OINP Master’s Graduate Stream

The OINP Master’s Graduate Stream is an Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program pathway for international graduates who have completed an eligible master’s degree at an Ontario university and want to live and work permanently in Ontario.

1. Main Requirements for the Master’s Graduate Stream

A. Expression of Interest and Invitation to Apply

• You must register an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the OINP e-Filing Portal.
• You can only apply after Ontario issues you an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
• After receiving the ITA, you must submit the application and payment within the required deadline.

B. Education Requirement

• You must have completed a master’s degree from an eligible Ontario university.
• The degree must have required at least one academic year of full-time study.
• You must apply within two years of completing the requirements necessary to obtain the master’s degree.

C. Language Requirement

• You must demonstrate language ability of at least CLB 7 in English or French in all four abilities:
  • reading
  • writing
  • listening
  • speaking
• Your language test must be from an approved testing organization and must still be valid when you apply.

D. Residency in Ontario Requirement

• You must have legally lived in Ontario for at least one year within the last two years before applying.

E. Legal Status Requirement

• At the time you apply, you must be either:
  • living in Ontario with legal status, such as a study permit, work permit, or visitor record, or
  • living outside Canada.
• If you are applying from within Canada, you must have valid legal status at the time of application.

F. Settlement Funds Requirement

• You must show enough money to support yourself and your dependent family members when you settle in Ontario.
• Ontario may consider a combination of:
  • bank balances and liquid funds,
  • ongoing income from employment, and/or
  • a valid job offer, where applicable.

G. Intention to Live in Ontario

• You must demonstrate that you genuinely intend to live in Ontario.
• Ontario may review evidence such as:
  • Ontario education,
  • Ontario employment history,
  • lease agreements or property ownership,
  • family or social ties,
  • professional networks, and
  • previous visits or other established ties to Ontario.

H. Job Offer Requirement

• No job offer is required under the Master’s Graduate Stream.

2. Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Create an account in the OINP e-Filing Portal.
2. Register an Expression of Interest (EOI) under the Master’s Graduate Stream.
3. Wait for Ontario to issue an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
4. After receiving the invitation, upload the required documents and complete the application.
5. Pay the OINP application fee.
6. Submit the full application within the required deadline.
7. If nominated, apply for permanent residence with IRCC.

3. Applicant Document Checklist

The Master’s Graduate Stream has an official applicant checklist. In practice, the file is usually organized into the categories below.

A. Applicant Consent Form

• Complete, sign, and upload the Applicant Consent Form.
• This must be signed by the applicant after reviewing the application.

B. Identity Documents

• Passport-style photograph
• Passport bio page
• Passport pages showing visas, entry stamps, and other immigration markings
• Dependent family members’ passport bio pages, if applicable

C. Status Documents in Canada

• If applicable, copies of:
  • work permits
  • study permits
  • visitor records
  • temporary resident visas
  • other IRCC or CBSA status documents
• If on maintained status, include proof such as:
  • IRCC acknowledgement letter,
  • IRCC fee receipt, and/or
  • mailing or courier receipt, where applicable.

D. Residency in Ontario Documents

• Documents showing you legally lived in Ontario for at least one year in the last two years.
• Examples may include:
  • leases, rental agreements, or housing records
  • utility bills
  • Ontario bank statements
  • Ontario driver’s licence or provincial ID, where applicable
  • school records or employment records showing Ontario residence

E. Education Documents

• Master’s degree certificate, if already issued
• Official letter from the Ontario university confirming completion of the degree requirements, if needed
• Official transcript
• Documents confirming the program met the stream requirements

F. Language Test Results

• Approved English or French language test results showing at least CLB 7
• The test must still be valid at the time of application

G. Settlement Funds Documents

• Recent bank statements
• Proof of liquid assets or savings
• Evidence of employment income, if relied upon
• Other supporting financial records showing funds are available and transferable

H. Intention to Reside in Ontario Documents

• Evidence of your ties to Ontario, such as:
  • Ontario education
  • Ontario employment
  • job applications or interviews in Ontario
  • Ontario lease or property documents
  • family support letters
  • professional networks or community ties
  • a written statement of intent to live in Ontario

I. Expression of Interest Selection Factors

• Documents supporting all points claimed in the EOI profile.
• This can include evidence related to:
  • education
  • language
  • legal status in Canada
  • earnings history, where applicable
  • Canadian work experience, where applicable
  • regional immigration factors

J. Other Optional Documents

• Letter of explanation, where needed
• Representative authorization forms, if applicable
• Any portal-generated confirmations relevant to the application

4. Forms You Should Expect to Use

• Applicant Consent Form
• Expression of Interest (EOI) registration
• OINP e-Filing Portal application
• Change of Personal Information form, if updates are needed after filing
• Representative authorization documents, if applicable

Because this is a graduate stream and not an employer-led stream, there is generally no employer form and no Employer Portal job-offer submission requirement.

5. Payments, Fees, and Receipts

A. OINP Application Fee

• The Ontario application fee is $1,500 CAD.
• Ontario states that payment is accepted by:
  • Visa
  • Visa Debit
  • Mastercard
  • Mastercard Debit

B. OINP Payment and Receipt Records

• Portal payment confirmation
• Application submission confirmation
• Saved copy of the payment receipt for the client file

C. Federal Permanent Residence Fees After Nomination

• After provincial nomination, the applicant must still apply for permanent residence with IRCC and pay separate federal fees.
• These may include:
  • processing fees
  • Right of Permanent Residence Fee
  • biometrics fee, if applicable

6. Advantages of the Master’s Graduate Stream

• No job offer is required.
• No Express Entry profile is required, unlike Ontario’s Express Entry streams.
• Strong option for Ontario-educated candidates who may not yet be competitive enough for federal Express Entry draws.
• Good fit for recent graduates who have academic credentials from Ontario but limited employer sponsorship.
• Ontario education is central to the stream, which can make it strategically attractive for graduates who already have local study history and provincial ties.

7. Weaknesses and Risks of the Master’s Graduate Stream

• Invitation-based: meeting the requirements does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
• Strict timing rules: you must apply within two years of completing the degree and within 14 days after receiving an invitation.
• Settlement funds must still be documented even though a job offer is not required.
• Language threshold applies, so weaker English or French scores can prevent eligibility.
• Limited to eligible Ontario master’s graduates, so it is not available to graduates from outside Ontario.
• Invitation rounds can be targeted, as seen in 2026 Ontario updates.

8. Comparison with Other Ontario Streams

9. Practical File Preparation Notes

• Confirm the degree is from an eligible Ontario university and that the program meets the stream rules.
• Check the two-year deadline from degree completion carefully before filing.
• Prepare strong Ontario residence evidence covering the required one-year period within the last two years.
• Make sure the language test is still valid on the date of application.
• Save the ITA, payment receipt, and final submission confirmation immediately after filing.
• Review the specific invitation round details because Ontario may set extra invitation parameters in a draw.

10. Conclusion

The Master’s Graduate Stream is one of Ontario’s most attractive pathways for international students who have already completed a qualifying master’s degree in the province. Its biggest advantage is that it does not require either a job offer or an Express Entry profile.

At the same time, it remains a selective stream. Applicants still need to meet language, residency, settlement fund, and timing requirements, and they must first receive an invitation through Ontario’s EOI system. For many graduates, the difference between approval and refusal comes down to clean document organization, valid test results, and careful proof of Ontario residence and degree completion.

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