The eligibility requirements for the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream in 2026 have finally been officially posted by Ontario, following the closure of the 8 existing streams of the OINP in June.
It is official! The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream eligibility criteria are finally public!
All eligibility criteria for all 3 categories, i.e., Skilled workers, Essential workers, and Self-employed physicians are available on the web site of the provincial government.
The revised eligibility requirements can be seen as part of the changes to Ontario Regulation 422/17 of the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 that came into effect on June 25, 2026.
It is officially stated that the Expression of Interest program will launch sometime in the summer, but the exact date is not yet known.
What Changes In OINP In 2026
All the 8 existing pathways have been abolished and replaced by one new pathway known as Ontario Workforce Priority pathway by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
This marks the biggest restructuring in the history of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
The 8 closed-down streams are:
| # | Former OINP Stream | Status |
| 1 | Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker | Closed |
| 2 | Employer Job Offer: International Student | Closed |
| 3 | Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills | Closed |
| 4 | Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities | Closed |
| 5 | Express Entry: Skilled Trades | Closed |
| 6 | Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker | Closed |
| 7 | Masters Graduate | Closed |
| 8 | PhD Graduate | Closed |
No new invites shall henceforth be sent through any of the above-mentioned closed down pathways.
However, applications that had already been made through the former pathways up to June 26 will be evaluated on the basis of the regulations at the time of application.
All the EOIs that have been received on the former pathways and did not receive any invitation to apply shall automatically lapse within the coming weeks.
The replacement has one unified stream with three different pathways.
New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream 3 Pathways
Ontario Workforce Priority stream includes workers in the range of National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER 0 to 5 along with a unique stream for self-employed physicians.
TEER is an acronym for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, which is the system followed by the Government of Canada under its National Occupational Classification system for classification of occupations.
Your TEER level will determine your pathway, and each pathway has different language, education and work experience requirements.
Below is a table showing key eligibility criteria under 3 pathways at one glance.
Ontario Workforce Priority Stream: Pathway Comparison
| Requirement | TEER 0–3 Pathway | TEER 4–5 Pathway | Self-Employed Physicians |
| Job Offer | Full-time, permanent | Full-time, permanent | Not required |
| Language (CLB) | CLB 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations) | CLB 4 | Not specified |
| Education | Post-secondary degree or diploma (ECA if foreign) | Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent | CPSO registration required |
| Work Experience | Option A: 6 months consecutive (last 12 months, same employer) Option B: 2 years cumulative (last 5 years, same NOC) Option C: 3 months (recent Ontario graduates) | 9 months cumulative (last 2 years, with job offer employer) | N/A |
| Licensing Exemption | Yes—licensed professionals may be exempt from work experience | No—9 months with job offer from the employer required | Must hold CPSO registration |
| Eligible Occupations | All NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 | All NOC TEER 4 and 5 | Physicians with CPSO + OHIP billing |
TEER 0–3 Pathway For Skilled Workers Eligibility
The TEER 0–3 pathway is designed for workers with a full-time, permanent job offer in higher-skilled occupations.
TEER 0 through 3 occupations generally include the following types of roles:
| TEER Level | Occupation Type | Examples |
| TEER 0 | Management occupations | Financial managers, restaurant managers, construction managers |
| TEER 1 | Professional occupations (usually require a university degree) | Software engineers, accountants, registered nurses, lawyers |
| TEER 2 | Technical and skilled occupations (usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship) | Computer network technicians, paralegals, electrical technicians |
| TEER 3 | Intermediate occupations (usually require a combination of on-the-job training and secondary school) | Administrative assistants, dental assistants, cooks, bakers |
Language Requirement
Individuals who are not Ontario graduates will need to prove their proficiency in the English or French language at the CLB 6 level or above in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
The language test must have been undertaken not more than two years prior to the submission of the application.
Approved language tests are IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada.
There are some occupations where the language benchmark requirement is lowered to CLB 5 or above. The occupations are:
| Category | Occupations Eligible For CLB 5 |
| Transport | Truck drivers, transit operators |
| Skilled Trades | Trades workers covered under TEER 3 |
| Food Industry | Cooks, butchers, bakers, chefs |
| Natural Resources | Natural resource occupations (forestry, mining support, etc.) |
| Manufacturing | Production occupations |
| Health Care | NOC 33102 — nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates |
Applicants belonging to these occupation categories will also require lower education requirements where instead of a post-secondary qualification, the applicant must possess a Canadian secondary school diploma or its equivalent abroad along with ECA.
Ontario graduates are completely exempted from the TEER 0-3 language requirement.
Education Requirement
The minimum education requirement depends on the occupation:
| Applicant Type | Minimum Education |
| Most TEER 0–3 applicants | Post-secondary degree or diploma from a recognized institution |
| CLB 5 occupations (trades, transport, food, health care, natural resources, production) | Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent foreign credential with ECA |
| All applicants with foreign credentials | Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization such as WES, completed within the past 5 years |
Work Experience Requirement
Qualification can take place based on one of three forms of work experience:
| Option | Requirement | Who It Fits |
| Option A | 6 consecutive months of full-time paid work in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer | Workers currently employed by their sponsoring employer |
| Option B | 2 years of cumulative paid full-time work in the last 5 years in the same NOC occupation as the job offer | Workers with broader experience in the same occupation across multiple employers |
| Option C | 3 consecutive months in the last 12 months in the job-offer position (recent Ontario graduates only) | Recent graduates from Ontario post-secondary institutions already working for their sponsoring employer |
Those applicants who already have a valid license to practice in any regulated profession in Ontario may be eligible for exemption from the work experience requirement.
The exemption from licensing is applicable only to TEER 0-3 and not to TEER 4-5.
Alternate NOC Work Experience
The regulation allows for alternative work experience in only those occupation combinations specified under the rule.
These include:
| Higher-Level Occupation (Experience Held) | Lower-Level Occupation (Job Offer) |
| Certain engineering professionals | Engineering technical occupations |
| Pharmacists | Pharmacy assistant roles |
| Registered or licensed practical nurses | Nurse aide roles |
Not all related occupations can qualify under the rule.
Applicants must confirm if their particular NOC combination is specified under the rule.
TEER 4–5 Pathway For Essential Workers Eligibility
Through TEER 4-5, workers in essential and intermediate occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario become eligible for the program, which includes healthcare support occupations, transportation occupations, food service occupations, agricultural occupations, manufacturing occupations, and other TEER 4 and 5 occupations.
It is notable that it is a much wider category in comparison with the previous In-Demand Skills stream, as it was restricted to a certain list of occupations only.
Within the TEER 4-5 pathway, all TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations are eligible, including but not limited to:
| TEER Level | Occupation Type | Examples |
| TEER 4 | Intermediate occupations (usually require secondary school or occupation-specific training) | Home support workers, transport truck helpers, retail
salespersons, food counter attendants |
| TEER 5 | Labouring and elemental occupations (usually require on-the-job training) | Construction trades helpers, fruit and vegetable harvesters, industrial cleaners, material handlers |
Language Requirement
Applicants are required to have English or French language skills at CLB 4 or above levels in all four areas.
This requirement differs from the previous In-Demand Skills stream, where there was no mandatory language benchmark for some TEER 4 and 5 occupations.
Language testing should have been done 2 years prior to the submission of the application.
The list of accepted language tests is the same as that of the TEER 0-3 route, i.e., IELTS GT, CELPIP General, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada.
Education Requirement
The minimum education required for immigration would be a high school diploma or equivalency from Canada, along with an ECA.
This is less stringent compared to the TEER 0-3 stream, which requires an applicant to have at least a postsecondary degree or diploma.
Work Experience Requirement
The applicants have to show that they have 9 months of cumulative work experience in the past 2 years in the job offer position by the job offer employer.
That is the major difference between the TEER 0–3 pathway and the current one:
| Requirement | TEER 0–3 | TEER 4–5 |
| Work experience duration | 6 months (Option A) or 2 years (Option B) or 3 months (Option C) | 9 months cumulative only |
| Must be with the job offer employer? | Only for Options A and C | Yes—always |
| Multiple employer experiences accepted? | Yes, under Option B (same NOC) | No |
| Recent graduate reduced requirement? | Yes—3 months | No |
| Licensing exemption from work experience? | Yes | No |
The experience has to be provided by the employer offering the job, but not with any other employer within the same occupation.
There is no licensing exemption for TEER 4–5, and there is no reduced work experience requirement for graduates under this pathway.
Self-Employed Physicians Pathway Eligibility
Physicians – Self-employed Stream is the only stream among the revamped OINP streams where physicians are not required to have a job offer from an Ontario employer.
For eligibility, the physicians must fulfill all of the following criteria at the same time:
| # | Requirement | Detail |
| 1 | CPSO membership | Must be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario |
| 2 | Certificate of registration | Must hold a valid certificate in 1 of 3 eligible classes: independent practice, academic, or provisional |
| 3 | OHIP billing eligibility | Must be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan |
It solves one of the age-old problems where most physicians work on independent practice rather than being employed, thus making other employer-based streams less accessible to many applicants.
Ontario has been working on attracting physicians through its regular draws from the OINP in 2026, and recently, the federal government has introduced a new Express Entry category for physicians.
New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Scoring System
Employment / labour market factors
NOC TEER category
- NOC TEER 0 or 1 — 9 points
- NOC TEER 2 or 3 — 6 points
- NOC TEER 4 — 0 points
- NOC TEER 5 — 0 points
This is prepopulated in the EOI if applying with a job offer or if you are applying as a self-employed physician.
NOC broad occupational category
This is prepopulated in the EOI if applying with a job offer or if you are applying as a self-employed physician.
- Occupational Category 3 — 10 points
- Occupational Category 7 — 8 points
- Occupational Category 2 — 6 points
- Occupational Category 0, 1, 4, 8, 9 — 4 points
- Occupational Category 5, 6 — 2 points
Hourly wage
This is prepopulated in the EOI if applying with a job offer. For self-employed physicians, the hourly wage scoring factor is not applicable.
- $40 per hour or higher — 15 points
- $35 to $39.99 per hour — 12 points
- $30 to $34.99 per hour — 10 points
- $25 to $29.99 per hour — 8 points
- $20 to $24.99 per hour — 5 points
- Less than $20 per hour — 0 points
Ontario work experience
Job offer applicants
- Over 24 months working in job offer position — 18 points
- 13 to 24 months working in job offer position — 15 points
- 6 to 12 months working in job offer position — 12 points
- Less than 6 months working in job offer position or not currently working in position — 0 points
If the applicant has less than 6 months work experience in the job offer position, the scoring is as follows:
- Over 24 months working in Ontario — 12 points
- 13 to 24 months working in Ontario — 9 points
- 6 to 12 months working in Ontario — 6 points
- Less than 6 months working in Ontario or not currently working in Ontario — 0 points
Ontario work experience
Self-employed physicians
- Over 24 months (2 years or more) cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 18 points
- 13 months up to 24 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 15 points
- 6 months up to 12 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 12 points
- Less than 6 months cumulative medical practice in Ontario — 0 points
Canadian work experience: earnings history
Based on a Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency in the last 5 years.
- $70k or more earnings in a year — 8 points
- $50k to $69,999 — 6 points
- $30k to $49,999 — 4 points
- Under $30k earnings in a year — 0 points
Legal status in Canada
The work or study permit must confer legal status.
- With valid work permit — 10 points
- With valid study permit — 5 points
- Without valid work or study permit — 0 points
Education
Highest level of education
Canadian credential or ECA required.
- Doctorate or degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry — 10 points
- Masters degree — 8 points
- University certificate or diploma above a bachelor level — 6 points
- Bachelors degree or equivalent — 6 points
- Ontario College Graduate Certificate — 5 points
- University certificate or diploma below a bachelor level — 5 points
- College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma that is not an Ontario College Graduate Certificate — 5 points
- Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma — 5 points
- Less than college or trade certificate — 0 points
Number of Canadian education credentials
Credential must be a post-secondary education credential from an eligible Canadian institution that takes at least one year to complete on a full-time basis.
- More than one Canadian credential — 10 points
- One Canadian credential — 5 points
- No Canadian credential — 0 points
Language
Official language ability (English or French)
You need to write an approved English or French language test and get points according to the lowest CLB level in any of the four language categories including reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
In case you have written both the English and French language test, you will get points according to the test that has a high CLB level. The Academic and One Skill Retake tests are not acceptable.
- CLB 9 or higher — 15 points
- CLB 8 — 12 points
- CLB 7 — 8 points
- CLB 6 — 4 points
- CLB 5 or lower — 0 points
Knowledge of official languages
To receive points for 2 official languages, you must have at least CLB 6 across the 4 language areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking) for both tests.
- 2 official languages — 10 points
- 1 official language — 5 points
Regionalization
Regional immigration: location of work location in job offer
If an EOI submission contains a job offer, then the regional immigration will be determined by the location of work location in the job offer made by the employer.
In case of self-employed physicians, regional immigration will be determined by your Ontario practice location according to your OHIP billing number.
- Northern Ontario — 15 points
- Eastern Ontario — 10 points
- Central Ontario outside GTA — 10 points
- Southwestern Ontario — 10 points
- Inside GTA (except Toronto) — 5 points
- Toronto — 0 points
For regionalization scoring factors, the regions are defined as follows:
- Northern Ontario — includes the following Census Divisions: Muskoka, Haliburton, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Algoma, Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora
- Eastern Ontario — includes the following Census Divisions: Frontenac, Hastings, Kawartha Lakes, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland, Ottawa, Peterborough, Prescott and Russell, Prince Edward, Renfrew, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
- Central Ontario (excluding Greater Toronto Area) — includes the following Census Divisions: Dufferin, Grey, Simcoe, Waterloo and Wellington
- Southwestern Ontario — includes the following Census Divisions: Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Essex, Haldimand-Norfolk, Hamilton, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Oxford and Perth
- Inside Greater Toronto Area (except Toronto) — includes the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel and York
- Toronto — includes the City of Toronto
Employer Eligibility Requirements
A qualifying job offer under the TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 pathways requires an eligible Ontario employer.
| # | Requirement | Detail |
| 1 | Business operating history | Must have been in active business operation for at least 3 years |
| 2 | Gross annual revenue | Minimum thresholds apply based on business location (GTA vs. rural) |
| 3 | Full-time, permanent job offer | The position must have no predetermined end date and provide a minimum of 1,560 hours per year |
| 4 | Business need | The position must be urgently needed for the employer’s business |
| 5 | Ontario work location | The work must occur primarily in Ontario |
| 6 | Wage level | Must meet the required level for the occupation and region |
| 7 | No labour dispute | The job must not be affected by a labour dispute at the time of application |
| 8 | Employee threshold | Must meet the minimum number of Canadian citizens and permanent residents on staff |
Revenue Thresholds
Minimum Gross Annual Revenue requirements of OINP before reform were:
| Employer Location | Former Minimum Gross Revenue |
| Greater Toronto Area (GTA) | $1,000,000 |
| Outside GTA | $500,000 |
The new system will have lowered gross annual revenue requirements for employers operating from rural areas where the population is less than 150,000 in census divisions.
Ontario Rural Businesses should verify that they meet the criteria of lower Gross annual revenue requirement under the new system.
Wage Requirement
Wage should usually be equal to or greater than the median wage of the occupation in the region.
But where there is an employment opportunity offered to a recent Ontario graduate who falls into the categories of TEER 0-3, it could fall into the low-wage threshold of that particular region.
This low-wage threshold has been made specifically by this new regulation.
Employer Portal
Companies that had been previously registered in the Employer Portal of the OINP are exempted from having to go through the registration process again.
Nevertheless, after the opening of the Employer Portal, they would have to make a new job offer and also apply for an employment position under the newly designed Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
The previous job offers and employment positions do not transfer into the new system.
How To Apply For New Ontario Workforce Priority stream
Once the portal becomes active again, the application process will take place in accordance with the following procedures.
Potential candidates may use the NOC website provided by the Government of Canada to find out their TEER classification.
| Step | Action | Detail |
| 1 | Confirm your TEER category | Look up your occupation’s NOC code and confirm which TEER level (0–3, 4–5, or physician) you fall under. This determines your pathway and all eligibility criteria. |
| 2 | Take or retake your language test | Ensure you have a valid IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, or TCF score meeting CLB 6 (TEER 0–3), CLB 5 (certain occupations), or CLB 4 (TEER 4–5). Tests must be within 2 years. Recent Ontario graduates under TEER 0–3 are exempt. |
| 3 | Obtain or verify your ECA | TEER 0–3 applicants with foreign post-secondary credentials need a valid ECA (e.g., from WES). TEER 4–5 applicants need proof of a Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent with ECA. |
| 4 | Secure a qualifying job offer | Must be full-time, permanent, from an eligible Ontario employer meeting all OINP employer requirements. Wages must meet the regional median (or low-wage level for TEER 0–3 recent graduates). |
| 5 | The employer registers job offer | Once the Employer Portal reopens, your employer must register the job offer and submit an application for approval of the employment position. Previous registrations carry over, but new job offers must be submitted. |
| 6 | Register your EOI | Create a new Expression of Interest profile under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Old EOI profiles do not carry over. EOI scoring criteria will be published when the system launches. |
| 7 | Receive an invitation to apply | Ontario will issue invitations through periodic draws from the EOI pool, typically targeted by region, sector, or occupation. |
| 8 | Submit your complete application | After receiving an invitation, submit your application through the OINP e-Filing Portal. Select the correct stream — you cannot change your selection after submission. If you select the wrong stream, you must withdraw and reapply. |
| 9 | Receive your provincial nomination | If Ontario approves the application, you receive a provincial nomination certificate. |
| 10 | Apply for permanent residence through IRCC | Submit a permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada through the applicable Provincial Nominee Program process. IRCC makes the final decision on permanent residence. |
It is known that Ontario usually runs targeted draws according to region, sector, and occupation, and the new system is going to follow this pattern.
Ontario conducted its draws in March 2026 that made the Masters and PhD streams available again after 2024 when the process was suspended.
What Happens To Masters And PhD Graduates
Among the eight streams which will be permanently closed starting from June 26, 2026, are former Masters Graduate Stream and PhD Graduate Stream. Amendments of regulations supporting the closing process will come into force starting from June 25, 2026.
In accordance with the Phase 1 criteria, in order to qualify for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, an applicant needs to have a job offer of a qualifying nature that is full-time and permanent in Ontario.
Those applicants who do not have a qualifying job offer should consider federal alternatives such as the Canadian Experience Class program.
The Ontario government states that Phase 2 of the revamped OINP may introduce new streams, however, there is no information on their eligibility criteria and start date yet.
Streams introduced in Phase 2 may include:
| Proposed Phase 2 Stream | Status |
| Priority Healthcare Stream | No confirmed eligibility rules or launch date |
| Exceptional Talent Stream | No confirmed eligibility rules or launch date |
| Redesigned Entrepreneur Stream | No confirmed eligibility rules or launch date |
Ontario’s 2026 Nomination Allocation
Ontario will be given roughly 14,119 nomination spots in the 2026 cycle under the Provincial Nominee Program allocation of the Federal government.
The Immigration Levels Plan for 2026-2028 has set the admission target under the PNP in Canada at 91,500 in 2026, rising from 55,000 in 2025.
The CRS scores of the provincial nominees get a huge boost in Express Entry PNP draws, thereby making a provincial nomination one of the best ways to achieve permanent residency for the candidates in the Express Entry pool.
With the nominations having been given out before the closure on June 26 under the old streams, the rest of the allocation will come through the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream during the course of 2026 and 2027.
Ontario has done several draws in OINP before the transition, issuing thousands of invitations in various streams including healthcare, mining, agriculture, and regional priorities.
Publication of the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream ends the information vacuum created by the June 26 reforms.
Now that both candidates and employers have the entire regulatory regime in place, they can determine their eligibility, prepare documents, and be ready for the opening of the EOI system later in the summer.
Ontarians with work offers must use the time period to identify their TEER category of NOC, conduct or repeat their language tests, and validate their education.
It is obvious that those candidates who are going to be ready for the opening of the system will be much better off in the first invitations under the new program.
