A software-engineer applicant (NOC 2173) with CRS 340 asked whether Ontario's OINP was worth pursuing, and which other provinces might work. The thread's guidance:
- Benchmark against recent OINP cut-offs. A member noted the lowest CRS score Ontario invited in 2020 was around 460 — far above 340 — so waiting passively on an OINP Human Capital invitation with that score was unlikely to pay off. (Historical note: this refers to 2020-era draws; check current OINP tech-draw thresholds before deciding.)
- Consider Alberta (AINP) as an alternative. One member suggested checking Alberta's stream, which was known to invite Express Entry candidates with lower CRS scores — while cautioning it is not guaranteed.
- Work on raising your CRS in parallel. Rather than relying only on a province noticing your profile, improve the fundamentals — language scores, education credentials, spouse factors — so you become competitive across more streams.
The takeaway: at CRS 340, don't bank on Ontario alone. Track lower-threshold provincial streams like Alberta's and actively improve your score.