Health Occupations – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Ana is a Mexican citizen who lives in Canada. She holds a work permit and is a paramedic in Ajax, Ontario. Ana intends to immigrate to Canada and wishes to pick an OINP option. She has heard Ontario gives priority to health occupations. However, Ana is not clear how. Is there a list of health occupations that the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program considers?

What is OINP?

Before exploring the health occupations for OINP, let’s explain this program. Ontario is the most populated province in Canada. The Capital of Canada, Ottawa, and the largest city in the country, Toronto, are both in Ontario. Ontario produces about 40% of the Canadian Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Moreover, Ontario needs talent and a workforce to maintain and grow its economy and cultural fabric.

While many federal immigrants move to Ontario, this province offers provincial immigration options (PNP) as well. We call these options the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program or OINP. The current OINP streams include the following:

• Non-Express Entry
  • Employer Job Offer:
    • Foreign Worker Stream
    • International Student Stream
    • In-Demand Skills Stream
  • Post Graduate:
    • Masters Graduate Stream
    • Ph.D. Graduate Stream
  • Entrepreneur Stream
• Express Entry:
  • Human Capital Priorities Stream
  • Skilled Trades Stream
  • French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

Keep in mind this list is subject to change.

How health occupations fit into the current options

OINP does not offer a unique program for health occupations. However, they prioritize issuing Invitations to Apply (ITA) for this group. They mainly apply prioritization under the following streams:

• Express Entry – Human Capital Priorities Stream
• Employer Job Offer – International Student Stream
• Employer Job Offer – Foreign Worker Stream

This means you must (1) Meet the minimum requirements of Express Entry or the other two options; (2) Enter the pool of Express Entry or the OINP Expression of Interest (EOI); and (3) Have work experience in one of the health occupations (In case of Express Entry, the health occupation must be your primary NOC on the Express Entry profile). Consequently, when OINP invites health occupations from any of those groups, they will invite you.

The list of health occupations for OINP

OINP usually refers to the following list of invitations. However, they may only select some of these occupations for a round of invitations. They could also add to this list in exceptional circumstances.

NOC TEER 0 – Management occupations

• 30010 – Managers in healthcare

TEER 1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

• 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
• 31101 – Specialists in surgery
• 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
• 31103 – Veterinarians
• 31110 – Dentists
• 31111 – Optometrists
• 31112 – Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
• 31120 – Pharmacists
• 31121 – Dietitians and nutritionists
• 31201 – Chiropractors
• 31202 – Physiotherapists
• 31203 – Occupational therapists
• 31204 – Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
• 31209 – Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
• 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors
• 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• 31302 – Nurse practitioners
• 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

TEER 2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years, or supervisory occupations

• 32100 – Opticians
• 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
• 32102 – Paramedical occupations
• 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
• 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
• 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
• 32110 – Denturists
• 32111 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
• 32112 – Dental technologists and technicians
• 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
• 32121 – Medical radiation technologists
• 32122 – Medical sonographers
• 32123 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
• 32124 – Pharmacy technicians
• 32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians
• 32200 – Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
• 32201 – Massage therapists
• 32209 – Other practitioners of natural healing

NOC TEER 3 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of less than two years or more than six months of on-the-job training

• 33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
• 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
• 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
• 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
• 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services

Of course, as mentioned earlier, OINP may pick and choose from this list or expand. Therefore, this list is subject to change. However, this is a helpful list to consider.

Points to consider

OINP values health occupations. Of course, this is because of our need in the province. However, you must consider the following essential points:

• OINP does not offer a particular stream for health occupations. Nonetheless, they give them priority under some of the existing streams. Therefore, you must qualify for one of them in the first place.
• The list of occupations is subject to change. Therefore, have a plan B. For example, consider learning French or applying under other Federal or provincial options.

Let us help!

Whether you are applying for OINP and have experience in health occupations or if you choose another option, we are there for you. Thus, please fill out our assessment form or book a consultation session. However, if you face immigration issues, fill out the following form.