The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has modified the International Student stream for permanent residency to increase eligibility for foreign students who have earned a one-year college graduate certificate.
These new OINP changes to the International Student Stream are now in effect beginning January 1st, 2024. Those who submitted an application prior to this date are unaffected by this change.
Previously, applicants with a one-year certificate from an approved institution could only apply through the OINP’s International Student stream if the program required the completion of a degree as a prerequisite for admission. This is no longer the case.
This new modification now applies to OINP eligibility for any one-year college program that grants an Ontario College Graduate Certificate.
New OINP International Student Stream Changes
| Effective January 1, 2024 | Prior to January 1, 2024 | |
| Program requirement | Students who completed a one-year certificate from an Ontario college resulting in an Ontario College Graduate Certificate are eligible. | Students who completed a one-year certificate from an Ontario college were only eligible if their program required a degree for admission. |
| Program eligibility | Most one-year graduate certificate programs in Ontario will become eligible. | Most certificates were ineligible. |
This change increases the number of certificate programs that are now eligible for OINP.
The Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring method for the highest educational degree and additional Canadian credentials have been updated to reflect this change.
Furthermore, the list of accredited educational institutions for this stream has also been revised.
Source: immigrationnewscanada