Ontario Entrepreneur Stream (OINP)
Licensed RCIC guidance on the Ontario Entrepreneur Stream (OINP) and its current status in 2026.
This page explains the current status of the Ontario Entrepreneur Stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It is information only and does not present the Entrepreneur Stream as an active business immigration service.
Current status: Ontario’s Entrepreneur Stream is closed. Ontario’s Entrepreneur category provisions in Ontario Regulation 421/17 were revoked effective May 30, 2026 under O. Reg. 47/26. Ontario’s current OINP page says the Ontario Workforce Priority stream has launched and all other streams are closed. Ontario’s May 29, 2026 program update also states that applications received under the former framework are assessed under the eligibility requirements in place at the time of application. Ontario has also archived its own Entrepreneur Stream page: the ontario.ca Entrepreneur Stream address now redirects to the Ontario government archives (checked 7 September 2026). This page is kept for reference only.
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1. Current status of the OINP Entrepreneur Stream2. What the OINP is3. What to do now4. How MAK helps1. Current status of the OINP Entrepreneur Stream
Ontario’s Entrepreneur Stream is closed and is not accepting new applications. The Entrepreneur category provisions in Ontario Regulation 421/17 were revoked effective May 30, 2026 under O. Reg. 47/26. In a separate Phase 1 redesign effective June 25, 2026, Ontario removed the eight then-existing OINP streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. The current OINP page on ontario.ca (checked 18 September 2026) says that the Ontario Workforce Priority stream has launched and all other streams are now closed. Ontario has also archived its own Entrepreneur Stream page: the ontario.ca Entrepreneur Stream address now redirects to the Ontario government archives (checked 7 September 2026). We do not speculate about whether or when an entrepreneur stream may be offered again. For primary-source verification, see Ontario’s current OINP page, 2026 OINP updates, and Ontario Regulation 421/17, whose historical version records the May 30, 2026 revocation of the Entrepreneur provisions.
| Current status | Closed to new applications. Ontario’s current OINP page (checked 18 September 2026) says the Ontario Workforce Priority stream has launched and all other streams are closed |
|---|---|
| Program | Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) |
| 2026 change | Entrepreneur category provisions revoked effective May 30, 2026; a separate Phase 1 redesign effective June 25, 2026 removed eight then-existing streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority stream |
| Accepting new applications | No. The stream is closed to new applications |
| Reopening | Not speculated; check official Ontario sources |
2. What the OINP is
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program allows Ontario to nominate certain candidates for Canadian permanent residence, with the federal government making the final decision. Ontario operates several streams, and the program’s structure is set by the province and adjusted from time to time.
3. What to do now
If you were planning around the former Ontario Entrepreneur Stream, do not rely on its historical eligibility criteria for a new application. For a new business-immigration strategy, compare only routes that are currently accepting or operating under their present rules. If you already submitted an OINP application under the former framework, Ontario’s May 29, 2026 update says applications already received will be assessed under the eligibility requirements in place at the time of application; file-specific transition issues should be reviewed against your own submission date and status. Start with our Canada business immigration page for current federal and provincial pathways, and use provincial business streams to compare current provincial business pathways. We can review your situation and identify current options.
Which alternative should a former OINP Entrepreneur applicant screen first?
The closed Ontario stream is not replaced by one equivalent program. Start with the constraint that matters most in your file rather than choosing a new province or pathway from an old OINP threshold.
| Your situation | Direction to screen first | Decision question |
|---|---|---|
| You still want an entrepreneur-to-nomination pathway | Current provincial entrepreneur programs outside Ontario | Are you genuinely prepared to live in that province and actively operate the business under its current rules? |
| You must remain in Ontario | Current Ontario or federal economic pathways based on your independent eligibility | Does your worker or federal profile qualify on its own? Ontario’s Workforce Priority stream is not a reinstated Entrepreneur Stream. |
| You already filed under the former OINP framework | Transition analysis for the existing file | What was your submission date and which eligibility rules applied when Ontario received the application? |
| You are open to a temporary business strategy before permanent residence | Compare the current business-immigration route with a provincial entrepreneur pathway before investing | Does the temporary route independently fit your business facts, and what separate permanent-residence plan would follow? |
Practical filter: do not move from the closed OINP Entrepreneur Stream to another program only because its headline investment is lower. Current program status, business history, location commitment, source-of-funds evidence and the immigration stage you actually need should drive the shortlist.
4. How MAK helps
MAK works with licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants and a CPA. We provide an honest assessment of current, active business immigration options and help you avoid planning around a stream that is not currently accepting applications.
