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VG Immigration Services Inc. Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca • Immigrate | Work | Study | Visit PLAIN-ENGLISH GUIDE FOR ONTARIO EMPLOYERS OINP Workforce Priority — Employer Portal Guide How to register your business, submit a job offer, and support your employee's Ontario nomination under the province's only active immigration stream. Prepared by VG Immigration Services for our clients to share with their Ontario employers. Open the OINP Employer Portal Prepared by: Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 For: Ontario employers hiring a foreign worker under OINP Workforce Priority Last updated: August 5, 2026
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 2 Why you received this guide Your future employee is applying for Canadian permanent residence through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) — Workforce Priority stream. This is Ontario's only active provincial nomination stream, and your registration in the OINP Employer Portal is the very first step. Nothing on the applicant's side can move until you complete it. This guide walks you through every screen in plain English. The steps below are drawn directly from the Government of Ontario's own instructions. There is no OINP fee for the employer at any stage. The seven-step overview 1. Confirm your business qualifies (3 years active, Ontario premises, ESA/OHSA compliant). 2. Create an Ontario.ca Login and access the OINP e-Filing Portal. 3. Register your business as an employer — must be done by an authorized signing officer. 4. Complete the Employer Profile (revenue, employee count, NAICS code, compliance). 5. Submit a job offer — the applicant then has 30 days to register their EOI. 6. If the applicant is invited, submit the Application for Approval of the Employment Position within 14 calendar days. 7. Support your employee through nomination and IRCC's PR decision.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 3 Step 1 — Confirm your business qualifies Before you register, confirm these seven checkpoints. If any are missing, the position cannot be approved even if you finish the portal steps. # Requirement What Ontario expects 1 3 years active The business must have been in active business for at least 3 years before the application. 2 Ontario premises A physical business premises in Ontario where the employee will work. 3 Revenue Meet Ontario's revenue threshold for your job-offer location (higher inside the GTA). Reported in a range. 4 Canadian workforce A minimum number of full-time Canadian citizen or PR employees working at least 1,560 hours/year. Do not count temporary foreign workers or part-time staff. 5 ESA / OHSA compliance No outstanding orders under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 6 Recruitment effort If the applicant lives outside Canada or works outside Ontario, show reasonable effort was made to recruit a Canadian citizen or PR first. 7 Not Ontario Public Service OPS and OPS entities are not accepted. Other government agencies with separate legal personhood may qualify. The Ministry does not publish exact revenue and employee counts on the public page — those are location-tiered inside the portal. If you are close to any threshold, we recommend an RCIC review before you submit. The job you are offering must also qualify • Full-time: at least 1,560 hours per year and at least 30 paid hours per week (paid vacation counts). • Permanent: no end date — indeterminate duration. • Located in Ontario at your registered business premises. • Urgently necessary to your business operations. • Not affecting a labour dispute. • Meeting the required wage for the job-offer location.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 4 Step 2 — Access the Employer Portal The OINP Employer Portal is accessed through the OINP e-Filing Portal. Sign in with an Ontario.ca Login (this replaced the old ONe-key sign-in on March 31, 2025). Sign up / Log in to the OINP Employer Portal Browser requirements Use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. Older browsers will not render the portal correctly. If you are a new user 1. Open the OINP e-Filing Portal and complete the reCAPTCHA. 2. Click “Create Account” to sign up for an Ontario.ca Login. 3. After creating the account, you are returned automatically to the OINP e-Filing Portal. 4. Click “New Employer” to begin the business registration. If you are a returning user 1. Open the OINP e-Filing Portal and complete the reCAPTCHA. 2. Log in using your Ontario.ca Login credentials. 3. Click “New Employer” to begin the business registration. Do not share your Ontario.ca Login password with anyone, including a representative. The OINP does not manage Ontario.ca Login accounts and cannot recover lost passwords. Store your recovery email somewhere safe. Step 3 — Register your business The registration must be completed by an authorized signing officer — someone with legal authority to bind the business (for example by entering contracts). Administrative staff must not complete this step. The applicant seeking nomination cannot be listed as the signing officer or employer contact; if they are, the account will be deactivated and all associated job offers and EOIs will be voided. Registration process 1. Click “New Employer” on the portal home. 2. Complete the disclaimer confirming you are the signing officer and have read the criteria. 3. Enter employer and signing officer information (see fields below). 4. Complete the declaration and click “Confirm”. A confirmation email will be sent. Registration information cannot be edited later in the portal. To fix a mistake, you must submit a webform to the OINP and provide supporting documentation. Double-check every field.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 5 Employer information fields Field Instructions CRA number (Required) 9-digit Canada Revenue Agency business number. One account per CRA number. Legal name (Required) Enter the legal business name — not your personal name. Operating name (Required) Enter the operating name if different from the legal name. Head office address (Required) Enter the head office address for the business. Phone number (Required) General inquiries phone number. Website (Optional) Business website. General inquiries email (Optional) Public inquiries email address. Signing officer information fields Field Instructions Last name / First name (Required) Your legal name. Middle name (Optional) If applicable. Job title (Required) Your official job title (e.g. President, CFO, HR Director). Phone number (Required) Your professional phone number. E-mail Prepopulated from your Ontario.ca Login. Cannot be edited. Franchisees are considered the employer — not the franchisor. Register under the franchisee's own CRA number. If your legal entity operates under multiple business names or payroll numbers under one CRA number, use a single centralized employer account.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 6 Step 4 — Complete the Employer Profile After registration, you land on the portal home. Select the Employer Profile tile and provide business information. Complete this early — it prepopulates every future application. If left blank you will re-enter the same information for each job offer. Revenue and legal structure page Field Instructions Date of establishment or incorporation Used to confirm 3+ years of active business. Employer legal structure Select the legal structure. Public sector organizations select “Other”. Incorporation / registration number From Certificate of Incorporation, Amalgamation, Letters of Patent, or Extra-provincial Licence. Amalgamated in last 3 years? If yes, explain and provide the amalgamation date. A predecessor business must show 3 years of continuous operation. Active for at least 3 years? May count activity in another province or outside Canada if properly documented. Gross revenue (prior fiscal year, excl. HST/GST) Reported in a range, not exact dollars. Fiscal year start / end Dates of the most recently completed fiscal year. Business details and compliance page Field Instructions NAICS 2-digit code Select your industry from the drop-down. Business description Describe goods, services and activities. Ontario locations Number of Ontario business locations. Full-time Canadian/PR employees Count only Canadian citizens or PRs working 1,560+ hours/year across all locations. Do not count temporary foreign workers or part-time staff. Outstanding ESA orders? If yes, explain. Outstanding OHSA orders? If yes, explain. Click “Submit” to save the profile. Adding employer contacts (optional but recommended)
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 7 Signing officers can add up to two additional signing officers and any number of employer contacts. Contacts can manage job offers, specify job-offer locations, and complete job-offer details. Add contacts through the Employer Contact tile, then click “Add new contact”. Do not add your immigration representative or lawyer as an employer contact. Representatives are added separately under each job offer, not as contacts.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 8 Step 5 — Submit the job offer This is the action that starts your future employee's clock. Ontario is explicit: this step is required even if the applicant is already working for you in the position. Submitting a job offer is not the same as applying to the OINP — it just generates the Job Offer ID the applicant needs to register an Expression of Interest. How to create the job offer 1. Click “Job Offer and Application Dashboard” on the landing page. 2. Click “Create New Job Offer”. 3. Select the TEER category: • TEER 0-3 — managerial, professional, technical, and skilled trade occupations • TEER 4-5 — intermediate and support occupations 4. Enter the employee's name (matching government-issued ID), personal email, and job title. 5. Click “Create Draft”. 6. Complete the remaining job-offer fields (NOC code, hourly wage, permanent/full-time confirmation, work location, GTA yes/no). 7. Review and complete the declaration. 8. Click “Submit Job Offer”. The critical job-offer fields Field Instructions NOC 2021 code (5 digits) The code that matches the actual duties. Confirm with the applicant's RCIC — misclassification is the #1 cause of refusal. Hourly wage For salaried staff: (annual salary − bonuses/benefits) ÷ weeks per year ÷ hours per week. Piece work, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, and non-financial compensation do NOT count toward the wage floor. Permanent and full-time? Position must be permanent (no end date) and at least 1,560 hours per year and 30 hours per week. Work location Where the employee will physically work. If they work at multiple locations, enter where their immediate supervisor is or where they receive assignments. GTA yes/no Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, York = Yes. This affects both revenue/employee thresholds and the applicant's regionalization score. What happens after you submit • The applicant receives an automatic email with the Job Offer ID. • The applicant has 30 calendar days to register their EOI using that Job Offer ID. If they miss the window, the offer expires and you must submit a new one.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 9 • The EOI is valid in the pool for up to 12 months. If no invitation is drawn within that window, the EOI and job offer are both automatically withdrawn. • The NOC and hourly wage are now locked. To change either, withdraw the job offer and submit a new one — the applicant must then register a new EOI.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 10 Step 6 — Submit the application after an invitation When the applicant's EOI is selected, both of you receive an email. The dashboard status changes to “ITA Issued”. Your 14-calendar-day clock starts on the invitation date. Party What to submit Deadline Employer Application for Approval of the Employment Position 14 days from invitation Applicant Personal application + application fee ($1,500 outside GTA / $2,000 inside GTA) 17 days from invitation The applicant cannot submit their own application until you submit yours. Miss the 14 days and the offer is withdrawn, the EOI is removed from the pool, and both of you are notified. How to complete the application 1. Access the Job Offer and Application Dashboard. 2. Select the job offer with status “ITA Issued”. 3. Click “Edit” at the top of the dashboard. 4. Confirm or update revenue, legal structure, business details, and compliance information (prepopulated from your Employer Profile). 5. Complete the new application-only fields (see below). 6. Upload supporting documents (checklist below). 7. Complete the Employer's Declaration in ink, upload it, then click “Sign and Submit”, then click “Submit Application”. New fields at the application stage Field Instructions Weeks of work per year Do not deduct paid vacation. If less than 52, select “Other” and explain. Hours of work per week Must be at least 30. Full-time Canadian/PR employees at THIS location Count only Canadian citizens or PRs. Do NOT include the applicant, temporary foreign workers, or part-time staff. Is the employee currently working for you? Same position / different position / not currently. If same position, provide start date, current wage, current hours, current weeks. Main duties and responsibilities Full duty list — must align with the NOC code you selected. Why urgently necessary Explain how the position aligns with business activities and why it must be filled on a priority basis.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 11 Collective agreement? If yes, low/median wage requirements do not apply. Regulated profession? If the role requires a licence/registration in Ontario, confirm the applicant meets the requirement. Equity Applicant + family can only hold equity if it is less than 10% and obtained as employee remuneration. LMIA? A positive LMIA is not required. If you do not have one and the applicant lives outside Canada or works outside Ontario, complete the Recruitment Summary.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 12 Special rules — NOC 73300 (truck) and 73301 (bus) If the job offer is for NOC 73300 (Transport truck drivers) or NOC 73301 (Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators), additional questions and requirements apply: • A valid CVOR certificate under subsection 1(1) of the Highway Traffic Act. • A safety rating of Excellent or Satisfactory under the Highway Traffic Act. • For NOC 73300, provide: minimum and average driving hours per week, minimum miles/kilometres per week, minimum and maximum hours per week. Supporting documents The initial job-offer stage does not require document uploads. At the application stage, upload documents from the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream: Employer Checklist. Documents must be clear, legible, and organized. Accepted formats and size limits Formats: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .jpeg, .bmp, .png, .gif, .tiff. Maximum size: 10 MB per document in most cases. Scan at a lower resolution if a file is oversized. Put all pages of a single document in one file when the size limit allows. Typical supporting documents • Articles of Incorporation, Master Business Licence, or equivalent registration document. • Two most recent Notices of Assessment or year-end financial statements (to confirm 3-year active status and revenue). • T4 Summary or payroll register showing Canadian/PR employees and hours (redact SIN). • Signed job offer letter matching the terms in the portal. • Lease, deed, or ownership document for the Ontario business premises. • Organizational chart identifying the position within the business. • Recruitment records (advertisements, applicant summaries, interview notes) if applicant is abroad or outside Ontario. • Regulated-profession licence, certificate, or registration for the applicant if the NOC requires one. • Explanations for amalgamations, outstanding ESA/OHSA orders, or non-standard work weeks, if applicable. Step 7 — After nomination If Ontario approves the application, the applicant receives a nomination certificate and, if they applied with a job offer, a work permit support letter. They use that letter to apply to IRCC for a
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 13 two-year Ontario-specific work permit while the permanent-residence application is processed. Your continuing obligations • Honour the job-offer terms — Ontario requires you to “adhere to the terms and conditions in the job offer and begin paying the approved wage once the applicant is nominated and begins working.” • Report changes immediately — any change to duties, wage, hours, or term of employment must be reported to the OINP as it happens. • Employment continuity — if the applicant is already working for you when nominated, they must continue in the approved position through to the IRCC decision on PR. • Provide extension documentation — employment verification letters and recent pay statements when the applicant renews their work permit.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 14 Employer FAQ Do I have to pay a government fee? No. There is no OINP fee charged to the employer at any stage. The application fee is paid by the applicant — $1,500 outside the Greater Toronto Area or $2,000 inside the GTA. Can our HR manager or administrative assistant complete the registration? No. Ontario is explicit: “administrative staff should not complete the employer registration.” Only an authorized signing officer — someone with legal authority to bind the business — can register. Administrative staff can be added afterward as employer contacts to help manage job offers. What if my business is less than 3 years old? The Workforce Priority stream requires at least 3 years of active business before submission. A recently-purchased business may qualify if the predecessor was continuously operating with the same purpose. A newer Ontario business may qualify if it was active in another province or country for at least 3 years and can document that history. The applicant is already working for me. Do I still need to submit a job offer? Yes. Ontario states this step is required “even if the employee is already working in the position.” The job-offer submission is what generates the Job Offer ID the applicant needs to register an EOI. What if I miss the 14-day application deadline? The job offer is withdrawn, the applicant's EOI is removed from the pool, and both of you receive email notifications. To proceed, you must submit a new job offer and the applicant must register a new EOI. There is no extension. Can I change the wage or NOC code after submitting the initial job offer? Not directly. You must withdraw the job offer and submit a new one — the applicant then registers a new EOI. If the applicant received a wage increase between submission and application, the wage can be updated at the application stage but the NOC cannot. Do I need to prove I advertised the position? Only if the applicant lives outside Canada or works outside Ontario. If the applicant is already in Ontario, recruitment documentation is not required. Where required, provide advertisement type/location, timeframe, ad content, interview summary, and reasons the position could not be filled with a Canadian citizen or PR. Can our lawyer or RCIC register the business for us? No. Representatives cannot register the business, add employer contacts, edit the profile, create a job-offer draft, or sign and submit the application. They can help complete the rest of a job-offer draft after the signing officer creates it, and they can prepare their own representative's declaration. What if the applicant registered with a different last name than on their government ID?
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 15 You must enter the name exactly as it appears on government-issued ID. If the applicant already has an e-Filing Portal profile, the name must match that profile. Fix the mismatch before submission. Are we an OPS entity? Only the Ontario Public Service and OPS entities are excluded. Other government agencies and Crown corporations not staffed by OPS employees are separate legal entities and may participate if they meet the eligibility criteria. How long does the whole process take? From job offer to permanent residence, expect 12 to 24 months. The EOI can wait up to 12 months in the pool. After invitation, Ontario typically decides in 3 to 6 months. IRCC's PR processing typically adds another 6 months.
OINP Workforce Priority Employer Portal Guide • vgis.ca VG Immigration Services Inc. • Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 • vgis.ca • immigration@vgis.ca Page 16 Getting help This guide covers the standard path. Real files have complications: a merger during the nomination window, an NOC that could be misclassified, a wage floor near the location threshold, an applicant on maintained status while their work permit is renewed, or a business close to the 3-year eligibility line. If any of these apply, an RCIC review before you click submit is worth the time. Book a consultation with our RCIC Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 VG Immigration Services Inc. • Book online: vgis.ca/book-consultation • Email: immigration@vgis.ca • WhatsApp: wa.me/14165789269 • Client portal: app.vgis.ca OINP direct contact Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern Time): • Phone: 416-327-0374 • Toll-free (North America): 1-866-214-6820 • TTY: 416-325-0866 • Toll-free TTY: 1-866-853-2137 Official government sources • OINP e-Filing Portal (sign up / log in) • How to use the Employer Portal (ontario.ca) • Ontario Workforce Priority stream • OINP application process • O. Reg. 422/17 (Ontario e-Laws) Legal notice. This document summarizes the Government of Ontario's published OINP instructions as of the last-updated date on the cover. It does not replace the official ontario.ca pages, and it is not legal advice. Rules can change without notice. Confirm current requirements on ontario.ca before submitting, and consult an authorized immigration representative for advice on your specific business.