Ontario Masters Graduate Stream

The Masters Graduate Stream in Ontario allows overseas students who have received a master’s degree from an authorized university in the province to move to Ontario permanently without the need for a job offer.

Applicants who fulfill the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s (OINP) education, language, and other program requirements may get a provincial nomination and subsequently apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence in Canada.

What are the Eligibility Requirements?

• Individuals must meet the following requirements to be considered for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream:
• Have completed all of the prerequisites for a master’s degree;
  ○ Have completed an existing master’s program at an eligible Ontario university;
  ○ The program of study must have lasted at least one year and been completed full-time.
• Must submit their applications within two years of finishing the master’s degree requirements.
• Be a legal resident of Ontario (study permission, work permit, visitor record) OR a legal resident of another country/ It’s worth noting that the OINP accepts applications from those who are in implied status at the moment they apply;
• Show a high level of language ability in English or French (CLB 7) or above in each of the four abilities (speaking, reading, writing, and listening).
  See Language Ability Requirements
• Have enough money and/or income to afford the costs of settlement for themselves and their dependent family members (whether or not the family members are accompanying the applicant or not).
  ○ Applicants can calculate the amount of settlement money they’ll need based on the size of their family. The federal government updates the amount every year. A spouse or common-law partner, children under the age of 22, and their offspring are all considered dependent family members.
• Demonstrate that you have lived in Ontario for at least 12 of the past 24 months prior to the application deadline;
• Intend to reside and work in Ontario indefinitely; and
• have no plans to continue their academic education in Ontario

Language Ability Requirements
The applicant must take a language exam in English or French from one of the recognized agencies listed below:   

• • Applicants can take the English test with
    ● the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
    ● the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)
  • For French testing,
    ● the Test d’Evaluation du Français (TEF) or
    ● the Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF)○ Under each of the language abilities, applicants must have the following minimum scores:

Under each of the language abilities, applicants must have the following minimum scores

How do I Apply for this Stream?

What To Do Before Applying
The OINP recommends to potential candidates that they study the eligibility requirements, document checklist, and confirm that the application is complete before submitting it. All documents uploaded to the e-Filing system in Ontario must be readable and clear.

While processing the Master’s Graduate Stream application, the OINP may require additional supporting papers.

Applying
It may take up to two hours to apply for the Master’s Graduate Stream online using the OINP’s e-filing site. Potential candidates, on the other hand, are not required to complete an application in one sitting, but they must do it within 14 calendar days, otherwise, their registration will expire and be revoked.

Before making a payment, candidates are encouraged to complete an application. The applicant will not be allowed to make any modifications to an application once it has been submitted to the OINP.

If an applicant in Ontario is unable to locate an ATIO-accredited certified translator, the translation must be notarized. The application must be accompanied by a letter detailing the cause and efforts made to seek a qualified translator.

The translation must be notarized if you are applying from outside of Ontario. If a translation from a qualified translator recognized by the ATIO is judged insufficient, the OINP may compel applicants to get a translation from a certified translator accredited by the ATIO. Even if these individuals are certified translators, translations made by the applicant, their representative, or those having personal links to the applicant will not be approved.

After The Application
Individuals interested in applying for the OINP Masters Graduate Stream will need to reapply if the OINP considers their application incomplete. If inaccurate supporting papers are given, or documents that require translation are not certified or notarized, an application may be declared incomplete.

Applicants who think the OINP made an error in their decision may seek an internal review of their application within a period of 30 days of receiving the decision notification (if they live in Canada) or 60 calendar days if they live outside of Canada.

Unless the evidence was not reasonably accessible at the time of application, the request cannot contain any evidence that was not provided to the program before the decision was made. The internal review decision of the OINP is final.
Candidates will get a Letter of Nomination (Nomination Approval Letter) and an OINP Confirmation of Nomination if their application is successful.
Upon Nomination
Within six (6) months of being nominated by the OINP, successful nominees must file an application for permanent residence to IRCC. With their permanent residence application to IRCC, applicants must submit a copy of both papers (Letter of Nomination and OINP Confirmation of Nomination).

According to the OINP, a nomination does not ensure that an application for Canadian permanent residency with IRCC will be approved. Nominees must continue to establish their desire to remain in Ontario on a reasonable basis.

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