What is the OINP Masters Graduate stream and who qualifies?
The OINP Masters Graduate stream is designed for graduates who have completed a Master's degree at an eligible Ontario university. It is an Express Entry-linked stream — you must have an active profile in the federal Express Entry system to apply.
To qualify, you must have graduated from a Master's program (not a second-entry or professional Master's such as MBA or law unless specified) at a publicly funded Ontario university. The degree must have been completed within a specified time period before applying — OINP publishes the exact window. You must also meet minimum language requirements and not have accumulated more than two years of Canadian work experience after graduating (as higher work experience may route you to a different stream).
Unlike the Employer Job Offer streams, the Masters Graduate stream does not require you to have a job offer. It is designed to capture graduates who are already in the Canadian labour market or about to enter it.
Draws for this stream are periodic, and OINP controls the frequency and cut-off criteria. Since it is linked to Express Entry, a nomination adds 600 CRS points to your profile, leading to an Invitation to Apply from IRCC.
Key takeaways
- OINP's Masters Graduate stream targets graduates of eligible Ontario universities.
- An active Express Entry profile is required.
- No job offer is required for this stream.
- Draws are periodic — OINP controls when and how many invitations go out.