviews with applicants.
- Requiring online job platforms to include special features to report fraudulent job ads.
- Reviewing how employers access and use digital information about job seekers, with an eye on privacy and data protection.
More information about the new Employer Portal and the employer-led process will be released by the Ontario government soon. Foreign workers planning to apply for PR under the OINP are encouraged to stay updated and begin discussing the new process with their employers now.