The provincial government is making a number of changes to a program established to attract immigrant workers to the province.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program allows employers to nominate workers with skills and expertise in high demand for permanent residency.
The provincial government says it is expanding the number of occupations eligible for an employer job offer component from 22 to 56.
Certain positions within the railway, forestry and mining industries, among others, are now included.
The province is also exempting foreign-trained nurses registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario from needing a bachelor’s degree as part of the requirement in OINP Express Entry Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams.
“By expanding the current pathways of this program, we are attracting more top-tier talent to Ontario and removing the barriers they face while addressing the human resources challenges in health care,” states David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
The province is also increasing fines for misusing the program, with the minimum penalty rising from $2,000 to $10,000.
