- Total
- 130 points (115 for physicians)
- Factors
- 11
- Heaviest
- Ontario work experience (18
- Controllable swing
- Work region, up to 15
- Language max
- 25 (15 ability + 10 bilingualism)
- Age scored?
- No
- Language measure
- Lowest of four abilities
- Scoring vs eligibility
- Separate tests
How to read the grid
Three rules govern the whole thing, and each one costs people points when missed:
- Factors are thresholds, not slopes. $39.99/hour and $35.00/hour score identically. One cent more is worth three points. Every table below is a staircase.
- Language uses your weakest ability. Three nines and a six is a six. Convert your test scores →
- Scoring is not eligibility. You can score 90 and still be ineligible. Check the gate separately →
Employment factors 52 pts
Ontario work experience max 18
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| More than 24 months in the job offer position | 18 |
| 13 to 24 months in the position | 15 |
| 6 to 12 months in the position | 12 |
| Under 6 months in the position, 24+ months elsewhere in Ontario | 12 |
| Under 6 months in the position, 13 to 24 months elsewhere in Ontario | 9 |
| Under 6 months in the position, 6 to 12 months elsewhere in Ontario | 6 |
| No qualifying Ontario work experience | 0 |
Hourly wage in the job offer max 15
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| $40.00/hour or more | 15 |
| $35.00 to $39.99 | 12 |
| $30.00 to $34.99 | 10 |
| $25.00 to $29.99 | 8 |
| $20.00 to $24.99 | 5 |
| Under $20.00 | 0 |
TEER level of the job offer max 9
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| TEER 0, management occupations | 9 |
| TEER 1, usually requires a degree | 9 |
| TEER 2, college or apprenticeship, 2+ years | 6 |
| TEER 3, college under 2 years or 6+ months training | 6 |
| TEER 4 or 5 | 0 |
Broad occupational category max 10
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| 3, Health occupations | 10 |
| 7, Trades, transport and equipment operators | 8 |
| 2, Natural and applied sciences | 6 |
| 0, 1, 4, 8, 9, management, business, education/law, resources, manufacturing | 4 |
| 5, 6, art and culture; sales and service | 2 |
TEER and category both come from the same NOC code, so they compound. A registered nurse (NOC 31301) scores 9 + 10 = 19 of 19 on occupation. A retail salesperson (NOC 64100) scores 0 + 2 = 2. Same grid, seventeen points apart, before anything else is considered.
Location 15 pts
Region of the work location max 15
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Northern Ontario, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, North Bay, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie | 15 |
| Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Kingston, Peterborough, Cornwall | 10 |
| Central Ontario outside the GTA, Waterloo, Guelph, Barrie, Simcoe | 10 |
| Southwestern Ontario, Hamilton, London, Windsor, Niagara | 10 |
| Inside the GTA but not Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan | 5 |
| City of Toronto | 0 |
Language 25 pts
Language ability (lowest of four abilities) max 15
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB / NCLC 9 or higher | 15 |
| CLB / NCLC 8 | 12 |
| CLB / NCLC 7 | 8 |
| CLB / NCLC 6 | 4 |
| CLB / NCLC 5 or below | 0 |
Bilingualism max 10
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB 6+ in English and NCLC 6+ in French, all four abilities each | 10 |
| One official language only | 5 |
Human capital 20 pts
Highest level of education max 10
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctorate, or a degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry | 10 |
| Master's degree | 8 |
| Bachelor's degree, or a university certificate above bachelor level | 6 |
| Ontario College Graduate Certificate | 5 |
| College/CEGEP diploma, university certificate below bachelor level, or trades certificate | 5 |
| Less than a college or trade certificate | 0 |
Canadian post secondary credentials max 10
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Two or more eligible credentials (1+ year each) | 10 |
| One eligible credential | 5 |
| None | 0 |
Canadian footprint 18 pts
Legal status in Canada max 10
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Valid work permit | 10 |
| Valid study permit | 5 |
| Neither, or applying from outside Canada | 0 |
Income tax history max 8
| Your situation | Points |
|---|---|
| $70,000 or more in a single year | 8 |
| $50,000 to $69,999 | 6 |
| $30,000 to $49,999 | 4 |
| Under $30,000, or no Canadian Notice of Assessment | 0 |
Which factors you can still move
Half the grid is fixed by circumstances you can't change quickly. The other half is negotiable, and that's where planning pays.
- Language, up to 15, in about 6 weeks
- Bilingualism, 5 more for a French test
- Region, up to 15, employer's signature
- Wage, up to 15, negotiable before the EOI
- Tax history, up to 8, by claiming your best year
- Occupational category, tied to your NOC
- TEER level, tied to your NOC
- Education, years, not weeks
- Ontario experience, time only
- Legal status, depends on permit approval
The calculator ranks these for your specific profile; it tells you which lever is worth the most points for the least effort, in order.
Scoring factor FAQ
What applicants ask when reading the grid for the first time.
What are the OINP scoring factors?
There are 11, totalling 130 points: Ontario work experience (18), hourly wage (15), language ability (15), work region (15), occupational category (10), education level (10), Canadian credentials (10), bilingualism (10), legal status in Canada (10), TEER level (9) and income tax history (8). Self employed physicians are scored out of 115 because the wage factor does not apply.
What is the highest scoring OINP factor?
Ontario work experience, worth up to 18 points. More than 24 months in the job offer position earns the maximum; 13 to 24 months earns 15 and 6 to 12 months earns 12. Time in the specific position outranks general Ontario experience at every level.
How many points is language worth in the OINP?
Up to 15 for language ability plus 10 for bilingualism, so 25 in total. CLB 9 or higher earns 15, CLB 8 earns 12, CLB 7 earns 8 and CLB 6 earns 4. Scoring uses your lowest ability across listening, reading, writing and speaking.
How many points do I get for wage?
Fifteen at $40.00 an hour or more, 12 from $35.00, 10 from $30.00, 8 from $25.00 and 5 from $20.00. Below $20.00 scores zero. These are thresholds, not a sliding scale, $39.99 scores the same as $35.00.
Does the OINP give points for age?
No. Age is not one of the 11 factors. This is a significant difference from federal Express Entry, where age is heavily weighted and declines after 29, and it makes the OINP structurally more favourable for applicants over 35.
How are region points calculated?
By the work location in your job offer: Northern Ontario 15, Eastern Ontario 10, Central Ontario outside the GTA 10, Southwestern Ontario 10, the GTA excluding Toronto 5, and the City of Toronto 0.
Which OINP factors can I actually change?
Language (up to 15, about six weeks), bilingualism (5 more for a French test), work region (up to 15, decided by the address on the job offer), wage (up to 15, negotiable before the EOI) and tax history (up to 8, by claiming your best year). Occupation, TEER, education and Ontario experience are effectively fixed in the short term.
Do TEER and occupational category stack?
Yes; both are read from the same NOC code and add together, up to 19 points. A registered nurse scores 9 for TEER 1 plus 10 for the health category. A retail salesperson scores 0 for TEER 4 plus 2 for sales and service.