A member with a CRS of 490 and a work permit expiring March 10, 2024 received an Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invitation, but wasn't sure whether to accept it or hold out for a federal STEM-category Express Entry draw instead.
What the thread recommended:- Accept the OINP invitation rather than gambling on the timing of a future federal draw. Members pointed out that you can't know in advance when IRCC will run a STEM draw, so holding out risks losing time (and possibly status) while waiting for something uncertain.
- If your Express Entry profile is close to expiring, create a new one and share the updated details with OINP so your nomination application stays properly linked to a valid federal profile — don't let an expired EE profile stall your OINP application.
- Keep your documents ready in parallel, in case a STEM or general draw does happen before your OINP process concludes — several members were tracking the biweekly Tuesday/Wednesday draw pattern to estimate timing, though they cautioned this is only a rough pattern, not a guarantee.
The practical takeaway: don't turn down a confirmed OINP invitation to bet on an unscheduled federal draw — accept it, keep your Express Entry profile current, and have your documents ready in case a federal invitation also comes through before your OINP process wraps up.