The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is a key element of Ontario’s economic immigration strategy. Addressing labor shortages and attracting global talent to the province is critical. However, the 2024 Annual Report by the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario highlights significant shortcomings in the program.
The report reveals issues aligning nominations with labor market demands, addressing regional disparities, and maintaining program integrity.
While Ontario has welcomed 45 percent of Canada’s permanent residents between 2019 and 2023, only 21 percent of economic immigrants were selected through the OINP in 2023. In comparison, Saskatchewan utilized its nominee program for up to 93 percent of its economic immigrants.
Efforts have been made to improve the OINP. The province increased its nomination allocation from 16,500 in 2023 to 21,500 in 2024. Additionally, 35 occupations were added to the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream in July 2024.
These changes address labor shortages in the healthcare, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. They also prioritize regions outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Despite these developments, critical occupations such as nursing remain underrepresented. From 2019 to 2023, nursing accounted for less than one percent of nominations despite being a high-demand role. Regional disparities also persist, with 63 percent of job-offer nominees settling in the GTA during this period.
The program also faces challenges with misrepresentation, including fraudulent job offers and falsified work experience claims. Administrative orders have been introduced to penalize violators, but enforcement primarily relies on public reports.
The Auditor General’s report emphasizes the need for performance metrics to evaluate long-term outcomes. Success is currently measured by the number of nominations issued, which may not reflect alignment with labor market needs.
The report underscores the importance of systemic improvements to the OINP. Recommendations include better alignment with labor priorities, equitable regional settlement, and enhanced integrity measures. These changes are vital to ensuring the program supports Ontario’s economic growth and sustains its role as a leader in immigration.
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