Overview

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is governed by the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 (Act) and its regulations. Under this legislation:

  • foreign nationals apply for a certificate of nomination and
  • employers apply for approval of an employment position for job offer streams

Both applications must be approved for a foreign national in a job offer stream to be nominated for permanent residence in Canada.

Applicants must provide information in their application that is:

  • accurate
  • correct
  • not misleading

If applicants use a representative to apply to the program, the representative must make reasonable efforts to ensure the information in the application is accurate, correct and not misleading.

If this information changes after they submit their application, applicants must inform the OINP promptly.

There are penalties for providing inaccurate, incorrect or misleading information.

Report suspected fraud and/or inaccurate, incorrect or misleading information

Email us at programintegrityteam@ontario.ca if you suspect:

  • an applicant (whether an individual or an employer) provided the OINP with information that is inaccurate, incorrect or is misleading
  • a representative (immigration consultant or lawyer) failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that information provided in an OINP application (whether relating to an individual or an employer) is accurate, correct and not misleading

Please provide as much information as you can, including:

  • name(s)
  • location(s)
  • why you believe the information is fraudulent, and/or inaccurate, incorrect or misleading

Other reporting agencies

Visit the Government of Canada’s website to find out how to report fraud, including immigration or citizenship fraud.

Possible penalties

Inaccurate, incorrect and misleading information in an OINP application may result in the following consequences:

  • denial of the application(s)
  • cancellation of any related approval(s)
  • prosecution under the Provincial Offences Act
  • an administrative order

Types of administrative orders

Orders are issued by the director of the Act to impose an administrative monetary penalty against an individual or organization, or ban an individual or organization from applying to the OINP or acting as a representative where it is found that they contravened a provision of the Act and/or the regulations.

Order to ban

For contraventions prior to December 19, 2024

A foreign national applicant, employer or representative subject to a ban by the director cannot participate in the OINP for a period up to five years.

For contraventions on or after December 19, 2024

Representatives may be banned:

Foreign national applicants and employers cannot apply to the OINP for the length of the ban period and representatives cannot advise or assist anyone in relation to an application to the OINP for the length of the ban period.

Order to pay an administrative monetary penalty (AMP)

If you are subject to an AMP, you must pay the amount in the order to the Minister of Finance within 60 days of being served. The amount of the AMP cannot exceed $150,000 for each contravention in the order.

AMPs are calculated as follows, in accordance with section 21 of Ontario Regulation 422/17 (General):

For contraventions before July 1, 2024

($2,000 × A × B) + C, where:

  • A = the total number of administrative penalties that have been imposed against the person or body in the previous 10 years or the number 1 otherwise,
  • B = the number of applicants involved if the contravention involves applications of multiple persons or bodies or the number 1 otherwise, and
  • C = the monetary amount that the person or body has received at any time in connection with the contravention.
For contraventions on or after July 1, 2024

(A × B × C) + D = AMP Amount, where:

  • A = $10,000 if an employer, representative or recruiter or if the person or body acquired a financial benefit as a result of the contravention, and $2000 in any other case,
  • B = the total number of administrative penalties that have been imposed against the person or body in the previous 10 years or the number 1 otherwise,
  • C = the number of applicants involved if the contravention involves applications of multiple persons or bodies or the number 1 otherwise, and
  • D = the monetary amount that the person or body has received at any time in connection with the contravention.

Contraventions resulting in an order imposing an administrative monetary penalty and/or banning order

The table includes:

  • the name of the business or individual subject to the administrative monetary penalty
  • whether they were an employer, an applicant or a representative
  • the ID number for the license of the immigration consultant or lawyer, where applicable
  • the date the order was issued
  • a number corresponding to a numbered list of contraventions
  • a description of the enforcement action (administrative penalty, banning order, etc.)
  • numbers assigned to avoid duplicate rows in this data, where multiple contraventions would have the same data (same name, date, compliance action, etc)

 

Reasons orders have been issued

Orders have been issued for the following contravention(s):

  1. The representative contravened subsection 5(2) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided in the application was accurate and correct, is not misleading and does not reasonably lead to an error in the administration of the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015.
  2. The representative contravened subsection 5(2) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided in the application was accurate, correct, and not misleading.
  3. The employer contravened subsection 5(1) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to provide information that is accurate, correct and not misleading.
  4. The employer contravened section 15 of Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by failing to provide the information required pursuant to a letter issued under authority of section 15 of the Act (Disclosure by applicants, recruiters, and representatives).
  5. The applicant contravened subsection 5(1) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to provide information that is accurate, correct and not misleading.
  6. The representative contravened section 15 of Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by failing to provide the information required pursuant to a letter issued under authority of section 15 of the Act (Disclosure by applicants, recruiters, and representatives).
  7. The employer contravened subsection 5(1) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to provide information that is accurate, correct and that is not misleading or does not reasonably lead to an error in the administration of the Act.
  8. The individual contravened subsection 14 (1) of the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by knowingly, directly or indirectly, acting as a representative or offering to do so and the individual is not (a) a person who is authorized under the Law Society Act to do so; (b) a person licensed and in good standing as an immigration and citizenship consultant under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act (Canada) or a successor Act to it; (c) any other individual prescribed by the Minister.
  9. The applicant contravened section 15 of Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by failing to provide the information required pursuant to a letter issued under authority of section 15 of the Act (Disclosure by applicants, recruiters, and representatives).
  10. The applicant contravened subsection 5(1) of Ontario Regulation 421/17 (Approvals under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and Other Matters) by failing to provide information that is accurate, correct and not misleading or does not reasonably lead to an error in the administration of the Act.
  11. The applicant contravened subsection 17(2) of Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by failing to comply with the conditions and restrictions attached to the approval.
  12.  The employer contravened subsection 17(2) of Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 by failing to comply with the conditions and restrictions attached to the approval.

Contact us

Ask us a question by email at programintegrityteam@ontario.ca or by phone from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at: