OINP: Using A Representative To Apply

What you need to know about appointing a representative, or registering as one, under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

On this page

1. Overview
2. Who can be a representative
3. Applicants: how to appoint a representative
4. Applicants: how to cancel a representative
5. Applicants: getting assistance from authorized representatives and other individuals
6. Representatives: before you register
7. Register as a representative
8. Migrate your ONe-key Account to a My Ontario Account

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Overview

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) allows foreign nationals with the right skills, experience and education to apply for a nomination for permanent residence in Ontario.

You can submit an application to the OINP on your own or appoint a paid representative to do so on your behalf. By law only certain professionals may act as paid representatives.

You may get free help or advice from any other individual, but this must be disclosed in your online application.

Authorizing a representative to assist you can be helpful but is not necessary.

If you choose to use a representative, please follow the steps on how to appoint one. This will ensure you retain access to, and control of, your online application and allow you to change or end your authorization if you need to.

Migrate to a My Ontario Account

Effective November 12, 2023, we have changed the way you access the OINP e-filing portal. If you have an existing application or expression of interest with the OINP, you will need to migrate your ONe-key account to a My Ontario account starting November 12, 2023.

Please see instructions to help you complete this migration.

Who can be a representative

Authorized representatives are regulated under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 and must be:

• a person who is authorized under the Law Society Act, which includes:
  • a lawyer who is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario
  • a lawyer who is a member in good standing of another Canadian provincial or territorial law society and who is authorized to practice law in Ontario
• a member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
• any other individual prescribed by the Minister (none at present)

No one else is legally allowed to charge you or receive any other type of payment to be your representative.

If you have any questions concerning whether or not a lawyer who is a member of another Canadian provincial or territorial law society is authorized to practice law in Ontario, please contact the Law Society of Ontario.

Applicants: how to appoint a representative

Representatives are not allowed to appoint themselves. This means that you must appoint your representative to act on your behalf using your own OINP profile in the e-Filing system. You must create your profile using your personal email address and phone number. Representatives are not to use any other email address for your profile or create one themselves for the purpose of a registration with the OINP.

Registrations in the expression of interest system that were created by self-appointed representatives are invalid and will be withdrawn by the OINP. This means that if it is determined that you did not create your My Ontario account, or, you did not authorize your representative correctly, your registration will be withdrawn.

Applications submitted by self-appointed representatives are invalid and will be withdrawn by the OINP. Your application will be returned as incomplete and your application fee will be refunded.

You must create your own My Ontario account. Your representative is not allowed to create a My Ontario account for you. The OINP does not manage My Ontario accounts and we cannot help you if you lose access to your account. To keep access to and control of your account, never share your My Ontario password with anyone, including your representative.

Follow the steps below to appoint a representative:

• to submit your Express Entry application
• to register your expression of interest
• if you have already registered in the OINP E-filing Portal

How to appoint a representative to submit your Express Entry application

Step 1: representative registers applicant’s profile

Your representative needs to create their own profile in the portal if they don’t already have one.

To submit a registration on your behalf, your representative needs your:

• first and last name as it appears on your passport, travel or identity document
• date of birth
• personal telephone number
• personal email address
• country of residence

Representatives are not allowed to use any other email address to submit your application, including their own email or an email they create to register with the OINP. Using your own email means you will receive all registration emails directly and are able to control your profile.

Step 2: applicant receives PIN and enrolment emails

Once you and your representative both have profiles in the portal, you will receive two emails:

1. the first email will include your enrolment number
2. the second email will include your PIN number

Step 3: applicant creates a My Ontario account

Click the link in the first email to register a My Ontario account as follows

1. select Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) from the list of services
2. input your PIN and enrolment numbers

Your representative is not allowed to create your My Ontario account for you.  If you already have a My Ontario account you may sign in with it.

Step 4: applicant appoints their representative

Go to the OINP e-Filing Portal and click on the row containing your file number. Once the ‘My Representative’ box appears, click on ‘Appoint’.

Step 5: representative submits application on behalf of applicant

Your representative can now log in to their account and submit an application on your behalf.

How to appoint a representative to register your expression of interest

Step 1: Representative registers an expression of interest

Your representative needs to create their own profile in the portal if they don’t already have one.

To register an expression of interest on your behalf, your representative needs your:

• first and last name as it appears on your passport, travel or identity document
• date of birth
• personal telephone number
• personal email address
• country of residence
• passport number

Representatives are not allowed to use any other email address to register your expression of interest, including their own email or an email they create to register with the OINP. Using your own email means you will receive all registration emails directly and are able to control your profile.

Step 2: applicant receives PIN and enrolment emails

Once your expression of interest has been submitted, you will receive two emails:

1. the first email will include your enrolment number
2. the second email will include your PIN number

Step 3: applicant creates a My Ontario account

Click on the link in the first email to register a My Ontario account as follows:

• select Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) from the list of services
• input the PIN and enrolment numbers

Your representative is not allowed to create your My Ontario account for you. If you already have a ONe-key account you may sign in with it.

Step 4: applicant appoints their representative

Go to the OINP e-Filing Portal and click on the row containing your file number. Once the ‘My Representative’ box appears, click on ‘Appoint’.

Once you have appointed your representative, your expression of interest will be entered in the selection pool.

If you have already registered an expression of interest, please follow the instructions under If you are already registered in the OINP e-Filing Portal to appoint your representative.

If you are already registered in the OINP e-Filing Portal

Step 1: representative enters applicant’s file number and email address in the portal

Give your representative the following information:

• your file number
• first and last name as it appears on your passport, travel or identity document
• your email address

If your representative does not have their own profile in the portal, they must create one. Once that’s done, they should:

• log into the OINP e-Filing Portal
• click on ‘Add an existing application’
• enter your file number and email address

Step 2: applicant receives representative authorization email

Once your application has been added, you will receive an email asking you to log into your account to authorize the representative.

Step 3: applicant appoints their representative

Log in to the OINP e-Filing Portal and click on the row containing your file number. Once the ‘My Representative’ box appears, click on ‘Appoint’.

Important: Representatives are not allowed to self-appoint. You must appoint your representative from your own profile. Never share your password with your representative or any other individual.

Applicants: how to cancel a representative

If you want to cancel your representative:

1. log into your account in the OINP e-Filing Portal
2. click on the row containing your file number
3. once the ‘My Representative’ box appears, select ‘Cancel’

Once you’ve cancelled your representative, they will no longer be authorized to conduct any business on your behalf or access your information.

Applicants: getting assistance from authorized representatives and other individuals

Assistance from authorized representatives

If you get help from an authorized representative, but you do not appoint them as your representative, you must disclose this in your online application.

Important:

• If you don’t disclose that you received assistance from an authorized representative, we may return your application as incomplete.
• Remember, representatives must register an account and get appointed by you before they can submit an application on your behalf.
• Representatives cannot use an email address belonging to, or created by themselves, for the purpose of self-appointing.

Assistance from other individuals

You can also get help with your application from someone who is not authorized. You will be asked to disclose this in your online application.

Individuals who are not authorized representatives cannot charge you for their service or ask for any other type of compensation, or submit an application on your behalf.

Only authorized representatives can register as a representative in the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Important: You cannot use the email address of a representative or any other individual in your online application. You must include your own email.

Representatives: before you register

If you will be acting as a representative, make sure you are authorized to do so in Ontario.

Once you confirm you’re authorized, you must:

• create a profile in the OINP e-Filing Portal
• use your representative account to submit applications on behalf of applicants – you cannot submit an application through an applicant’s My Ontario account
• have the applicant’s:
  • file number
  • first and last name as it appears on their passport, travel or identity document
  • email address

Register as a representative

Step 1: register yourself

1. Access the OINP e-Filing Portal and select ‘New Representative’ if you have not yet registered in the e-Filing Portal.
2. Enter your last name, first name and email.
3. You will be automatically redirected to log into your My Ontario account. If you don’t have a My Ontario account, click on ‘Sign up now!’
4. From My Ontario you will be automatically redirected to complete your representative profile.
5. Once your profile is complete, click ‘Submit’ and you will be redirected to your main page in the portal.

Step 2: register your applicant

6. From the main page of the portal, click on ‘Submit New Application’ and select the applicant’s stream.
7. Read and acknowledge the Representative’s Declaration by checking the box and clicking OK. This step is only required the first time you submit an application.
8. You will be automatically redirected to register a profile for the applicant. Once finished, click ‘Submit’.Make sure you carefully enter the applicant’s information when you are creating this profile because we will not accept requests to change complete names or dates of birth.

   If the applicant does not have a last name on their passport, travel or identity document:

   • enter ‘N/A’ in the first name field
   • put their first name in the last name field

9. A confirmation number will appear on the screen. Click on ‘Finish’ to return to your main page.
10. Click on Refresh Applicant’s List to view the applicant’s information.

Step 3: get authorized and complete the application

The applicant will receive two emails from the OINP telling them that you have registered a profile on their behalf.

The first email will include the applicant’s enrolment number and the second will include the PIN number.

The applicant must then authorize you as their representative by:

1. logging in to the OINP e-Filing Portal through the link in the email they received. They will first be taken to pages to enter both their PIN and enrolment numbers.
2. clicking on the row containing their file number
3.  clicking on ‘Appoint’

Once you’re appointed, log in to the OINP e-Filing Portal through your My Ontario account and begin the application.

You will only be able to complete an application on behalf of an applicant once you have been appointed to do so. If the application is based on invitation to apply under the OINP’s expression of interest system, you will need to upload an attestation that has been signed by the applicant.

Note: If you experience a technical issue, email ontarionominee@ontario.ca with a description of the problem, a screenshot of your full screen and include the relevant file number(s). If the applicant experiences a technical issue, they must email the OINP directly with the same information.

Migrate your ONe-key Account to a My Ontario Account

Effective November 12, 2023, existing applicants and representatives with ongoing OINP applications and expressions of interest can no longer access the OINP e-Filing portal using their ONe-key Account. To access the OINP e-filing portal after this date, applicants and representatives need to migrate to a My Ontario Account.

Below are instructions for how to complete this migration if you are a representative. Learn more about how to migrate your account if you’re an applicant.

How to migrate your account as a representative

1. Create and activate a My Ontario Account. We recommend registering for My Ontario using the same email address you used for your ONe-key Account.
2. Access the OINP e-Filing portal and complete the reCAPTCHA.
3. Log in using your My Ontario Account details.
4. Select “ONEKEY ACCOUNT MIGRATION” to migrate your existing ONe-key Account.
5. Enter your ONe-key ID and password and click Migrate.
6. Click Continue.
7. Enter your last name, first name and email address used when you initially registered with the OINP e-Filing Portal.
8. Click Continue.
9. Your clients and applications are now viewable.

Once you have migrated your account, all new correspondence from the OINP will be sent to the email address you have used to register your My Ontario Account.

Remember your password, as you will need this in the future to log in to the OINP e-Filing Portal. The OINP does not manage My Ontario accounts and we cannot help you if you lose access to your account. To keep access to and control of your account, never share your password with anyone.