- Who runs it
- OINP: Ontario · Express Entry: IRCC (federal)
- What you receive
- OINP: a nomination · Express Entry: permanent residence
- Job offer needed
- OINP: yes (except physicians) · Express Entry: no
- Scoring
- OINP: 130 points, 11 factors · Express Entry: CRS, 1,200 points
- Is age scored?
- OINP: no · Express Entry: yes, heavily
- Is job location scored?
- OINP: yes, up to 15 · Express Entry: no
- Value of a nomination
- +600 CRS points
- Where you settle
- OINP: Ontario · Express Entry: anywhere but Quebec
Typical draw cut offs sit in the 480-540 range. A nominated candidate is above every cut off that has ever been published.
They're not alternatives, they're layers
Express Entry is the federal system that manages permanent residence applications for skilled workers. The OINP is Ontario's provincial program. The relationship is straightforward: Ontario nominates, Canada admits. If your job offer is TEER 0 to 3 (or you're a self employed physician), you can ask to be nominated through Express Entry, and that nomination adds 600 CRS points to your federal profile.
So the real question isn't "which should I apply to"; for many people the answer is both, in sequence. The question is which one is your realistic route in, and that depends almost entirely on one thing: whether you have an Ontario job offer.
Side by side
| OINP | Express Entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | Government of Ontario | IRCC (federal) |
| What you receive | A nomination | Permanent residence |
| Job offer required | Yes (except physicians) | No |
| Scoring system | 130 points, 11 factors | CRS out of 1,200 |
| Age scored? | No | Yes, heavily after 29 |
| Work location scored? | Yes, up to 15 points | No |
| Where you can settle | Ontario | Anywhere except Quebec |
| Typical timeline | Nomination, then a federal application | Single federal application |
Which route fits you
Lead with Express Entry if…
- You're under 30 with a master's degree and CLB 9+: the CRS rewards exactly this profile, and you may not need a nomination at all.
- You have no job offer and no realistic path to one. The OINP has no route for you in 2026.
- You're flexible about provinceand don't want to commit to Ontario.
Lead with the OINP if…
- You have an Ontario job offer, or are already working in Ontario. This is the decisive factor.
- You're over 35. Age costs you heavily in the CRS and nothing at all in the OINP; this is the single biggest structural difference between the two systems.
- Your CRS sits below draw cut offsand isn't going to move enough. 600 points solves what optimization can't.
- Your job is outside the GTA. Regionalization is worth up to 15 OINP points and zero federal ones.
- You're in a TEER 4 to 5 essential occupation. Express Entry largely doesn't serve these roles; the OINP explicitly does.
A 42-year-old nurse with strong language and Canadian experience can be tens of points short federally purely because of age; a factor no amount of effort can change. The same person under the OINP grid loses nothing for it. For applicants in their late thirties and forties with an Ontario job offer, the provincial route is often not the backup plan; it's the plan.
How the two step actually runs
- Create your Express Entry profile and get your profile number. You need it to be nominated through the Express Entry route.
- Your employer files the job offer with Ontario, and you register your EOI within 30 days.
- Ontario invites and you apply for nomination, about 17 days to submit everything.
- Accept the nomination in your Express Entry profile. Your CRS jumps by 600.
- Receive your ITA and apply for PR at the next federal draw.
There's also a paper based (outside Express Entry) route for nominees who don't qualify for a federal program. It's slower, but it exists, worth knowing if your occupation or experience doesn't fit the federal criteria.
Should you run both at once?
Usually yes, and it costs you nothing to. An Express Entry profile is free to maintain and sits in the pool while your OINP process runs. If a federal draw catches you first, take it. If not, the nomination lands and you clear anyway. The only real cost is keeping both profiles accurate; mismatched information between them is a genuine refusal risk, so update both whenever anything changes.
Check where you stand federally with our free CRS calculator, then compare it against your OINP score here.
OINP vs Express Entry FAQ
The questions people ask when choosing which system to lead with.
What is the difference between the OINP and Express Entry?
Express Entry is the federal system that grants permanent residence to skilled workers. The OINP is Ontario's provincial nominee program, which nominates candidates but does not grant status. They are layers rather than alternatives: Ontario nominates, and the federal government admits.
How many CRS points does an OINP nomination add?
600. An accepted provincial nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score, which is far above any federal draw cut off ever published; in practice it guarantees an Invitation to Apply at the next round.
Should I apply to the OINP or Express Entry?
It usually comes down to one question: do you have an Ontario job offer? If yes, lead with the OINP, especially if you are over 35 or your job is outside the GTA, neither of which helps you federally. If you have no job offer, Express Entry is your route, because the OINP has no pathway for you except as a self employed physician.
Is the OINP better than Express Entry if I'm over 35?
Structurally, yes. The federal CRS weights age heavily and it declines sharply after 29, costing older applicants points no amount of effort recovers. The OINP grid contains no age factor at all, so a 42-year-old with Ontario experience is not penalised.
Can I apply to both at the same time?
Yes, and it is usually sensible. An Express Entry profile is free to maintain and sits in the pool while your OINP process runs. Keep the information in both consistent, mismatches between profiles are a genuine refusal risk.
Do I need an Express Entry profile to use the OINP?
Only if you want the Express Entry nomination route, which requires a profile number when you register your expression of interest. There is also a paper based route for nominees who do not qualify for a federal program; it is slower but it exists.
Does Express Entry score my job's location?
No. Where in Canada you will work is worth nothing federally. Under the OINP it is worth up to 15 points, which is why an identical profile can score very differently in the two systems.
Which is faster, the OINP or Express Entry?
A straight Express Entry application is a single federal process and is generally faster if your CRS clears the cut off. The OINP adds a provincial stage first, but for candidates whose CRS will never clear, it is the faster route in practice, because the alternative is not being invited at all.