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Ontario - PNP Program
Ontario PNP Program 2026
Ontario - Canada PNP Visa Agents
Ontario is Canada’s largest province by population and economy, and it has one of the country’s most popular provincial nominee programs. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) lets the province nominate foreign workers for permanent residence when they can fill real gaps in its labour market.
In 2026 the OINP went through its biggest redesign in years. Ontario closed its eight former streams and replaced them with a single Ontario Workforce Priority stream. It covers skilled workers, lower-skilled essential workers and self-employed physicians. For most applicants, a job offer from an eligible Ontario employer is now the key to nomination.
This guide explains how the new system works, who can apply, what employers must do and how to move from an Expression of Interest (EOI) to Canadian permanent residence.
What Is the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)?
The OINP is Ontario’s economic immigration program, run under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, and its regulations. It lets the province nominate people who have the skills, experience and job offers Ontario needs, and who intend to live and work there.
The process has two stages:
- Provincial stage: You (with your employer) register through the OINP, receive an invitation to apply, submit your application and, if approved, receive a nomination.
- Federal stage: You then apply to IRCC for permanent residence. IRCC makes the final decision.
Nominees can go through the Express Entry system (TEER 0–3 and physician applicants only) or apply directly to IRCC for a “base” nomination. An Express Entry nomination adds 600 CRS points, which leads to an invitation to apply in the next round.
Ontario PNP Latest Updates 2026
- Old streams closed: Ontario discontinued several OINP streams on 30 May 2026 and replaced the remaining ones on 26 June 2026. Existing EOI profiles and job-offer approvals under the old streams were withdrawn.
- New single stream: The Ontario Workforce Priority stream now serves as the main pathway. It has three pathways: TEER 0–3, TEER 4–5 and self-employed physicians.
- Any NOC occupation: The stream is open to any National Occupational Classification occupation, including TEER 4 and 5 roles, which earlier employer streams generally did not cover.
- Scoring published: The scoring grid was released on 20 July 2026. It is a 130-point system, and the EOI portal reopened on 4 August 2026.
- No job-offer-free route for graduates: The Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams are closed, and graduate degree holders now need a qualifying job offer.
- More streams expected: Ontario has described this as the first phase of the redesign, so further streams or changes may follow
Why Choose Ontario for Canadian Permanent Residence?
- Largest job market: Ontario has the most jobs and employers in Canada, across technology, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, construction and trades.
- Wide occupation coverage: With TEER 0–5 roles now eligible, more workers qualify than before.
- Express Entry link: TEER 0–3 and physician nominees can get +600 CRS points.
- Regional points: The scoring grid rewards jobs outside Toronto, and Northern Ontario earns the most regional points.
- Established newcomer communities: Cities such as Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Ottawa and Hamilton have large Indian and South Asian communities and strong settlement services.
- Education and healthcare: The province has top universities, colleges and a large public healthcare system.
- Work permit support: Nominees can receive a work permit support letter to keep working while PR is processed.
Ontario PNP Streams 2026
The OINP now has one stream, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which includes three pathways. Your TEER category, the second digit of your job’s five-digit NOC code, decides which pathway applies.
Ontario Workforce Priority Stream
The stream offers skilled foreign workers with a qualifying job offer and work experience in any NOC occupation a pathway to live and work permanently in Ontario. It is also available to eligible self-employed physicians who do not have a job offer.
The process works like this:
- Your employer registers and submits a job offer through the Employer Portal.
- You receive a job offer ID and register an EOI.
- If you are invited, you and your employer submit your respective applications.
- Ontario decides on nomination, and you then apply to IRCC.
Both you and your employer must qualify, and Ontario will not approve the nomination unless the employer’s position approval is also granted.
TEER 0–3 Pathway
This pathway covers management, professional, technical and skilled trades occupations.
- Job offer: A full-time, permanent offer from an eligible Ontario employer.
- Work experience: You need one of the following:
- At least 6 months of consecutive, paid, full-time experience in the job offer position within the last 12 months
- For recent Ontario graduates, 3 months of the same experience
- At least 2 years of cumulative full-time experience in the same NOC occupation within the past 5 years
- A mandatory licence or authorization, where the job requires one
- Language: CLB 6 in all four abilities, CLB 5 for listed skilled trades, or an eligible Ontario graduate credential from the last three years, in which case no test is needed.
- Education: A post-secondary credential of at least one year, or a high school diploma for listed skilled trades. Foreign credentials need an ECA.
- Express Entry option: You can choose nomination through Express Entry for +600 CRS points.
TEER 4–5 Pathway
This pathway is for intermediate and lower-skilled essential workers.
- Job offer: A full-time, permanent offer from an eligible employer.
- Work experience: At least 9 months of cumulative, paid, full-time experience in the job offer position, gained within 2 years before you apply.
- Language: CLB 4 in all four abilities.
- Education: A high school diploma or equivalent.
- Nomination type: Base nomination only, with no Express Entry option.
Self-Employed Physicians Pathway
Physicians do not need a job offer. You qualify if you:
- Are eligible to bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), meaning you hold an OHIP billing number, and
- Are a member in good standing of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) with an independent practice, academic practice or provisional certificate.
Ontario PNP Fees 2026
Ontario does not clearly state the applicant fee on the Workforce Priority stream page. Earlier employer job-offer streams charged about CAD 1,500, so treat that as a historical reference only and confirm the current amount on the OINP application page before quoting it.
Other costs to plan for:
- EOI registration: Free.
- Employer application: Reported as free at present, but verify.
- IRCC permanent residence fees: Payable separately. Check IRCC’s fee list.
- Third-party costs: Language tests, ECA, medicals, police certificates and biometrics.
Ontario PNP Processing Time 2026
Ontario does not publish a fixed processing time for the new stream, and the redesign is still recent. Any timeline is an estimate:
- EOI to invitation: Depends on your score and how often Ontario runs rounds.
- Provincial assessment: Varies by volume and by how quickly you and your employer respond.
- Federal stage: IRCC times differ between Express Entry and base applications. Express Entry usually moves faster.
Ontario PNP CRS Score 2026
The OINP has no minimum CRS score. Your EOI score (out of 130) decides whether you get invited, and it is separate from the CRS.
CRS only matters if you are a TEER 0–3 or physician applicant who chooses Express Entry nomination. To use it, you must:
- Meet the minimum criteria of a federal Express Entry stream
- Keep a valid Express Entry profile until nomination
If nominated, you have 30 days to accept in the Express Entry system. You then receive 600 additional CRS points, which lead to an invitation to apply in the next round. You then have 60 days to submit your PR application. If your profile lapses after nomination, you must start the OINP process again.
TEER 4–5 nominees cannot use Express Entry, so they apply to IRCC directly.
Ontario PNP for Indian Applicants
Indians are among the largest groups using the OINP. If you are applying from India or as an Indian national in Canada:
- Language tests: Book IELTS General Training, PTE Core or CELPIP General. A higher CLB earns more points, with CLB 9 worth 15 points.
- ECA: Apply early to an IRCC-designated body such as WES.
- Reference letters: Ask for detailed letters on company letterhead with dates, duties, hours and pay.
- Real job offers only: A genuine employer must register and meet the revenue, staffing and 3-year rules. Be careful about anyone selling job offers.
- Recruitment proof: If you are outside Canada or Ontario, the employer must show it tried to hire a Canadian citizen or PR first.
- Regional strategy: Jobs outside Toronto score higher. Northern Ontario earns 15 regional points.
- Police certificates: Apply through Passport Seva in good time.
- Authorised representatives only: Only properly appointed representatives can act for you.
What Happens After Ontario PNP Nomination?
- Receive your documents: A nomination approval letter, nomination certificate and, if applicable, a work permit support letter.
- Apply to IRCC within 6 months for a base nomination. For Express Entry, accept within 30 days and submit within 60 days of the invitation.
- Keep your job: Your nomination depends on your employer’s approved position and its conditions.
- Extend your work permit using the support letter if you need to keep working during processing.
- Complete medical, police and biometric steps.
- Be ready for follow-ups: The OINP’s Post-Nomination Verification Unit may check compliance and can cancel approvals.
- Receive PR and settle in Ontario.
Candidates will fill a specific need in the labor market, according to human capital priorities.
Candidates with strong English-speaking talents who have the capabilities needed to fulfill a market demand are called French-Speaking Skilled Workers.
Candidates in the skilled trades have ongoing work in Ontario.
There are other streams as well like
Foreign worker stream
In-demand skills stream
Master graduate stream
Skilled trades stream
French-speaking skilled worker stream
You can check on the internet the requirements for each stream and get in touch with us for any inquiry. At GIEC Global, we ensure that we are not only up to date on changes, but also that we can accurately offer the right program for a possible applicant based on their goals. You may be confident that your visa application will be handled with the utmost care and expertise.
FAQs
The program is officially called the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). Ontario redesigned the program in 2026, replacing the former stream structure with new pathways designed to target provincial labour-market needs.
Ontario introduced the first phase of an OINP redesign in June 2026. The changes removed the former eight streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, which has pathways for candidates with Ontario job offers across NOC TEER categories and for certain self-employed physicians.
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is a new OINP pathway introduced as part of the 2026 redesign. It includes pathways for internationally trained workers with eligible Ontario job offers across TEER 0–3 occupations, as well as pathways for self-employed physicians.
Ontario opened the Expression of Interest (EOI) portal for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream on August 4, 2026. Candidates and employers are required to review the applicable eligibility criteria before registering an EOI.
As part of the redesign, Ontario closed the former:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
- Employer Job Offer: International Student
- Master’s Graduate
- PhD Graduate
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
- Express Entry Skilled Trades
The changes took effect as part of the 2026 redesign.
New EOIs are no longer being accepted under the former streams. Ontario states that applications submitted following an invitation under the former framework will continue to be assessed according to the eligibility requirements that were in effect when the application was submitted.
Yes. The redesigned Ontario Workforce Priority Stream uses an Expression of Interest system. Candidates register an EOI and are selected according to the applicable program criteria and selection process.
For the TEER 0–3 pathway, candidates need a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario. The redesigned stream also contains a pathway for self-employed physicians, so requirements depend on the specific pathway.
Yes, where the nomination is through an Express Entry-linked provincial pathway, an accepted provincial nomination provides 600 additional CRS points. However, the former OINP Express Entry streams listed on your page were closed as part of Ontario’s 2026 redesign.
Ontario received a 2026 nomination allocation of 14,119 nominations from the federal government. The allocation applies to the province’s nominee program for the year.
