OINP 2026: Ontario's New Workforce Priority Stream Explained

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) now runs mainly through one stream: the Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) stream. On June 25, 2026, it replaced the eight former streams, including the Masters, PhD and Human Capital Priorities streams. Most applicants now need a full-time permanent job offer from an Ontario employer. The OWP expression of interest (EOI) portal opened on August 4, 2026.

Key points

• Eight OINP streams closed on June 26, 2026. EOIs under them that had not received an invitation were withdrawn.
• OWP has three pathways: TEER 0–3, TEER 4–5, and self-employed physicians.
• From October 5, 2026, EOIs get 10 points for earning $80,000 or more in a single year in the past five years.
• Ontario’s 2026 allocation is 14,119 nominations, the largest of any province.
• Ontario describes this as Phase 1 of a two-phase redesign, so more changes may come.

What changed and when

All dates are from Ontario’s 2026 OINP updates page.

Date (2026)	Change
February 6	Ontario’s 2026 allocation posted: 14,119 nominations
May 30	Amendments to Ontario Regulation 421/17 take effect, preparing for the redesign
June 25	Amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 take effect: eight streams removed, OWP introduced
June 26	EOI system closes to the former streams; unused EOIs and job offers withdrawn
July 20	OWP eligibility criteria published
August 4	OWP EOI portal opens
October 5	10 points added for $80,000+ earnings in a single year (past 5 years)

The streams that closed

These streams no longer accept EOIs or applications as of June 26, 2026:

• Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
• Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
• Employer Job Offer: International Student
• Masters Graduate
• PhD Graduate
• Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
• Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
• Express Entry Skilled Trades

The biggest loss for many people is the end of the Masters and PhD streams, which did not need a job offer, and of the Express Entry streams, where Ontario searched the federal pool. Ontario graduates now need a job offer and must meet the OWP pathway rules.

Ontario Workforce Priority stream: the three pathways

TEER 0–3 pathway

For jobs in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations under Canada’s National Occupational Classification.

Requirement	Rule
Job offer	Full-time, permanent, in any TEER 0–3 occupation
Work experience	One of: 6 consecutive months in the last 12 with the employer making the offer; 3 consecutive months for recent Ontario graduates; or 2 cumulative years in the last 5 in the job offer’s NOC occupation. Licensed applicants are exempt
Language	CLB 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations)
Education	Post-secondary degree or diploma

TEER 4–5 pathway

For jobs in TEER 4 or 5 occupations.

Requirement	Rule
Job offer	Full-time, permanent, in any TEER 4–5 occupation
Work experience	9 cumulative months in the last 2 years with the employer making the offer
Language	CLB 4
Education	Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent

Self-employed physicians pathway

This is the only pathway with no job offer. Applicants must:

• be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• hold a valid certificate of registration (independent, academic or provisional)
• be eligible to bill through OHIP

Employer side

Employers must meet OINP requirements as well. Ontario has set lower gross annual revenue requirements for employers in rural communities, which it defines as census divisions with a population under 150,000.

The $80,000 earnings points

From October 5, 2026, the Canadian work experience earnings factor gives 10 points to registrants who earned $80,000 or more in a single year within the past five years. The earnings must be verified with a CRA Notice of Assessment. Ontario applied the change automatically to EOIs already in the pool.

In practice, this rewards people who already have a strong Canadian salary history, usually in professional, health or skilled trade jobs. If you qualify, make sure you have the Notice of Assessment for that year ready, because you will need to prove what you claimed.

How the OWP process works

1. Get a qualifying job offer from an Ontario employer that meets OINP employer requirements (unless you are a self-employed physician).
2. Check the pathway rules for your TEER level: work experience, language and education.
3. Register an EOI in the OINP portal. Your EOI is scored, and Ontario invites top-ranked candidates in draws.
4. Apply after an invitation. You must submit your application and payment within the deadline in your invitation.
5. Receive a nomination if approved.
6. Apply to IRCC for permanent residence. IRCC says the province tells you whether to apply through the Express Entry-aligned or the non-Express Entry route. IRCC’s economic PR fee is $1,590 for the principal applicant, including the right of permanent residence fee, as of October 2026.

EOI tips

These are general points drawn from how the program is structured, not insider advice.

• Keep your EOI accurate. Points you claim must be backed by documents at the application stage. Overclaiming can lead to refusal and may raise misrepresentation concerns.
• Line up your documents early: language test results, education credentials, pay stubs and Notices of Assessment.
• Check the job offer details against the pathway: full-time, permanent, correct TEER level.
• Watch the updates page. Ontario has called this Phase 1. Scoring factors, like the October 5 change, can change without much notice.

Who is most affected by the redesign

International graduates in Ontario

Before June 2026, master’s and PhD graduates of Ontario universities could apply without a job offer. That option is gone. Graduates now need a full-time permanent job offer and must qualify under the TEER 0–3 or TEER 4–5 pathway. One helpful detail: recent Ontario graduates only need 3 consecutive months of work with the employer making the offer under the TEER 0–3 pathway, compared with 6 months for other applicants. If you are on a post-graduation work permit, building that work history with your employer early matters.

Express Entry candidates

Ontario no longer runs separate Express Entry streams such as Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker or Skilled Trades. Ontario used to search the federal pool and invite candidates without a job offer under some of these. If you were counting on an Ontario “notification of interest,” that route has closed. You can still get to PR through federal Express Entry draws, or through OWP if you have a qualifying job offer.

TEER 4 and 5 workers

The old In-Demand Skills stream covered a limited list of lower-skilled occupations. The new TEER 4–5 pathway accepts any TEER 4 or 5 occupation, as long as you have a full-time permanent job offer, 9 cumulative months with that employer in the last 2 years, CLB 4 and a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent. For some workers in occupations that were not on the old list, this is a real opening.

Employers in smaller communities

Ontario lowered the gross annual revenue requirement for employers in census divisions with fewer than 150,000 people. This can make it easier for small rural businesses to support a worker’s application.

OINP vs other routes

If you do not have an Ontario job offer, the OWP stream will not work for you, except for physicians. Other options include federal Express Entry or provinces with different priorities. See how the other big programs compare in our 2026 PNP allocations by province and the Provincial Nominee Program guide.

If you had an EOI withdrawn when the old streams closed, or you are not sure which TEER your job falls under, consider speaking to a licensed lawyer or regulated Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC). This article is general information, not legal advice.

What to do next

• Read the official OINP updates page for the latest criteria.
• Confirm your job offer’s NOC code and TEER level.
• If you earned $80,000+ in a single year within the past five years, find that year’s CRA Notice of Assessment.
• Follow rule changes on our updates page and the Canada hub.