The Ontario Express Entry French-speaking Skilled Worker stream is an immigration program administered by the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). This program is designed for skilled French-speaking immigrants with strong knowledge of the English language who want to live and work in Ontario as a permanent residents of Canada.
To receive an invitation to apply from Ontario, it is mandatory for the individuals to have an active profile under IRCC’s Express Entry system. The immigration programs of Express Entry that are accepted under this stream include:
One cannot apply directly to this stream. Instead, he or she must first receive a Notice of Interest (NOI) or Invitation from the OINP based on his or her factors, including education, experience, and language proficiency, as requested by the labour market of the province.
Applicants invited through the Ontario Express Entry French-speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) stream get an additional benefit of 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), either after nomination or approval of the application. This increases the total CRS score and increases the chances of getting Canadian permanent residence status.
Moreover, it is not necessary to have a job offer from an Ontario employer to apply under this stream.
The most common question among foreign skilled workers, who applied for a Canadian permanent residence visa via Express Entry’s FSWP or CEC programs and preferred Ontario above any other province in Canada is, “What are the minimum eligibility requirements for Ontario Express Entry’s French Speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) stream?”
Let’s understand the minimum eligibility requirements of this stream:
| Factors | Requirements |
| Active Express Entry Profile | Must have a profile under one of the following two federal programs: |
| Education | Must have education equivalent to Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree. |
| Language Skills |
|
| Work Experience | For candidates with profile in FSWP
For candidates with profile in CEC
|
| CRS Score | One must have a minimum CRS score under the Express Entry system, as determined by the Province of Ontario, for each round of invitations. |
| Job offer | Not Required |
| Legal status in Canada (if applicable) | If living in Canada currently one must have legal status (e.g., a study permit, a work permit, or visitor registration). |
Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) held a draw on May 5, 2023, inviting 1,863 immigrants under Ontario Express Entry’s Human
Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) held a draw on March 16, 2023, inviting 615 immigrants in total under Ontario’s French
The processing time of Ontario PNP or OINP streams depends on the number of applications submitted into the stream. The average processing time of each stream operated under the Ontario PNP or OINP is as follows:
|
OINP Stream |
Estimated Processing Time |
|
Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker |
70 – 100 days |
| Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities |
70 – 100 days |
| Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades |
70 – 100 days |
| Masters Graduate |
90 – 120 days |
| Ph.D. Graduate |
90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker |
90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: International Student |
90 – 120 days |
| Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills |
90 – 120 days |
| Entrepreneur Stream | Expression of Interest (EOI) Assessment:
Less than 30 days Applications: Depends on application complexity |
Candidates are required to scan and upload copies of the following mandatory documents with the application:
Yes, both French and English language tests are required to apply to OINP’s French-Speaking Skilled Workers (FSSW) stream. In these two languages, French is the primary language and English is the secondary language, with a minimum of CLB 7 in all French modules and a minimum of CLB 6 in all English modules required.
When deciding to immigrate to Ontario using the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), there are a number of streams from which to select. One person probably won’t be qualified for all of the streams, and that’s why it is important that you are aware of the stream you qualify for. Contact us so we can address all of your inquiries.
The average processing time for the applications submitted under the Human Capital category is 70-100 days, whereas for applications submitted under the Employer Job Offer category and International Student stream, it is 90-120 days.
For the business category, the expression of interest (EOI) takes less than 30 days to process, but the application processing for nomination time depends on the complexity of the application.
Yes. Currently, all streams are available.
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