Ontario’s Masters Graduate Stream gives international students, who have graduated with a master’s degree from an eligible university in Ontario, the opportunity to immigrate permanently to Ontario without the requirement of a job offer.
Applicants who meet the education, language, and other program requirements may receive a provincial nomination from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and may then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.
Eligible graduates do not need a job offer to apply.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream, individuals must:
- Have completed the requirements to obtain a master’s degree;
- Have graduated from an existing master’s program at an eligible university in Ontario;
- The program of study must have been at least one year in length and must have been completed on a full-time basis.
- Submit the application within two years of completing the requirements necessary to obtain the master’s degree;
- Be residing in Ontario with legal status (i.e., study permit, work permit, visitor record) OR residing outside of Canada;
- The OINP accepts applications from potential applicants who are in implied status at the time of applying.
- Demonstrate a high language proficiency level in English or French of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or above in all four competencies (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
- Applicant must take an approved English or french language test from the following approved agencies:
- International English Language Testing (IELTS) General Test scores; and
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) (General test) for English.
- Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF); and
- Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF) for French.
- Applicants must have the following minimum scores under each of the language abilites:
- Applicant must take an approved English or french language test from the following approved agencies:
- Possess sufficient funds and/or income to cover settlement costs for themselves and their dependent family members (whether or not the family members are accompanying the applicant or not). Potential applicants can determine the settlement funds required based on family size. The amount is updated annually by the federal government.
- Dependent family members include: Spouse or common-law-partner, children under the age of 22 and their children.
- Demonstrate residence in Ontario for at least 12 of the last 24 months before the application submission date;
- Intend to live and work permanently in Ontario; and
- Not intend to pursue further academic studies in Ontario.
Settlement Funds
Potential applicants to the OINP Masters Graduate Stream must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to economically establish themselves in Canada.
Applicants can meet this requirement through one or a combination of the following:
- Funds as demonstrated by bank statements, or statements of accounts showing other investments, such as fixed term deposits and mutual funds, that can be readily converted to cash;
- Annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario; and/or
- A job offer in Ontario.
If an applicant uses employment or a job offer in Ontario to meet the settlement funds requirement, he or she must include an employment contract/job offer letter indicating the position, hours of work, and wage. If currently working in Ontario, the applicant must provide two (most) recent pay slips as proof of funds.
Ties to Ontario
A potential applicant can demonstrate a connection to Ontario through:
- Current and/or previous employment in Ontario
- Job offers or jobs applied/interviewed for in Ontario
- Education in Ontario
- Volunteer work in Ontario
- Lease agreements for a residence in Ontario or property ownership
- Professional networks and affiliations
- Family ties
- Social connections or personal relationships
- Previous visits to Ontario
Application Period
An applicant’s degree must be dated within two years of the OINP application submission date. For example, if the degree is dated June 1, 2017, the eligible graduate must apply before June 1, 2019. If the degree has not yet been granted, the OINP will accept the date indicated on an official letter from the university specifying when the degree will be granted
