Ontario has rebuilt the program that many skilled workers and employers depend on for permanent residence. On June 26, 2026, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development brought into force the first phase of a redesign of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. The changes amend Ontario Regulation 422/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015. The full announcement is available on the Ontario government program updates page.
If you registered an Expression of Interest under the old framework, or you are an employer who relies on the program to keep talent, the ground has moved. This article sets out what changed, what it means for candidates and employers, and where to look next.
Key Takeaways
- All eight former OINP streams closed on June 26, 2026, replaced by a single Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
- The Expression of Interest system is closed and is anticipated to reopen later in the summer.
- Unsubmitted Expressions of Interest and job offers under the former streams will be withdrawn automatically over the coming weeks.
- Applications already invited under a former stream stay under the rules that applied when they were submitted.
- The new stream raises language and education benchmarks and offers three pathways, including one for self-employed physicians without a job offer.
- The response time for a penalty or ban notice dropped from 60 days to 30 days.
01. Eight streams become one
Before June 26, the OINP ran through eight streams. These included the Employer Job Offer streams (Foreign Worker, In-Demand Skills, and International Student), the Master’s and PhD Graduate streams, and three Express Entry-aligned streams (Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker, and Skilled Trades).
As of June 26, 2026, all eight of those streams are closed. A single new stream takes their place, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. The Province describes this as the first step in a two-phase redesign meant to streamline permanent-residence pathways for people with arranged employment in Ontario, help employers keep proven talent in hard-to-fill roles, raise language and education benchmarks, and strengthen program integrity.
02. What happens to Expressions of Interest already in the system
The Expression of Interest system is now closed to new entries, and no further invitations will be issued under the former streams. Expressions of Interest and job offers registered under the old streams that had not yet resulted in an invitation to apply will be withdrawn automatically over the coming weeks while the platforms are rebuilt. The Province has said affected candidates, employers, and representatives will be notified directly.
One distinction matters. An application invited under a former stream, once submitted, continues to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when it was submitted. The automatic withdrawal applies to registrations that had not yet produced an invitation, not to applications already underway.
The Province has said the new Expression of Interest system is anticipated to reopen later in the summer. No firm reopening date has been published. Treat any specific date as unconfirmed until the Province posts one.
03. Inside the Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The new stream is built around three pathways. The summary below reflects the minimum eligibility requirements published by the Province on June 26, 2026. Some occupations carry alternate criteria, so the regulation itself is the controlling source.
Pathway one. TEER 0 to 3 occupations
This pathway covers internationally trained workers in any National Occupational Classification TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation who hold a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario. The published minimum requirements include work experience shown through one of several routes. These routes include six consecutive months in the past year in the job-offer position, a shorter three-month route for recent Ontario graduates, or two cumulative years in the occupation over the past five years, with licensed applicants exempt. The pathway also requires a language benchmark of Canadian Language Benchmark 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations) and a post-secondary degree or diploma.
Pathway two. Self-employed physicians
Self-employed physicians may qualify without a job offer. The published requirements are membership in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, a valid certificate of registration in an eligible class (independent, academic, or provisional), and eligibility to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
Pathway three. TEER 4 to 5 occupations
This pathway is open to workers in any TEER 4 or 5 occupation with a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario. The published minimum requirements include nine cumulative months of experience in the past two years in the job-offer position, a language benchmark of Canadian Language Benchmark 4, and a Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent.
04. What employers need to know
Two practical points stand out for employers.
The first point is continuity of registration. Employers who already registered in the employer portal will not need to register again when the Expression of Interest system reopens. Once the portal reopens, an employer will need to submit a new job offer and a new application for approval of an employment position to start a new Expression of Interest for a candidate under the new stream. The account carries over. The job-offer step starts fresh.
The second point is rural and northern flexibility. For all pathways, lower gross annual revenue requirements will apply to employers in rural communities. For the purposes of the program, a rural community is one located in a census division with a population of less than 150,000. This is aimed at improving access for employers outside the largest urban centres.
05. Program integrity: a shorter clock and a new service method
The redesign tightens the enforcement framework. The OINP has reduced the response time for an individual issued a Notice of Intent to Issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty or a Ban order from 60 days to 30 days. The amendments also allow notices of contravention to be sent by email, mail, or in person, and to be treated as delivered rather than requiring proof of receipt.
If a notice arrives, the window to respond is now half what it was, and a notice may count as delivered even if it lands in an inbox no one checks daily. Keeping contact details current and monitoring official correspondence matters more now, not less.
06. What this means in practice
A redesign of this scale creates a transition period. Candidates whose registrations are withdrawn are not being told they are ineligible. They are being asked to re-engage with a new framework that carries new benchmarks. Employers keep their portal standing but face a fresh job-offer process. Everyone is waiting on the same thing, the reopening of the Expression of Interest system, anticipated later in the summer.
Whether the new benchmarks help or hinder a particular candidate turns on that person’s occupation, experience, language results, and education. The right move is to measure your own situation against the current regulation before acting, and to watch the official OINP updates page for the reopening date and any further figures, which may change.
Navigating the OINP redesign?
The redesign changes how candidates qualify and how employers register. Chressa Law advises candidates and Ontario employers on provincial nomination, work permits, and the employment side of cross-border hiring. To discuss a matter, contact hello@chressalaw.com or book a consultation below.
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