OINP 2026: How the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Works

Ontario's OINP page (updated 14 July 2026) says the new Workforce Priority stream has launched and all other streams are closed. The stream page (updated 6 October 2026) describes a process in which an employer submits a job offer, the worker registers an expression of interest within 30 days, and invited applicants must file within 17 days.

Ontario changed its provincial nominee program in 2026. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) page, updated on 14 July 2026, states that "the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream has now launched, and all other streams are now closed." Only the Workforce Priority stream is described as open, and the page adds, "Watch for more changes coming soon."

This guide explains the stream as Ontario's own page describes it (updated 6 October 2026): who can apply, what the employer must show, how the expression of interest is scored, the deadlines, and what comes after a nomination. It describes the rules. It does not say whether a given person or employer qualifies, and it does not predict who will be invited.

Ontario can change this stream again, and the page itself says more changes are coming. Always read the current page before relying on this one. It does not list jobs or promise an employer.

What changed: one stream open, others closed

The OINP is how Ontario nominates people for permanent residence. A province nominates, and then the nominee applies to IRCC for permanent residence. The OINP page now says all streams other than the Workforce Priority stream are closed and links to a separate page on closed streams.

The page does not say how the closure affects applications already submitted. It directs applicants to sign in to the e-filing portal to check status, and to its "Update your application" section for changes and extension requests. If you have a file in one of the closed streams, those are the places to look, not this article.

IRCC and the province are separate decision-makers. Ontario decides on the nomination; IRCC decides on permanent residence. The fee list's permanent residence fees are IRCC's, and any provincial fee is Ontario's. The stream page we read did not state an application fee, so we do not quote one; check the OINP page and the e-filing portal before paying anything.

Who the stream is for

The stream page says it "offers eligible skilled foreign workers with a qualifying job offer and work experience in any" National Occupational Classification occupation. Two groups are described:

• Job offer applicants. Skilled foreign workers with a qualifying job offer from an Ontario employer and the required work experience.
• Self-employed physicians. They may apply without a job offer. They need an OHIP billing number and a certificate in good standing from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (independent, academic or provisional). Other applicant and employer requirements do not apply to them, and they apply within 17 calendar days of an invitation. Holders of a postgraduate education licence cannot apply as self-employed physicians.

The page lists who is not eligible: self-employed professionals or contractors with no employer-employee relationship, except physicians.

The job offer must be "in any" NOC occupation, meaning the stream is not limited to a short list of jobs. The occupation's TEER category still matters for experience, language, education and scoring, as set out below.

Applicant requirements

The stream page sets requirements that depend on the TEER category of the job offer.

Work experience. • TEER 0 to 3: six consecutive months of full-time paid work in the job offer position within the last 12 months (at least 780 hours in 12 months); or three months for recent Ontario graduates (at least 390 hours); or two years cumulative within five years; or a mandatory licence. The page says transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) and bus or transit operators (NOC 73301) need the six-month experience even if licensed. • TEER 4 or 5: nine months cumulative within two years, with at least 1,170 hours in 12 months.

Licence. If the position needs a licence or authorization, it must be valid at submission and throughout the nomination period.

Language. • TEER 0 to 3: CLB 6 in all four skills, or CLB 5 for listed skilled trades. Recent Ontario graduates with a listed credential may be exempt. • TEER 4 or 5: CLB 4 in all four skills. • Tests must be taken within two years before submission. Accepted tests listed are IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.

Education. • TEER 0 to 3: a postsecondary credential of at least one year full-time, or a high school diploma for listed skilled trades. • TEER 4 or 5: a high school diploma or equivalent. • Foreign studies need an educational credential assessment (ECA) less than five years old from a designated organization.

Legal status. An applicant inside Canada must have legal status. The page says "maintained status" is accepted while an IRCC renewal is pending. Our maintained status guide explains the term.

Intention. The applicant must intend to live and work in Ontario after becoming a permanent resident, shown through ties such as work, study, property or family.

The page uses CLB, the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Test providers publish conversion tables from their scores to CLB levels; read the current table from the test provider.

Employer and job offer requirements

The employer side is a large part of the stream. According to the page, the employer must:

• have been active in business for at least three years before applying;
• have a business premises in Ontario where the worker will work;
• have no outstanding orders under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• meet revenue and minimum Canadian citizen or permanent resident full-time employee requirements, which vary by location (the page we read does not list the figures);
• show recruitment effort for Canadians or permanent residents if the worker lives outside Canada or outside Ontario.

Ontario Public Service positions are not accepted.

The job offer itself must be:

• full-time and permanent, in Ontario;
• urgently necessary to the employer's business;
• not affecting a labour dispute;
• at or above the required wage level for the job's location (the page gives no minimum wage figure).

If the worker is already employed in the position, they must remain employed until nominated and through the post-nomination period. Otherwise the offer must take effect when the worker gets a work permit and starts. Any change to duties, wage, hours or term must be reported to the OINP immediately.

Because the stream is employer-initiated, the worker cannot start it alone. The employer registers and submits the job offer first.

The process and deadlines

The page lays out the sequence:

1. Employer submits. The employer registers and submits a job offer in the Employer Portal and receives a job offer ID.
2. Applicant registers an expression of interest (EOI). The applicant must do so within 30 calendar days of the employer's submission.
3. If invited: the employer submits its application for approval within 14 calendar days of the invitation. The applicant submits and pays within 17 calendar days of the invitation, and only after the employer has submitted. The application file number differs from the EOI number.

The page does not say how often invitations are issued or how many; we do not state any.

Deadlines of this kind are strict in programs like this one. The practical point is the order: the employer's submission comes before the applicant's, and the clocks run in calendar days, not business days.

Representatives. The page says self-appointed representatives are invalid, and that applications are returned as incomplete with fees refunded. It does not name who is valid beyond that. If you plan to use a representative, check the OINP page for how a representative must be appointed, and check that person's licence on the College or law society register first.

How the EOI is scored

The stream uses points in the expression of interest. The page summarises the factors:

• TEER of the job offer: TEER 0 or 1 = 9 points; TEER 2 or 3 = 6; TEER 4 or 5 = 0.
• Wage: $40 per hour or higher = 15 points; $35 to $39.99 = 12; $30 to $34.99 = 10; $25 to $29.99 = 8; $20 to $24.99 = 5; under $20 = 0. The page says this is scoring, not a minimum.
• Ontario work experience (job offer): over 24 months full-time = 18 points, down to 0.
• Canadian earnings (Notice of Assessment, last five years): $80,000 or more = 10 points, down to 0.
• Legal status: valid work permit = 10 points; study permit = 5.
• Education: doctorate or medical, dental, veterinary or optometry degree = 10 points, down to 0.
• Language: CLB 9 or higher = 15 points, down to 0 for CLB 5 or lower; two official languages at CLB 6 or higher = 10 points.
• Regionalization: Northern Ontario = 15; Eastern, Central (outside the GTA) and Southwestern Ontario = 10 each; GTA outside Toronto = 5; Toronto = 0.

The page calls this a summary, so the full grid is on the page itself. Points are a ranking tool: they do not guarantee an invitation, and the page does not say what score would be invited. Count the points if you wish, but do not treat the total as a prediction.

Note what the scoring shows about the design: location matters, with northern and non-GTA regions scoring higher than Toronto, and the wage on the offer feeds directly into points.

After a nomination

The page says successful applicants receive a nomination approval letter, a nomination certificate, and a work permit support letter if applicable.

The nominee then applies to IRCC for permanent residence within six months. The page also describes an Express Entry option: the applicant must accept or refuse within 30 calendar days, accepting adds 600 points, and the applicant applies to IRCC within 60 calendar days. Our guide to how Express Entry works covers the federal side, and IRCC's fee list shows the permanent residence fees ($1,590.00 with the right of permanent residence fee for economic applications, as at 21 September 2026).

Post-nomination, conditions are stated in the approval letter. The page says the OINP may cancel nominations if conditions are not met, and that a new EOI is required if employment ends.

Two lessons follow from the structure. A nomination depends on a real, continuing job with a specific employer. And the nomination is not permanent residence: IRCC still decides, including on admissibility and medical and security checks.

Reading the page safely, and when to get help

Provincial programs are among the most frequently changed parts of Canadian immigration. The OINP page itself says to watch for more changes. Three habits reduce risk:

• Read the "Updated" date at the top of the stream page and the OINP page. If it differs from the dates in this guide, the rules may have changed.
• Use only ontario.ca for requirements and the e-filing portal for your file.
• Do not pay anyone to "guarantee" an invitation. No one can promise an invitation. Under IRPA section 91, only licensed consultants, lawyers and a few others may be paid to advise or represent you on an application; our guide to checking an RCIC licence shows how to verify one.

Employers and workers both sometimes consult a licensed adviser, because the stream involves an employer filing, a worker filing and tight clocks. If you do, the adviser must give you a written consultation agreement with their fee before starting.

If you want a regulated adviser to look at your own documents, the Migratio directory lists licensed Canadian immigration consultants (RCICs) and lawyers, with their College or law society details so you can check the register yourself. Migratio is a directory and booking service. It is not an immigration consultant and does not give advice on individual cases.

Questions people ask

Is the OINP Workforce Priority stream the only open OINP stream?

Ontario's OINP page (updated 14 July 2026) says the new Workforce Priority stream has launched and all other streams are now closed. It adds that more changes are coming, so check the page's current date.

Do I need a job offer for the Workforce Priority stream?

Yes for most applicants. The stream page says it is for skilled foreign workers with a qualifying job offer and work experience in any NOC occupation. Self-employed physicians may apply without a job offer if they meet the physician requirements.

How long do I have to register an expression of interest?

The page says the applicant must register an EOI within 30 calendar days of the employer's job offer submission. If invited, the applicant has 17 calendar days to submit and pay, after the employer has submitted.

What language level does the Workforce Priority stream require?

The page requires CLB 6 in all four skills for TEER 0 to 3, or CLB 5 for listed skilled trades, and CLB 4 for TEER 4 or 5. Tests must be taken within two years before submission.

Does a nomination mean I have permanent residence?

No. Ontario nominates, then the nominee applies to IRCC for permanent residence within six months, per the stream page. IRCC makes the decision on permanent residence.

Sources

• Ontario: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (updated 2026-07-14) (read 2026-10-09)
• Ontario: OINP Workforce Priority stream (updated 2026-10-06) (read 2026-10-09)
• IRCC fee list (date modified 2026-09-21) (read 2026-10-09)

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

• Express Entry explained: how the system and its three programs work — Express Entry is an online system IRCC uses to manage applications for permanent residence under three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a profile, candidates with the highest scores are invited in rounds, invited candidates apply, and an officer decides. This page explains the mechanics. It cannot tell you whether you are eligible.
• Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.
• Maintained Status in Canada: Working and Studying While You Wait — If you apply to extend your stay before it expires and IRCC hasn't decided by the expiry date, IRPR s.183(5) extends your authorized stay until the day of the decision and you keep your status and conditions. You can keep working or studying only under the same conditions, you must stay in Canada, and the right ends on the day a refusal is made.
• LMIA explained: what it is and which Temporary Foreign Worker Program streams employers use — A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is an assessment by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that an officer uses when deciding on an employer-specific work permit. The employer applies for it and pays the $1,000 fee per position. Workers cannot be charged for it or for recruitment. A positive LMIA does not by itself guarantee a work permit.
• How to check an RCIC licence on the College's Public Register — Search the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca). Only people with an "Active" status and "Yes" in the "Entitled to Practise" column may legally give you immigration advice for a fee. Then contact them using the details on the register, not the ones in an ad or a message.
• Do I need an immigration consultant to apply to Canada? — No. IRCC's own answer is "No. The Government of Canada treats everyone equally, whether they use a representative or not." If you do pay someone for advice, the law says they must be a licensed consultant, a lawyer or paralegal, or a Quebec notary.