Ontario Invited 986 Express Entry Candidates for a Provincial Nomination

Canadian provinces have been issuing invitations to large batches of candidates to make up for the immigration losses last year. Ontario invited 986 Express Entry candidates with scores as low as 300 to apply for a provincial nomination. Ontario is one of the most immigrant-friendly provinces and has been focused on inviting more skilled candidates who will be able to fill the labor shortages.

Details of the draw

On June 1, Ontario hosted a big draw to issued a total of 986 invitations via the Provincial Nominee Program or PNP. The required CRS score for the candidates to secure an invitation was low as 300 points proved sufficient. The upper range of the candidates’ scores was 379. Ontario only invited candidates who had registered their profile in the period between June 1, 2020 and June 1, 2021.

The candidates who received invitations in this draw will now be able to submit their applications for provincial nomination. If Ontario awards them with a nomination, they will receive 600 extra CRS points automatically. This will give them a significant advantage as compared to other candidates because they will be more likely to get an invitation to apply in the next federal Express Entry draw. 

For the June 1 draw, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) chose to target candidates who could satisfy the eligibility requirements of the Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream and get their nomination through it. The province is expected to contact all chosen candidates, and they will be able to submit their applications within 45 calendar days. 

The Express Entry-linked Skilled Trades Stream is operated by Ontario to provide a pathway to permanent residency for candidates belonging to the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.