Finally, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has released updates on the new processes and stream to be used in nominating eligible candidates for permanent residency in Canada.
On May 30, 2026, the amendments to Ontario Regulation 421/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act became effective. Essentially, these amendments made some changes to the provincial nominee program in Ontario, including ending the existing nomination streams at the time.
As part of the redesign of the OINP, the following 8 streams were subsequently closed:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
- Employer Job Offer: International Student
- Master’s Graduate
- PhD Graduate
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry French-speaking Skilled Worker
- Express Entry Skilled Trades
The new OINP Stream – Ontario Workforce Priority Stream
On June 26, 2026, the province of Ontario provided updates on the new stream that will replace the 8 OINP streams that were closed. The new OINP stream is now called the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
This is the first phase in a 2-phase program design that is aimed at:
- Faster PR pathways for workers with arranged employment in Ontario.
- Better support for employers to retain talent in hard-to-fill jobs.
- Higher language and education standards to strengthen nominee quality and OINP program integrity.
- More flexible business revenue requirements to improve access for employers in rural and northern communities
Applications for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream and its Expression of Interest (EOI) system will open later in the summer of 2026.
The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream will offer pathways to permanent residence for individuals with job offers across all NOC TEER categories, while also creating a dedicated pathway for self-employed physicians.
Overview of the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream
TEER 0-3 pathway
This pathway targets skilled internationally trained workers in all TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario. Minimum eligibility requirements include:
- work experience: applicants must demonstrate one of the following:
- 6 months consecutive in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- for recent Ontario graduates, 3 months consecutive in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- 2 years cumulative in the last 5 years in the NOC occupation
- licenced applicants are exempt from this requirement.
- language requirement: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6, CLB 5 for certain occupations
- minimum education: post-secondary degree or diploma
Some occupations may have alternate criteria; consult the regulations for detailed requirements.
TEER 4-5 pathway
This pathway is open to workers in all TEER 4-5 occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario. Minimum eligibility requirements include:
- work experience: 9 months cumulative experience in the last 2 years in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- language: CLB 4
- minimum education: Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent
For all Ontario Workforce Priority Stream pathways, lower gross annual revenue requirements will apply to employers located in rural communities. For the program, a rural community is a community located in a census division with a population of less than 150,000.
Self-employed physicians pathway
Self-employed physicians may qualify for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream without a job offer. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate all of the following requirements:
- be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
- hold a valid certificate of registration in an eligible class: independent, academic or provisional
- be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).
Information for New and Existing OINP Applicants
🚨 The OINP EOI system is now closed to new Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the old streams.
❌ No more invitations will be issued through the former streams.
🔄 Uninvited EOIs and job offers will be automatically withdrawn as Ontario transitions to the new system.
📩 Impacted applicants, employers, and representatives will receive direct notification.
With the above, it’s time to start getting ready and familiar with the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream and its requirements.
What is Next for New OINP Applicants?
✅ Eligible candidates can submit a new EOI under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream once the system reopens (in summer 2026).
👔 Employers already registered in the Employer Portal do not need to register again.
📄 Employers must still submit a new job offer and a new Application for Approval of an Employment Position before an applicant can create a new EOI.
⏳ Those who have been invited to apply and already submitted their final OINP applications under the former streams will continue to be assessed using the rules that were in effect when they were submitted.
We await more information and details on Phase 2 of the changes in the days ahead.
For detailed information on the changes to the OINP and new requirements, please read the full details on the OINP website here
I wish you the best in Canada!
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DISCLAIMER: The posts and information on this website are not legal advice. We are not Canadian Immigration Consultants and do NOT provide Canadian Immigration Services. For any authorized Canadian Immigration information, services, or support, please check the Government of Canada website at www.canada.ca/immigration
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