I received my OINP nomination certificate — what do I do next?
Receiving your OINP nomination certificate is a major milestone — but the work is not done. The next step is to apply to IRCC for permanent residence, because immigration is a federal responsibility and Ontario's nomination is an endorsement, not a final decision.
If your nomination is through an Express Entry-linked stream: log in to your federal Express Entry profile and enter the nomination code provided by OINP. This will add 600 CRS points to your profile. You should receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the next Express Entry draw. After receiving the ITA, you have 60 days to submit a complete federal application through IRCC's online portal.
If your nomination is through a base (EJO) stream: OINP will send your nomination to IRCC directly. You will receive instructions from IRCC on how to submit your paper-based permanent residence application, which is done outside of Express Entry.
In both cases, you will need to submit medical examination results (done by a designated panel physician), police clearance certificates for all countries you have lived in, and all supporting documents. Do not delay — certain documents (like medicals) have validity windows, and missing the ITA deadline after an Express Entry ITA results in losing the invitation.
Key takeaways
- After receiving your OINP certificate, apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
- Express Entry-linked nominees enter the nomination code in their profile, receive an ITA, and have 60 days to apply.
- Base stream nominees apply via paper-based process outside Express Entry.
- Gather medicals and police certificates promptly — these have validity windows.