Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – Open Work Permits for Master’s or PhD Graduates / Nominees

Operational Bulletin 406 – April 19, 2012

Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – Open Work Permits for Master’s or PhD Graduates / Nominees

Summary

Henceforth, Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will use:

  • Its R204 (c) authority under the Canada – Ontario Immigration Agreement and,
  • Its Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Annex

It will use these for facilitating the issuance of open Work Permits (WPs) for:

  • Master’s graduates and,
  • PhD graduates

It will facilitate the issuance of open Work Permits (WPs) for Master’s and PhD graduates who:

  • Have received a nomination from the Province and,
  • Are awaiting the finalisation of an application for Permanent Residence (PR)

These changes come into effect as of the date of this publication.

Issue

This Operational Bulletin (OB) informs officers of Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to use their authority provided by:

  • The R204 (c) authority under the Canada – Ontario Immigration Agreement and,
  • The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Annex

These officers would need this authority for facilitating the issuance of open Work Permits (WPs) for Master’s and PhD graduates who:

  • Have received a nomination from the Province under the International Student Category of the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and,
  • Are awaiting the finalisation of an application for Permanent Residence (PR)

Background

The Canada – Ontario Immigration Agreement states that:

3.2 Canada and Ontario agree that, pursuant to section 204(c) of the IRPR, Canada may issue work permits to TFWs destined to Ontario without requiring a labour market opinion (described in section 203 of the IRPR) when Ontario has provided CIC with a written recommendation to do so.

3.3 In exercising this authority, Ontario may recommend the entry of TFWs whose presence in Ontario will promote economic development priorities in Ontario such as securing significant business or industrial investments, encouraging business competitiveness and productivity, advancing scientific research and development, and encouraging the commercialization of research.

The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) aims to provide assistance to certain graduates, who require a means of:

  • Maintaining their status in Canada while they transition to Permanent Resident (PR) status in Ontario or,
  • Establishing their status in Canada while they transition to Permanent Resident (PR) status in Ontario

The nominees would receive an open Work Permit (WP) issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). This would provide a bridge from student to worker for those nominees whose temporary authorising for staying in Canada following their graduation would expire between:

  • The province’s nomination and,
  • The anticipated finalisation of the student’s Permanent Resident (PR) application

In certain cases, some Ontario nominees might have already lost their status or left Canada. In this scenario, an open Work Permit (WP) would allow these nominees to:

  • Return to Ontario and,
  • Obtain employment, which would assist their successful establishment as Permanent Residents (PRs)

The authorities will be updating the Foreign Worker Manual (FW 1) with further details concerning this Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) initiative.

The Eligible Participants

Applicants would need to meet certain criteria for becoming eligible for receiving an open Work Permit (WP) under this initiative. They would need to:

  • Be foreign nationals who have a Master’s or a PhD graduate degree
  • Be nominees in Ontario under the following streams of the International Student Category:
    • Pilot Master’s Graduate Stream or,
    • PhD Graduate Stream
  • Be residing at present in Ontario (or have the intention of residing in Ontario) for the duration of the Work Permit (WP)
  • Be current holders of valid status as Temporary Residents (TRs) or, be eligible to apply for the restoration of Temporary Resident (TR) status, if in Canada
  • Apply for their open Work Permit (WP) at:
      • A visa office overseases or,
      • A Port of Entry (POE)
    • However, they would only do so if:
      • They are eligible and,
      • They have already departed Canada OR,
      • R199 does not describe them at all
  • Be in possession of a letter of support issued by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (refer to the section titled  ‘The Sample Letter’)

Note:

  • R199 prescribes that only certain foreign nationals can apply for a Work Permit (WP) at an inland office of the CIC

The Process for the Issuance of Open Work Permits

  • Applicants would need to submit their applications to:
    • The Case Processing Centre in Vegreville (CPC-V) by mail, if the applicant:
      • Is currently in Canada and,
      • Is eligible for applying inland
    • A visa office overseas or,
    • A Port of Entry (POE) directly, if the authorities have given an exemption from the requirement of obtaining a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
  • The applicants would need to include the following documents with the application:
    • The letter of support issued by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and,
    • A copy of the applicant’s Opportunities Ontario Letter of Nomination
  • Officers would need to use the Labour Market Opinion (LMO) exemption code of T13
    • They would do so in conjunction with provisions listed in R204 (c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)
    • The exemption code T10 is no longer in use; therefore, officers would not be able to use the exemption code T10
  • The work permit would need to specify that it is only valid for work in the Province of Ontario
  • Officers would need to include the text “TFW-PNP / R204(c)” into the Remarks field
  • Typically, these open Work Permits (WPs) run for a duration of (whichever is shorter):
    • About 18 months or,
    • Until the expiry date of the applicant’s travel document
  • Applicants would need to pay the customary work permit fee of $155 to the officers

The Sample Letter

Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration

Opportunities Ontario:

Provincial Nominee Program

Ground Floor

400 University Avenue

Toronto, ON  M7A2R9

Tel.: 416-327-0374

Fax: 416-327-0860

[Date]

RE: [Name]

D.O.B. [DOB]

Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program Certificate Number: [Nfile]

Date of Issue: IssueDate

Exemption Code: T13

Dear Immigration Officer:

The above-named applicant for permanent residence to Canada, a citizen of [Citizenship], was approved as an Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program Nominee. [Name] will be submitting or has already submitted his/her application for permanent residence.

The applicant is nominated under Pilot Master’s Graduate Stream of the International Student Category and is required to reside in Ontario to continue meeting their obligations under the program. To assist this nominee in maintaining his/her temporary authorization in Canada while their permanent resident application is being submitted and processed and to support his/her transition to gainful employment in the province, Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program requests that his/her application for an open work permit in Ontario be processed as soon as possible, pursuant to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, R204(c) and section 3.2 and 3.3 of the Temporary Foreign Worker Annex of the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. This nominee‘s presence in Ontario will promote economic development priorities and have a positive labour market impact on Ontario.

The nominee was instructed to submit this letter and a copy of his/her Opportunities Ontario Letter of Nomination (approval) with an application for the Temporary Work Permit. Given the processing times for permanent resident applications, we suggest an eighteen month validity period for the temporary work permit, unless there are other factors, such as passport expiry date, which would limit this period.

Yours truly,

[Signature] [Title]

Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program

Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration

Government of Ontario

 

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) 

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Ontario Nurses Warn of Extreme Shortages

 

The Ontario Nurses’ Association says that the province is facing a “chaotic” shortage in nursing if drastic changes are not made.

Speaking on behalf of the association at a rally in Toronto last week, ONA first vice-president Vicky McKenna warned that Ontario is already lagging behind the other provinces, and would need 18,000 nurses immediately just to catch up. Ontario, one of Canada’s most populous provinces, has one of the lowest nurse-to-population ratios in the country.

“The reality is that we are an aging workforce,” said McKenna, pointing out that nurses in the province are, on average, 49 years old. “These nurses are going to retire and we are not graduating enough new nurses into the system.”

The nurses that are graduating, however, are facing their own discouraging challenges, says McKenna. With recent budget cuts, full-time nursing positions are getting harder and harder to find, making some wonder if a nursing career is really worth it.

“Everyone that has seniority over you gets it [full-time work] first,” said recent nursing graduate Teirsa St-Jean. “I don’t worry, because I am 22 and I don’t have children, but if I did have kids, it might be a problem.”

The lack of full-time positions not only discourages new graduates, but also places additional burdens on hospitals and staff. Overworked nurses can lead to fatigue, sickness, and can even put patients in danger, according to a recent study in The Lancet.

For each 1,000 residents, Ontario has seven nurses, according to the ONA.

Source: Metro News

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Government of Canada Immigration Fee Schedule

Permanent Resident Visas
Family Class applicants
Sponsorship application (per application)$75
Principal applicant$475
Principal applicant, if under 19 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner (including a dependent child of the sponsor, a child to be adopted and an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild)$75
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant or, where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older$550
A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition$150
Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:

  • is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
  • is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition  
$150
Note : Fees assessed for principal applicants and family members under the Family Class are payable, along with the sponsorship fee, when the sponsor files the sponsorship application.

Investor, Entrepreneur or Self-employed Persons Class applicants
Principal applicant$1,050
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant, or where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older$550
A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition$150
Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:

  • is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
  • is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition
$150
Other classes of applicants

(Federal Skilled Workers, Quebec Skilled Workers, Canadian Experience Class, and Provincial Nominees)

Principal applicant$550
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant, or where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older$550
A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition$150
Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:

  • is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
  • is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition 
$150
Temporary Resident Visas
Single entry to Canada $100
Multiple entry $100
Transit Visa (for less than 48 hours in Canada) $500
Visas de transit (moins de 48 heures au Canada)Free
Extension of Authorization to stay in Canada as a visitor (temporary resident)$100
Note: The total will not exceed $500 per family, provided that the family members all apply at the same time and place.
Work Permits
Work Permits $155
Note :This fee is per person, but the total amount will not exceed $465 in the case of a group of three or more performing artists and their staff who apply at the same time and place.
Study Permits
Study Permits$150
Temporary Resident Permits
Temporary Resident Permits $200
Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class
Sponsorship application (per application) $75
Principal applicant$475
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant, or where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older$550
A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition$150
Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:

  • is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
  • is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition
$150
Note: Fees assessed under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class are payable, along with the sponsorship fee, when the sponsor files the sponsorship application. Refunds will be issued only if the sponsor withdraws the sponsorship application before processing of the application has begun. The $75 sponsorship fee will not normally be refunded.
Permit Holders Class
Applicant$325
Even if a foreign national is inadmissible, the Minister may grant him/her permanent resident status based on humanitarian and compassionate or public policy grounds.
Application under Section 25 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act *
Principal Applicant$550
Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the principal applicant, or where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older$550
A family member of the principal applicant who is under 19 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner, or is 19 years of age or older who has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 19, due to a physical or mental condition$150
Where a transitional provision applies, a family member of the principal applicant who:

  • is under 22 years of age, unmarried and not in a common-law relationship, or
  • is 22 years of age or older and has been unable to be financially self-supporting since before the age of 22, due to a physical or mental condition   
$150
*Under this section, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration may grant permanent resident status to an inadmissible foreign national based on humanitarian and compassionate considerations or public policy considerations.
For the acquisition of permanent resident status$490
This fee is payable by principal applicants (with some exceptions) and accompanying spouses and common-law partners. It must be paid before the immigrant visa is issued overseas or before the applicant becomes a permanent resident in Canada.

The following applicants are not required to pay this fee:

  • dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor, a child to be adopted, or an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild; and
  • protected persons, including Convention refugees.
Restoration of Temporary Resident Status
Application processing fee$200
Permanent Resident Cards*
Application processing fee$50
Renewal or replacement of lost, damaged or stolen card$50
* Permanent residents who are outside Canada and do not have a Permanent Resident Card nor an Immigration Record of Landing, may apply for a travel document so that they may return to Canada.
Verification of status or replacement of an immigration document
Application processing fee$30
Application for a travel document
Application processing fee$50
After-hours examination
For entry into Canada, outside of normal service hours (payable at time of examination)$100*
*For the first four hours of the examination; $30 for each additional hour or part thereof.
Alternative means of examination
Application processing fee$30
Immigration statistical data
Application processing fee$100*
*For the first 10 minutes or less of access to the Department’s database in order to respond to such a request; $30 for each additional minute or less of access.
Determination of rehabilitation
Application processing fee, if inadmissible on the grounds of serious criminality$1000
Application processing fee, if inadmissible on the grounds of criminality$200
Authorization to return to Canada
Application processing fee$400
Repayment of removal expenses
To the U.S.A. and St. Pierre and Miquelon$750
To any other country$1500
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Immigration to Canada Overview

The Canadian government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (|RCC) admits 300,000 immigrants to Canada annually, mainly under the Family Class and the Economic Class.

The Economic Class comprises of professionals and skilled workers under the federal skilled worker program,federal skilled trades, the Canadian experience class, the provincial nominee class and the Quebec skilled worker class. The Economic Class also includes business, investment-based programs.

IRCC manages skilled worker, economic class immigration programs using the Express Entry system.  Applicants who meet basic criteria, submit an online profile to the express entry pool known as an expression of interest, under one of the above 3 federal Canada immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program.

The profiles of candidates in the pool are ranked against each other, under a Comprehensive Ranking System.  The highest ranked candidates will be considered for an invitation to apply for permanent residence under regular draws. Candidates who receive an invitation to apply, must quickly submit a full application, within a delay of 90-days.  The government aims to process cases in only 6-months.

Business immigration programs offering permanent admission to Canada comprise of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP), Quebec Entrepreneur program, Quebec Self-Employed, several Provincial Nominee Entrepreneur programs, the Federal Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program and the Federal Start-Up Visa program.

The Provincial Nominee Entrepreneur programs and self-employed programs are aimed at individuals with a mid-range personal net worth who intend to establish and operate a business in Canada. The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) and  Federal Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program are suited for high net worth individuals who wish to make a passive investment with no obligation to establish a business.

Wealthy business immigrants may also buy or establish a new business in Canada and qualify for a temporary work visa, under federal ‘owner-operator’ policies.  After a period of time, qualified applicants may submit an application for permanent residence under a provincial nominee class program, or under the express entry system.

Under the federal family class, current sponsorship policies promote the reunion in Canada of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their close relatives including a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner 16 years of age or older, an unmarried dependent child under the age of 22, a parent or grandparent, and a brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandchild who is an orphan, unmarried and under 18 years of age or any other relative where the sponsor has none of the above relatives or family members, in Canada or abroad.

Canadians may also sponsor parents and grandparents for permanent residents through an annual lottery process. Candidates who are not selected can apply for a long-term visitor Parents and Grandparents Super Visa.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

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