The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) updated the registration instructions for an expression of interest (EOI) for the Entrepreneur Stream on February 23, 2022.
As of now, the OINP has resumed accepting EOIs. To apply for the Entrepreneur Stream, applicants no longer need to contact the program to request an EOI registration form but can now submit EOIs through the e-File portal. Applications registered before February 23, 2022, will be manually transitioned into the e-Filing Portal by the OINP staff.
The new amendments do not change requirements for the Entrepreneur Stream. An expression of interest is not an application. Under the Entrepreneur Stream, you can only apply for permanent residency in Canada if you are invited. Also, there is no fee to register an EOI.
EOIs are scored based on two components, with a maximum score of 200 points:
self-declared score (maximum 126 points)
business concept score (maximum 74 points)
Additionally, the EOI contains an attestation that stream criteria are or will be met. The OINP will assess and score your business concept. As a result, your business concept must score at least 37 out of 74 points (50%) to be considered for the EOI pool.
Keep in mind that, you will be invited to submit an application and required to provide supporting documentation to validate the information in your EOI incase you are selected.