The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is Ontario's provincial nominee program. The province selects workers who have a job offer from an Ontario employer and nominates them for permanent residence. With a nomination, you apply for permanent residence to IRCC, which makes the final decision.
Ontario redesigned the program in summer 2026. On June 26, 2026, the eight previous streams were closed and replaced with a single new stream, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Its expression of interest (EOI) portal opened on August 4, 2026. The province says this is the first phase of the redesign and that three more streams will follow, but their criteria have not been published yet.
The new stream is best suited to people who already live and work in Ontario and whose employer is ready to support them for permanent residence.
Which OINP streams are closed
Since June 26, 2026, the following streams no longer accept applications:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker, In-Demand Skills and International Student;
- Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate;
- Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades.
Applications submitted after an invitation under a former stream are assessed under the old rules. EOIs and job offers that had not resulted in an invitation were withdrawn. The employer has to register a new job offer, and the candidate has to register a new EOI under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
Candidate requirements under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The requirements depend on the TEER category of your job offer under the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The TEER category is the second digit of the five-digit NOC code.
| Requirement | TEER 0–3 position | TEER 4–5 position |
| Job offer | Full-time, permanent job in Ontario, paid at or above the median wage for your region according to Job Bank | |
| Work experience | One of: 6 consecutive months within the last 12 months in the job offer position with this employer; 3 months for recent Ontario graduates; 2 years within the last 5 years in the same NOC occupation; a licence, if the occupation is regulated | 9 months within the last 2 years in the job offer position with this employer |
| Language (all 4 abilities) | CLB 6, or CLB 5 for skilled trades. No test is needed if in the last 3 years you graduated in Ontario from a 2-year program, an Ontario College Graduate Certificate, a master's or a PhD | CLB 4 |
| Education | Post-secondary education of at least 1 year; high school for skilled trades | High school |
| Foreign education | Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old | |
| Status in Canada | Legal status when you apply: visitor record, study permit or work permit. You can also apply on maintained status | |
You must also intend to live and work in Ontario. Transport truck drivers and bus drivers (NOC 73300 and 73301) need 6 months of experience in the position even if they hold a licence. Self-employed people and contractors without an employer-employee relationship are not eligible. The exception is self-employed physicians, who have a separate pathway without a job offer.
Employer requirements
- in active business for at least 3 years, with business premises in Ontario where you will work;
- no outstanding orders under Ontario's employment standards and occupational health and safety laws;
- gross revenue in the most recently completed fiscal year of at least $1,000,000 if the job is in the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, York); at least $500,000 in Ottawa, Waterloo, Hamilton, Niagara, London (Middlesex), Sudbury and several other census divisions; at least $250,000 in the last two completed fiscal years elsewhere;
- at least 5 full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents at your work location in the GTA, or at least 3 outside the GTA;
- a wage at or above the regional median. Bonuses, commissions and piece-work pay do not count.
If you are already authorized to work in Ontario, the employer does not need to prove recruitment efforts. Ontario Public Service employers do not participate in the program.
How the process works
- The employer registers the job offer in the Employer Portal, and you receive a job offer ID.
- Within 30 days, you register an expression of interest (EOI). It is free and valid for 12 months.
- The province holds draws and invites the highest-scoring candidates. Registering an EOI does not guarantee an invitation.
- After the invitation, the employer has 14 days to apply for approval of the position, and you have 17 days to submit your application with documents and pay the fee (after the employer has applied).
- If approved, you receive a nomination approval letter, a nomination certificate and, if applicable, a work permit support letter. You must apply to IRCC for permanent residence within 6 months.
- TEER 0–3 candidates with an active Express Entry profile can be nominated through Express Entry, which adds 600 CRS points; the IRCC service standard is 6 months. Others apply outside Express Entry, with an IRCC service standard of 11 months. Provincial processing is not included in these times.
How EOI points are awarded
| Factor | Points |
| TEER category of the job | TEER 0–1 — 9; TEER 2–3 — 6; TEER 4–5 — 0 |
| Broad occupational category (first digit of the NOC) | 3 (health) — 10; 7 (trades and transport) — 8; 2 (natural and applied sciences) — 6; 0, 1, 4, 8, 9 — 4; 5, 6 — 2 |
| Hourly wage of the job offer | $40 or more — 15; $35–39.99 — 12; $30–34.99 — 10; $25–29.99 — 8; $20–24.99 — 5; under $20 — 0 |
| Ontario experience in the job offer position | over 24 months — 18; 13–24 — 15; 6–12 — 12 |
| Canadian earnings in a year (Notice of Assessment, last 5 years) | $70,000 or more — 8; $50,000–69,999 — 6; $30,000–49,999 — 4 |
| Status in Canada | work permit — 10; study permit — 5 |
| Highest level of education | doctorate or medicine — 10; master's — 8; bachelor's — 6; college, Ontario College Graduate Certificate, trades — 5 |
| Canadian credentials | more than one — 10; one — 5 |
| Language (lowest of the 4 abilities) | CLB 9 or higher — 15; CLB 8 — 12; CLB 7 — 8; CLB 6 — 4 |
| Official languages | English and French (both at CLB 6 or higher) — 10; one — 5 |
| Region of the job | Northern Ontario — 15; Eastern, Central (outside the GTA) and Southwestern — 10; GTA except Toronto — 5; Toronto — 0 |
Working outside Toronto, a high language score, experience in the same position and a good hourly wage earn the most points. As of September 2026, the province has not yet published any draws under the new stream, so the cut-off score is not known.
How much it costs
The OINP application fee is $1,500 if the job is outside the Greater Toronto Area and $2,000 if it is inside the GTA. Registering an EOI is free. On top of that come the IRCC permanent residence fees, biometrics, the medical exam, the language test and the credential assessment.
Who can help with OINP for a fee
Under Ontario's rules, only licensed CICC consultants and lawyers may represent you for a fee. You create your own Ontario.ca account and appoint your representative in the portal. Never share your password with anyone. Applications submitted by self-appointed representatives are withdrawn. For misrepresentation, the province can refuse an application or cancel a nomination, impose a penalty and ban you from the program.
OINP: frequently asked questions
How can ViBK IMMIGRATION CONSULTING help you?
We check whether your position and your employer meet the Ontario Workforce Priority requirements, estimate your EOI score, prepare documents for you and your employer, and support your case through to your permanent residence application to IRCC.
Book a consultation — we will review your situation in detail and find the right program for you.
