Ontario has redesigned part of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program by introducing the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, which contains separate pathways for TEER 0–3 workers, TEER 4–5 workers and qualifying self-employed physicians.

However, applicants need to understand an important timing issue: although the new regulatory framework took effect in June 2026, Ontario has stated that the new Ontario Workforce Priority Expression of Interest system is anticipated to open later in summer 2026. The former OINP Expression of Interest system is closed to new registrations, and Ontario will not issue further invitations under the former streams.

This guide explains what prospective applicants can do now, how the new application process is expected to work and which eligibility documents should be prepared before the portal opens.

Ontario’s New OINP Pathways:

The new stream is designed to cover occupations across all National Occupational Classification TEER levels rather than limiting access to traditionally high-skilled occupations. Self-employed physicians may qualify without a conventional employer job offer when they meet Ontario’s licensing and billing conditions.

Ontario received an allocation of 14,119 provincial nominations for 2026, compared with a full federal allocation of 21,500 nominations in 2025. That represents an allocation reduction of approximately 34.3%, making accurate eligibility screening and complete documentation especially important.

Applicants should not try to create an EOI under an old OINP stream or rely on former invitation scores, deadlines and application fees. Ontario is introducing a new system, and some operational information—including the final scoring grid, application deadline and provincial fee—must still be published.

Step 1: Identify the Correct OINP Pathway

The first step is to determine which of the three pathways matches the applicant’s occupation, work history and current situation.

TEER 0–3 pathway

This pathway requires an approved, full-time and permanent Ontario job offer in an occupation classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.

An applicant may satisfy the work-experience requirement through one of the following routes:

1. At least six consecutive months of full-time, paid work in the offered position during the previous 12 months while legally residing and working in Ontario.
2. For an eligible recent Ontario graduate, at least three consecutive months of full-time, paid work in the offered position during the previous 12 months while legally residing and working in Ontario.
3. At least two years of full-time work, or an equivalent amount of part-time work, during the previous five years in the same NOC as the job offer or in certain related occupations specified by Ontario.

The standard education requirement is generally a Canadian postsecondary degree or diploma from an eligible institution that required at least one year of full-time study, or a foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment issued within the previous five years.

Applicants who already hold the licence or authorization legally required to perform the occupation in Ontario may be exempt from the standard work-experience and education requirements.

Unless applying through the recent Ontario graduate provisions, applicants generally require at least CLB 6 in listening, reading, writing and speaking, demonstrated through an approved language test completed within the previous two years.

Who is considered a recent Ontario graduate?

A recent Ontario graduate generally needs to have completed an eligible Ontario credential during the previous three years. Qualifying credentials can include:

• a degree or diploma requiring at least two years of study;
• an eligible master’s or doctoral degree; or
• an eligible Ontario college graduate certificate.

Applicants should wait for Ontario’s final program guide before assuming that every Ontario certificate or private-college credential will qualify.

TEER 4–5 pathway

Applicants under the TEER 4–5 pathway require an approved Ontario job offer in a TEER 4 or TEER 5 occupation.

They must generally demonstrate:

• at least nine months of full-time, paid work in the offered position during the previous two years;
• that the work was completed while legally residing and working in Ontario;
• completion of Canadian secondary school or a foreign equivalent supported by an ECA issued within the previous five years; and
• minimum language proficiency of CLB 4 in all four abilities, with test results less than two years old.

This pathway is particularly relevant to workers already contributing to Ontario’s economy in occupations that were not always covered effectively by previous skilled-worker pathways. It is not primarily an overseas recruitment pathway because its work-experience condition requires qualifying employment in Ontario.

Self-employed physician pathway

A conventional employer job offer is not required for the self-employed physician pathway.

A physician must generally:

• be practising on a self-employed basis;
• be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario;
• hold an independent, academic or provisional certificate of registration; and
• be eligible to submit claims for publicly funded health services, including services covered through Ontario’s health insurance system.

A physician who works through a professional corporation should carefully review how Ontario defines self-employment and ownership before registering.

Step 2: Verify the Ontario Employer and Job Offer

For the TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 pathways, applicant eligibility alone is not enough. The employer and employment position must also qualify.

The employer must generally:

• have actively operated its business for at least three years;
• maintain a place of business in Ontario;
• offer work that will primarily be performed in Ontario, subject to limited occupation-specific exceptions;
• offer a full-time, indeterminate position;
• demonstrate that the position is urgently necessary to the business; and
• employ at least five Canadian citizens or permanent residents at the relevant work location in the Greater Toronto Area, or at least three at a location outside the GTA.

The wage must normally meet or exceed the applicable Job Bank median wage for the occupation and region. An applicant already working for the employer should also receive at least the wage currently being paid. Different wage provisions may apply to qualifying recent Ontario graduates.

Ontario has also introduced lower gross annual revenue requirements for qualifying employers in rural census divisions with populations below 150,000. Applicants and employers should confirm the exact revenue threshold after Ontario publishes the final operational guide.

Practical employer check

Before registering an EOI, request confirmation that the employer is prepared to:

1. register through Ontario’s employer system;
2. submit the job-offer information;
3. provide business registration and revenue evidence;
4. provide payroll records proving the required number of Canadian or permanent-resident employees;
5. explain why the position is necessary; and
6. respond promptly if Ontario requests further information.

A valid-looking employment letter does not automatically mean the employer qualifies under the OINP.

Step 3: Prepare the Applicant and Employer Documents

Applicants should create separate folders for identity, status, education, language, employment and employer evidence.

Applicant document checklist

A work-reference letter should normally state the employment dates, weekly hours, wage, location and detailed duties. The duties—not merely the job title—should substantially correspond with the selected NOC.

Employer documents

The employer may need to provide:

• business registration records;
• Canada Revenue Agency documentation;
• financial or revenue evidence;
• payroll records;
• proof of business premises;
• employee-count evidence;
• recruitment information, where requested;
• job description and organizational information; and
• evidence explaining why the position is urgently necessary.

Physician documents

Self-employed physicians should prepare:

• CPSO registration evidence;
• certificate-of-registration details;
• proof of good standing;
• OHIP or publicly funded billing eligibility;
• billing or payment records;
• professional corporation records, where applicable;
• clinic agreements or practice-location evidence; and
• proof that the medical practice is active in Ontario.

Step 4: Create the Employer Profile and Expression of Interest

Once Ontario opens the new system, the employer will need to complete its required registration and job-offer steps before a job-offer applicant can submit the corresponding provincial application.

The applicant will then register an Expression of Interest and attest that the information provided is accurate and that the eligibility requirements are met. An EOI is not a nomination application. It places the applicant in a selection pool where Ontario can conduct general or targeted invitation rounds.

Ontario’s regulations permit ranking based on factors such as:

• level and field of education;
• location of study;
• official-language proficiency;
• work experience and skill level;
• earnings and employment prospects;
• intention to settle outside the Greater Toronto Area; and
• immediate provincial or regional labour-market needs.

The final points grid for the new stream had not been published as of July 18, 2026. Applicants should therefore avoid calculators or websites that reuse the scoring system from the former Employer Job Offer streams.

EOI accuracy tips

Before submitting an EOI:

• use the five-digit 2021 NOC code matching the actual duties;
• enter the exact wage shown in the employer’s records;
• calculate work experience from documented dates;
• confirm that language and ECA reports remain valid;
• use consistent spellings of employer and school names; and
• save a PDF or screenshot of every answer.

Every point claimed in an EOI should be supported by a document that can be uploaded after an invitation.

Step 5: Receive an Invitation and Submit the Complete Application

Ontario may issue general invitations or targeted invitations based on occupations, sectors, regions, language ability or other labour-market priorities.

Receiving an invitation does not guarantee nomination. The applicant must still submit a complete application and prove that the information claimed in the EOI was correct.

After receiving an invitation:

1. Read the invitation notice carefully.
2. Confirm that the job offer and employment circumstances have not changed.
3. Review the pathway-specific document checklist.
4. Upload clear, complete and properly translated documents.
5. Ensure the employer completes every required action.
6. Pay the applicable provincial application fee.
7. Submit before the deadline shown in the invitation.

Ontario’s current regulations allow the program director to establish and publish the application deadline. Applicants should not assume that the former OINP deadline or old application fee will apply to the new pathways.

Documents not written in English or French should be accompanied by an acceptable translation. Names, dates and employment information should remain consistent across the passport, forms, EOI and supporting evidence.

Step 6: OINP Assessment and Nomination Decision

OINP officers may assess both the employer’s position and the applicant’s nomination application. Ontario may request:

• additional documents;
• clarification about employment duties;
• updated immigration-status documents;
• proof of continuing employment;
• employer financial information; or
• an interview with the applicant or employer.

Applicants must continue to satisfy the conditions of the pathway during processing. A major change—such as job loss, reduced hours, a different work location or an employer closing operations—should not be concealed.

If Ontario approves the application, it issues a provincial nomination. The nomination confirms that Ontario has selected the applicant, but it does not itself grant permanent resident status. The federal government makes the final decision on admissibility and permanent residence.

Step 7: Apply to IRCC After Nomination

Based on the current regulatory structure, applicants should expect the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream to operate as a base or non-Express Entry provincial nomination route unless Ontario or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada publishes different operational instructions.

After nomination, the applicant would generally submit an online permanent residence application through IRCC’s Permanent Residence Portal under the non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program process.

The federal application commonly includes:

• the Ontario nomination certificate;
• passport and civil-status documents;
• police certificates;
• medical examination results or instructions;
• photographs;
• employment and background forms;
• proof of provincial settlement intention;
• translations; and
• federal processing and permanent residence fees.

IRCC currently lists federal fees for a principal applicant under the non-Express Entry PNP process, although applicants should confirm the amount immediately before payment. Applicants between 14 and 79 are generally required to provide biometrics for a permanent residence application.

IRCC—not Ontario—conducts the final medical, criminality, security and immigration-admissibility assessment.

Conclusion

Ontario’s new Workforce Priority Stream creates broader nomination possibilities for TEER 0–3 professionals, TEER 4–5 workers and self-employed physicians. However, successful applicants will need more than an eligible occupation. The job offer, employer, wage, work history, education, language results and supporting records must satisfy the pathway’s requirements.

The best strategy before the portal opens is to complete a detailed eligibility review, confirm employer participation and organize every document that supports the future EOI. Because Ontario’s 2026 nomination allocation is lower than its 2025 allocation, applicants should avoid speculative EOI claims and submit only information they can prove.