Ontario has opened its new immigration pathway for foreign workers seeking Canadian permanent residence.
From 4 August 2026, eligible candidates can register an Expression of Interest under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. The stream is managed through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
Ontario formally launched the new stream on 26 June 2026. However, candidates could not enter the selection pool until the province opened its updated online system. The intake system is now active, allowing employers and eligible foreign workers to begin the process.
It is important to understand that an Expression of Interest is not a permanent residence application. It places the candidate in a pool where Ontario can rank and select suitable workers. Registration does not guarantee an invitation.
Main details at a glance
| Program detail | Information |
| Intake opened | 4 August 2026 |
| Program | Ontario Workforce Priority Stream |
| Immigration authority | Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program |
| Number of pathways | Three |
| EOI validity | Up to 12 months |
| Candidate’s deadline after invitation | 17 calendar days |
| Employer’s deadline after invitation | 14 calendar days |
| Final permanent residence decision | Made by the federal government |
Three pathways are available
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream includes the following options:
1- TEER 0–3 pathway
This pathway is for foreign workers with a qualifying permanent job offer in a higher-skilled occupation. These occupations normally include management, professional, technical, skilled trade and supervisory positions.
2- TEER 4–5 pathway
This option covers workers with permanent job offers in occupations that usually require secondary education, workplace training or short-term job training.
Both worker pathways require a qualifying job offer from an eligible employer operating in Ontario. Candidates and employers must also meet the separate conditions of the selected pathway.
3- Self-employed physicians pathway
This pathway is for physicians who are registered to practise in Ontario and are eligible to bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
Unlike other candidates, eligible self-employed physicians must begin by submitting the designated OINP webform. They will then receive instructions about creating and registering their Expression of Interest.
How the application process works
1. The employer creates the job offer
For the TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 pathways, the Ontario employer normally starts the process. The employer must submit the qualifying job offer through the OINP Employer Portal.
The candidate’s Expression of Interest must be connected to this job offer. A person cannot simply register under a job-offer pathway without the participation of an eligible employer.
2. The candidate registers an Expression of Interest
The foreign worker creates an account in the OINP e-Filing Portal and registers an EOI under the correct pathway.
There is no guarantee that the candidate will be selected. Ontario uses the EOI system to compare candidates and invite those who best meet the province’s economic and labour-market needs.
An EOI remains active for up to 12 months. If no invitation is received during that period, the registration expires. The candidate must submit a new EOI to remain under consideration.
Candidates should keep their information accurate and up to date. Any claim made in the EOI must later be supported with documents.
3. Ontario ranks candidates
Candidates receive points under Ontario’s scoring system. The score may consider factors such as:
- The location of the job in Ontario
- The candidate’s occupation and TEER category
- The hourly wage
- Ontario work experience
- Canadian income-tax history
- Education
- English or French ability
- Ability in both official languages
- Current immigration status in Canada
Ontario will hold selections from the pool and issue invitations based on the province’s priorities. This means the program is not being operated simply on a first-come, first-served basis.
4. The candidate and employer respond to the invitation
A selected candidate has 17 calendar days from the date of the invitation to submit a complete provincial nomination application and pay the required fee.
The employer has a separate deadline. It must apply for approval of the employment position within 14 calendar days of the invitation.
These are two connected but separate applications. Missing either deadline could prevent the nomination process from moving forward.
5. Ontario assesses the application
The OINP will check whether the candidate, employer and job offer meet the program rules. It will also compare the submitted evidence with the information declared in the EOI.
Receiving an invitation does not automatically mean that the candidate will be nominated. A nomination is issued only after Ontario approves the complete application.
What happens after nomination?
An Ontario nomination is not permanent residence by itself. The successful candidate must still apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence as a provincial nominee.
The federal government is responsible for medical, criminal, security and other admissibility checks. It also makes the final decision on permanent residence.
Nominees with an approved Ontario job offer may receive a provincial support letter that can be used when applying for a work permit. Eligible candidates under the TEER 0–3 or self-employed physician pathway may also have the option of continuing through Express Entry, which can provide faster federal processing in some cases.
What happened to the former OINP streams?
Ontario ended its previous nomination pathways on 30 May 2026 as part of a major redesign of the provincial immigration program.
Applications submitted before those streams closed will continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when they were received. Existing applicants do not need to move their applications into the new stream.
Ontario also plans to introduce three more streams during the second stage of its immigration reforms:
- Priority Healthcare Stream
- Entrepreneur Stream
- Exceptional Talent Stream
The province has not yet published complete eligibility rules or opening dates for these future streams.
What candidates should do now?
Foreign workers interested in the new pathway should first check whether they qualify under one of its three categories. Job-offer candidates should also confirm that their employer is eligible and prepared to complete its part of the process.
Documents relating to employment, work experience, education, language ability and immigration status should be prepared in advance. Candidates invited from the pool will have only 17 calendar days to submit their complete applications.