Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) 2026 Redesign: Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

Written and reviewed by Omer Khalil, RCIC (R710149), a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Last reviewed: July 5, 2026.

Licensed RCIC guidance on the redesigned Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program and the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, for applicants and Ontario employers.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is Ontario’s provincial economic immigration program. Working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Ontario nominates workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs who can support the province’s labour-market and economic needs. A provincial nomination does not, by itself, grant permanent residence, but it is a powerful boost to a federal permanent-residence application — and for Express Entry candidates, an Ontario nomination adds 600 points to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

On June 25, 2026, Ontario made significant changes to the program. This page explains what the 2026 redesign changed, the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream and its pathways, the eight streams that were closed, what it means if you are already in the system, and how to prepare so you are ready when the Expression of Interest (EOI) system reopens.

Important note: Ontario describes this as Phase 1 of a broader redesign. The Ontario Workforce Priority stream is the first new stream under the redesigned program, and further updates may follow. This page should not be read as saying the redesign is complete. Always confirm current rules on the official Government of Ontario OINP pages before acting.

1. What Is the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)?

The OINP is Ontario’s stream of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). It lets the province select economic immigrants who match Ontario’s labour-market priorities and nominate them for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates are typically skilled or in-demand workers with an Ontario job offer, along with certain graduates and, historically, entrepreneurs.

Ontario nominates; IRCC makes the final permanent-residence decision, including medical, security, and admissibility checks. Because Ontario is Canada’s largest immigration destination, the OINP is one of the most closely watched provincial programs, and changes to it affect a very large number of applicants and employers.

2. The 2026 OINP Redesign: What Changed

On June 25, 2026, amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 came into force, and Ontario published a program update on June 26, 2026. As part of a two-phase redesign, Ontario removed its eight former OINP streams and introduced a new stream: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Ontario has described the redesign as streamlining the former eight streams, with the Ontario Workforce Priority stream as the first new stream and further streams expected later.

Alongside the new stream, Ontario introduced higher language and education benchmarks, more flexible business-revenue thresholds for employers in rural communities, and stronger program-integrity measures — including reducing the response time for a Notice of Intent to issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty or Ban order from 60 to 30 days, and allowing such notices to be delivered by email, mail, or in person.

3. Is the OINP Open Right Now?

As part of the redesign, the Expression of Interest (EOI) system is currently closed to new EOIs, and no further invitations are being issued under the former streams. EOIs and job offers that were registered under the former streams but had not yet received an invitation to apply are being withdrawn while the platforms are updated.

Ontario has indicated that the E-Filing Portal and the Ontario Workforce Priority stream EOI system are expected to reopen later in summer 2026. Employers who previously registered in the employer portal will not need to register again, but once the portal reopens they will need to submit a new job offer and application to start a new EOI for a candidate under the new stream. Reopening dates and details may change, so confirm current status on the official Ontario OINP page.

4. The New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

The Ontario Workforce Priority stream focuses on candidates with arranged employment in Ontario, plus a dedicated pathway for self-employed physicians. It is designed to streamline permanent-residence pathways for people with a genuine Ontario job offer and to help employers retain proven talent in hard-to-fill roles, while raising the calibre of nominees through elevated language and education requirements.

The stream contains multiple pathways — it is not a single one-size-fits-all route. The main pathways cover job offers across all National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories, split into a TEER 0–3 pathway and a TEER 4–5 pathway, plus the self-employed physician pathway. The requirements below are the minimums highlighted by Ontario; the regulation and future program guidance govern.

5. Pathways and Minimum Requirements

Minimum requirements highlighted by Ontario’s June 26, 2026 update. Some occupations may have alternate criteria — the regulation and future program guidance govern. Always consult the regulations.

6. TEER 0–3 Pathway Explained

This pathway targets internationally trained skilled workers with a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation. To meet the minimum work-experience requirement, an applicant must show one of the following: six months of consecutive experience in the last 12 months in the job-offer position with the job-offer employer; three months of consecutive experience in the last 12 months for recent Ontario graduates; or two years of cumulative experience in the last five years in the NOC occupation. Applicants who are licensed in their profession may be exempt from this experience requirement.

The minimum language requirement is Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6, with CLB 5 accepted for certain occupations, and the minimum education is a post-secondary degree or diploma. These are minimums only, and specific occupations may carry additional or alternate criteria.

7. TEER 4–5 Pathway Explained

This pathway is open to workers with a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer in any TEER 4 or 5 occupation. The minimum work experience is nine months of cumulative experience in the last two years in the offered position with the job-offer employer. The minimum language requirement is CLB 4, and the minimum education is a Canadian secondary-school diploma or equivalent. As with the higher-skilled pathway, individual occupations may have additional criteria set by the regulation.

8. Self-Employed Physicians Pathway

Recognizing Ontario’s need for doctors, the Workforce Priority stream includes a pathway for self-employed physicians that does not require a job offer. To qualify, a physician must 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), and be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

9. Employer Requirements and Rural Communities

Because most Workforce Priority pathways are employer-driven, the Ontario employer plays a central role: the offer must be full-time and permanent, and the employer must meet Ontario’s business and revenue requirements. To improve access for employers outside major centres, Ontario applies lower gross annual revenue thresholds for employers located in rural communities — defined for this purpose as a community in a census division with a population of less than 150,000. Employers should be prepared to re-register a job offer once the employer portal reopens.

10. The Eight Closed OINP Streams

As part of the redesign, the following eight streams are closed to new EOIs and invitations under the former framework:

1. Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
2. Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
3. Employer Job Offer: International Student
4. Master’s Graduate
5. PhD Graduate
6. Express Entry – Human Capital Priorities
7. Express Entry – French-speaking Skilled Worker
8. Express Entry – Skilled Trades

If you were preparing an application under any of these streams, you will now need to review whether you fit the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream instead. Note that Ontario has signalled that additional streams may be introduced in later phases of the redesign.

11. If You Already Applied or Were Invited

How the change affects you depends on where you were in the process. Applications that were already submitted after an invitation to apply under a former stream will continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when the application was submitted. However, EOIs and registered job offers under the former streams that had not yet received an invitation are being automatically withdrawn; affected registrants, employers, and representatives are being notified directly. If you receive such a notice, it does not mean you are ineligible — it means you may need to register a new EOI under the Workforce Priority stream once it reopens.

12. How to Prepare Before the EOI System Reopens

Even though new EOIs are paused, this is a good time to get ready so you can act quickly when the system reopens. Practical steps include: confirming your NOC and TEER classification for the offered role; securing or confirming a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer; taking or updating an approved language test to meet the new CLB benchmarks; obtaining an Educational Credential Assessment if your education was completed outside Canada; and organizing your work-experience proof (reference letters, pay records, and role descriptions) so they clearly match the job-offer position.

13. OINP, Express Entry, and the PNP

The OINP is one part of Canada’s wider Provincial Nominee Program, and it interacts closely with federal Express Entry. Historically, several OINP streams aligned with Express Entry so that a nomination could add 600 CRS points and effectively guarantee an invitation for permanent residence. As the redesigned program rolls out, candidates should consider both provincial and federal options together. For background, see our overviews of Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Programs, and the Canadian Experience Class; entrepreneurs and employers can also review our business immigration pages.

14. Common OINP Mistakes and Withdrawal Risks

Provincial applications are evidence-heavy, and small errors can be costly. Common issues include: a job offer or NOC/TEER classification that does not match the applicant’s actual duties; language or education documents that fall short of the new minimum benchmarks; work-experience letters that do not clearly demonstrate the required duration in the offered role; and missing employer eligibility or revenue documentation. During the current transition, applicants should also watch for withdrawal notices for EOIs that had not received an invitation. A careful, licensed review before submission reduces avoidable refusals and delays.

15. How MAK Canadian Immigration Services Helps

MAK Canadian Immigration Services is a CICC-licensed immigration firm based in Mississauga, serving clients across Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area, throughout Canada, and online. For the OINP, we help you confirm whether you fit the new Ontario Workforce Priority pathways, review your job offer and NOC/TEER classification, check your language and education against the new benchmarks, assess employer eligibility, and prepare a clean EOI and application so you are ready when the system reopens. No consultant can guarantee an invitation or nomination, but proper review reduces avoidable mistakes and helps you understand your options.

16. Official Sources

Always confirm the latest rules, requirements, and reopening dates on the official Government of Ontario OINP pages before acting. Provincial program details can change during a phased redesign, and the regulation and Ontario’s program guidance govern.

17. Frequently Asked Questions

Related: Express Entry overview | Provincial Nominee Programs | Canadian Experience Class | Business Immigration

Disclaimer: This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees, and processing practices change frequently; always confirm current requirements on the official Government of Ontario / Government of Canada websites, or consult a licensed immigration professional. No outcome or processing time can be guaranteed.

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