There have been changes made by the government of Ontario which have seen the abolition of all the eight Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program streams in favor of Ontario Workforce Priority starting June 26, 2026.
These changes have been made through amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 under Ontario Immigration Act, 2015.
This is the biggest transformation that has ever taken place within the history of Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
There is only one stream in the redesigned OINP which brings together all former pathways in one stream with three different tracks; these are skilled worker track, essential worker track, and self-employed physicians track.
Expression of Interest is no longer accepting new applications and Ontario expects that the new EOI system will open again sometime in the summer.
There are thousands of Ontario-based immigration applicants whose profiles are still open in the old system and they are required to transition into the new system.
In addition, Ontario Workforce Priority stream raises the language and education requirements that were not required in some of the former streams.
3 New Ontario Workforce Priority Streams
The replacement pathway consists of one united stream with three separate pathways covering all National Occupational Classification TEER levels including one physician pathway.
Each pathway requires the offer of a full-time permanent job in Ontario except for the physician pathway in which no job offer is required.
New TEER 0-3 Pathway
This stream caters to qualified foreign workers in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations, according to the classification of National Occupational Classification.
Eligible applicants need to possess a full-time and permanent job offer from Ontario and satisfy some essential criteria.
| Requirement | TEER 0-3 Pathway Details |
| Work Experience (Option A) | 6 months consecutive in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer |
| Work Experience (Option B) | 3 months consecutive in the last 12 months for recent Ontario graduates, same position with the job offer employer |
| Work Experience (Option C) | 2 years cumulative in the last 5 years in the same NOC occupation |
| Licensed Applicants | Exempt from the work experience requirement |
| Language | CLB 6 minimum (CLB 5 for certain occupations) |
| Education | Post-secondary degree or diploma |
The standards for the language and education are higher than those which were required in the former streams, which shows the willingness of the province to improve the quality of nominees through its programs.
Ontario’s recent graduates will have a considerable benefit under this stream since the criterion regarding work experience is lowered to 3 months compared to 6 months in previous streams.
Under this exception, eligible applicants have to be recent graduates from one of the recognized Ontario institutions and have already started working for the employer offering the position.
Some occupations may have some different criteria than the one mentioned above, and applicants should refer to the regulations for more details regarding their NOC code.
New TEER 4-5 Pathway
TEER 4-5 stream includes applicants who are either TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations with an eligible offer of employment in the province of Ontario.
These are the occupations that are essentially essential and entry level occupations which were included in the closed In-Demand Skill stream under the previous program design.
| Requirement | TEER 4-5 Pathway Details |
| Work Experience | 9 months cumulative 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 |
The CLB 4 language threshold along with secondary education requirement makes this stream easier to apply for those working in manufacturing, agriculture, food processing and caregiving occupations.
In contrast to TEER 0-3 Stream, the work experience requirement here entails 9 months of cumulative work experience in the offered occupation with the offered employer.
That is quite different from the In-Demand Skill Stream of the past where the work experience requirement had a different design and one has to check if his/her work experience qualifies according to the new requirement.
Immigration Level Plans from 2026 to 2028 increased target admissions to 91,500 in 2026 for Provincial nominees which will provide Ontario with many nominations to choose from in this new stream.
Under this exception, eligible applicants have to be recent graduates from one of the recognized Ontario institutions and have already started working for the employer offering the position.
Some occupations may have some different criteria than the one mentioned above, and applicants should refer to the regulations for more details regarding their NOC code.
New TEER 4-5 Pathway
TEER 4-5 stream includes applicants who are either TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations with an eligible offer of employment in the province of Ontario.
These are the occupations that are essentially essential and entry level occupations which were included in the closed In-Demand Skill stream under the previous program design.
The CLB 4 language threshold along with secondary education requirement makes this stream easier to apply for those working in manufacturing, agriculture, food processing and caregiving occupations.
In contrast to TEER 0-3 Stream, the work experience requirement here entails 9 months of cumulative work experience in the offered occupation with the offered employer.
That is quite different from the In-Demand Skill Stream of the past where the work experience requirement had a different design and one has to check if his/her work experience qualifies according to the new requirement.
Immigration Level Plans from 2026 to 2028 increased target admissions to 91,500 in 2026 for Provincial nominees which will provide Ontario with many nominations to choose from in this new stream.
New Self-Employed Physicians Pathway
Self-employed physicians are eligible for the Ontario Workforce Priority pathway without having a job offer, which is the only pathway among the newly revamped OINP pathways where candidates don’t have to possess an arranged employment.
Physicians have to fulfill all of the following criteria at once to be eligible.
They need to be a registered member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Physicians should be possessing a valid certificate of registration under any of the three eligible categories – independent, academic or provisional.
They should also be eligible to charge patients through the Ontario Health Insurance Program.
Ontario has been conducting targeted OINP draws for physicians during 2026, and the Government of Canada introduced a specific physician Express Entry category in February 2026 with exceptionally low CRS cut-off scores.
Lower Revenue Thresholds For Rural Ontario Employers
Under the new program, lower gross annual income requirements will be established for employers operating in rural regions of Ontario.
A rural region, according to this program, refers to a region situated in a census division with a population that is below 150,000.
This is in response to the problem regional Ontario employers have had in attracting immigrants as opposed to large organizations located in urban centers such as Toronto.
Ontario conducted several region-specific OINP draws in early 2026 to select immigrants for Eastern, Northern, Southwestern, and Central Ontario other than the Greater Toronto Area.
All 8 Former OINP Streams Are Now Closed
It is worth noting that the restructuring process is the result of months-long preparatory regulatory efforts that started with the March 16, 2026 regulatory changes, giving the Minister the authority to establish and revoke OINP selection streams.
Ontario had already indicated that the existing nine selection streams would officially be repealed through the May 2026 amendments.
The table below shows all streams that have now been officially terminated under the redesigned OINP.
| Former OINP Stream | Status |
| Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker | Closed |
| Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills | Closed |
| Employer Job Offer: International Student | Closed |
| Master’s Graduate | Closed |
| PhD Graduate | Closed |
| Express Entry Human Capital Priorities | Closed |
| Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker | Closed |
| Express Entry Skilled Trades | Closed |
Ontario issued thousands of invitations under these streams during the first half of 2026 before the deadline, including 1,825 invitations on February 2, 1,404 on February 18, and 1,243 on March 18.
The pace increased even further during April, with 759 invitations issued to mining sector candidates on April 1, 1,334 invitations under the In-Demand Skills Stream on April 15, and 2,102 regional invitations on April 23.
Applications submitted under the previous streams before the redesign will continue to be assessed according to the eligibility requirements that were in effect at the time of submission.
The regulatory changes also strengthen enforcement measures by enhancing the Ministry’s ability to maintain program integrity.
The deadline for individuals who receive a Notice of Intent to Issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty or Ban has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days.
Notices of contravention may be delivered electronically, by mail, or in person, and are considered received once they have been sent.
This approach is consistent with other notices of intent, including Notices of Intent to Refuse and Notices of Intent to Cancel a Nomination.
What Existing OINP Candidates Need To Know
The Expression of Interest (EOI) system is now closed for new registrations, and no further invitations will be issued under any of the previous OINP streams.
EOIs and job offers registered under the former streams that have not received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) will be automatically removed during the upcoming system update.
The OINP will directly notify affected applicants, employers, and authorized representatives about these changes.
Employers who have previously registered through the OINP Employer Portal will not need to register again when the new system reopens.
However, employers must submit a new job offer and create a new employment position application to begin the EOI process for candidates under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
Eligible candidates should prepare all required documents in advance so they can submit a new EOI once the system reopens later this summer.
These changes represent the first phase of Ontario’s two-phase OINP reform.
Ontario received 14,119 provincial nomination allocations for 2026 through the federal Provincial Nominee Program, representing a 31 percent increase from the 10,750 allocations received in 2025.
The province used its allocation effectively during the first few months of 2026 by issuing more than 10,000 invitations between February and April before closing the previous streams.
At the federal level, the Express Entry system continues to operate, with the latest Canadian Experience Class draw inviting 4,000 candidates with a CRS cut-off score of 516 on June 23, 2026.
Candidates who receive an Ontario provincial nomination become eligible for an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in Express Entry.
Applicants who cannot wait until the new EOI system reopens may also benefit from the updated Provincial Nominee Program work permit policies introduced on June 9, 2026, allowing them to maintain valid work status while pursuing permanent residence.
Other provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, continue to operate their own Provincial Nominee Programs throughout 2026.
During this transition period, candidates should take the necessary steps to ensure they remain eligible under the new requirements.
Language test results should be valid before submitting an application, as proof of language proficiency is required under all Ontario Workforce Priority pathways.
Workers in TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations who were previously exempt from language requirements under the In-Demand Skills Stream must now achieve at least CLB 4 in all four language abilities.
Employers should also review their job offers to ensure they meet the updated salary, full-time employment, and permanent employment requirements.
Employers located in rural Ontario should confirm whether their business operates within a census division with a population below 150,000 to qualify for the reduced gross annual revenue threshold.
Applicants and employers are encouraged to monitor official OINP updates regarding the reopening of the Expression of Interest system, which the Ontario government expects to launch later this summer.
