Recent immigration has caused many school boards in northeastern Ontario to experience a boost in enrolment this fall, reports Radio Canada International (RCI). This shift is unprecedented to say the least, owing to the decades-long decrease in student numbers at schools in the region.
Northeastern Ontario’s education system was centred around the thousands of children during the peak of the baby boom when the region in question was extensively involved in mines and mills.
With circumstances having changed since then, schools have started putting locks on their doors at alarmingly increasing rates.
This changed in the fall of 2023, however, with many school boards experiencing a reversal of the aforementioned trend. The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, for example, has reported 180 more students than the preceding year.
Education director Danny Viotto says that there is a need for more staff and renovations, but that they are “excited because this hasn’t happened in several years.”
Other school boards in the region are experiencing a similar shift. The Rainbow District School Board reported a student body population of 14,285 (up 250 from 2022), and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board says that it has 188 more school desks this year, 134 of which are for elementary students.
The Near North District School Board has 34 more students, with a 10,044-strong student body this fall.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
Foreign workers, international students, and others with the right skills can immigrate to Ontario through OINP, which is the province’s economic immigration program in partnership with the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The program identifies and nominates those people for Canada permanent residence (PR) who have the skills that the provincial economy requires.
It uses two intake systems to manage applications. Before applying for the program, applicants must register in either the Expression of Interest system or the Express Entry system to let OINP know about their wish to receive an invitation to apply.
There are nine OINP streams candidates may qualify for.
Candidates with a job offer in Ontario can apply to:
Foreign Worker Stream
International Student Stream
In-Demand Skills Stream
Watch video:
Candidates with a Master’s or PhD from an Ontario university can apply to:
Masters Graduate Stream
PhD Graduate Stream
Candidates who are foreign entrepreneurs can apply to:
Candidates with required skills and experience can apply through the following Express Entry streams:
To receive an ITA or notification of interest through one of the Expression of Interest streams, applicants must first register in the Expression of Interest system and receive an ITA.
To receive an ITA or notification of interest through one of the Federal EE streams, candidates must first register in the EE system and receive a notification of interest before applying.
E-filing changes: My Ontario Integration
It announced on November 10, 2023, that Ontario changed the way the OINP e-filing portal is accessed by clients. If they have an existing application or expression of interest with the OINP, they will need to migrate their One-key account to a My Ontario account starting November 12, 2023.
