You might be excited to note that Ontario’s immigration program just got a big update! Starting July 4, the province announced that it’s expanded the list of jobs you can apply for under the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream. This means more people now have a chance to get nominated by Ontario for permanent residency.
So what’s New in Ontario’s Immigration Program?
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development has added 35 new National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes to the list of eligible jobs. This update follows talks with provincial stakeholders last fall.
Here’s the catch:
Hold your horses, everything so far has been good news but there are a few catches you should know beforehand.
- Location: Your job offer needs to be outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), unless it’s for NOC 75119 (Other trades helpers and laborers), which can be in the GTA. So anyone looking to stay in this area has to search for other jobs.
- Job Requirements: Unfortunately, the job you want must be full-time, meaning at least 1,560 hours a year and 30 hours a week. No short-term contracts or temporary positions will qualify.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for these amazing opportunities in Ontario, you have to fulfill the following requirements;
- Work Experience: Applicants will need at least nine months of paid, full-time work experience in Ontario in a job with the same NOC code as your job offer. You can gain this experience can be accumulated over three years before applying. Note that you need to prove your experience so keep meticulous track of your work documentations.
- Language Skills: You will need a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark score of 4 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, in either English or French. This means you may need to brush up on your language skills.
