Ontario is one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada and is located in east-central Canada. It is Canada’s most populous province It is home to the nation’s capital city, Ottawa, and the nation’s most populous city, Toronto, which is also Ontario’s provincial capital.

Ontario is Canada’s leading manufacturing province, accounting for 52% of the total national manufacturing shipments. An abundance of natural resources, excellent transportation links to the American heartland and the inland Great Lakes making ocean access possible via container ships, have all contributed to making manufacturing the principal industry of the province, found mainly in the Golden Horseshoe region, which is the largest industrialized area in Canada, the southern end of the region being part of the North American Rust Belt. Important products include motor vehicles, iron, steel, food, electrical appliances, machinery, chemicals, and paper.

Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program is called the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive an Ontario Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will allow that foreign national to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence with processing times that are faster than other Canadian immigration classes.

The OINP accepts applications under the following immigration categories:

• Ontario Express Entry
• General Category (sometimes referred to as Employer Job Offer Category)
• International Student Category
• Business Category