Updated on November 3, 2026 by canadian immigration experts
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The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Corporate Stream supports established international corporations looking to expand into Ontario or buy an existing business.Once the business has been successfully established, key staff is eligible to apply for a provincial nomination certificate, allowing them to become permanent resident of Canada. The principal applicant under this stream is the corporation’s signing officer.
To be eligible, international corporations must meet the following criteria:
- Have been established for at least 36 months at the time of application;
- Currently employ key staff seeking nominations, and these key staff must be essential to the business operation in Ontario;
- Create five full-time permanent positions for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each nominee position being sought;
- Key staff nominees will have two years to demonstrate a minimum language requirement prior to permanent residence nomination;
- Create five new full-time permanent jobs for Canadians or permanent residents per key staff member.
- Positions must be paid at or above the associated prevailing wage level.
- The positions must be continuously filled for at least 10 months prior to the submission of the Final Report (see Nomination).
In the case of business succession, the following additional criteria apply:
- Any existing business must have been in continuous operation by the same owner for the previous 60 months (five years);
- The purchase must completely transfer ownership from the previous owner(s) to the corporation;
- The business must not have been previously owned/operated by current or former OINP business stream nominees;
- The proposed business plan must grow the business;
- The corporation must maintain, at minimum, the current wage levels and employment terms of existing staff;
- The corporation must meet the job creation commitment; and
- The corporation must preserve all existing permanent full-time jobs.
Under the OINP Corporate Stream, investments must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- The corporation must make a minimum investment of $5 million CAD to expand into Ontario or purchase an existing business in the province;
- The investment funds must have been obtained from legal sources;
- The proposed investment activity must be of significant economic benefit to Ontario, as determined by an assessment of the corporation’s business plan;
If the business to be established in Ontario is a land development or a leasehold company, the following additional requirements apply:
- The investment must be a minimum of $10 million CAD;
- The proposed investment amount must cover more than the purchase price of the land and construction costs;
Additionally, in order to be nominated for permanent resident status, key staff must:
- Be in the position for which they were approved by the OINP and must be carrying out the approved job duties;
- Physically reside in Ontario for at least 75 percent of each year (nine months out of the year) that they are in Ontario under a temporary work permit to support the business; and
- Have a language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in English and/or French.
Ineligible Businesses in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA):
- Existing Franchises in Ontario (new foreign franchises expanding into Ontario are permitted)
- Gas Stations
- Tire Recycling
- Scrap Metal Recycling
- Pawnbrokers
- Bed and Breakfasts
- Holding Companies
- Laundromats
- Automated Car Wash Operations
- Payday loan and related businesses
- Businesses which have been previously owned/operated by current or former OINP business stream nominees
Ineligible Businesses outside the GTA:
- Tire Recycling
- Scrap Metal Recycling
- Pawnbrokers
- Holding Companies
- Laundromats
- Automated Car Wash Operations
- Payday loan and related businesses
- Businesses which have been previously owned/operated by current or former OINP business stream nominees
The principal applicant (the company signing officer) and all proposed key staff may be required to attend an in-person interview at the OINP offices in Ontario shortly after submitting the application. This interview serves to get a better understanding of the proposed business plan and the key staff members’ levels of experience. The applicant corporation is responsible for all transportation arrangements and costs incurred associated with the interview.
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