Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Pathway 1: TEER 0-3 — Skilled Workers

For workers with a full-time permanent job offer in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation from an eligible Ontario employer. Requires Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6 in all four language abilities (CLB 5 accepted for certain occupations), post-secondary education with an Educational Credential Assessment if the credential was earned outside Canada, and at least one qualifying work experience route. Wage must meet or exceed the regional median for the occupation.

Pathway 2: TEER 4-5 — Essential Workers

For workers with a full-time permanent job offer in a TEER 4 or 5 occupation from an eligible Ontario employer. Requires CLB 4 in all four abilities in English or French, a Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent, and nine months of cumulative work experience in the past two years with the job-offer employer specifically (no global experience route). The regional median wage requirement applies. Workers who previously qualified under the former In-Demand Skills stream without a language requirement must now achieve CLB 4.

Pathway 3: Self-Employed Physicians

For physicians who are members in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), hold a valid certificate of registration in the independent, academic, or provisional class, and are eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). This is the only pathway in the redesigned OINP that does not require a job offer.

Closed Streams (Permanently)

• • Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
• • Employer Job Offer: International Student
• • Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
• • Masters Graduate
• • PhD Graduate
• • Human Capital Priorities (Express Entry-linked)
• • French-Speaking Skilled Worker (Express Entry-linked)
• • Skilled Trades (Express Entry-linked)

Candidates with Former-Stream EOIs

Your previous EOI will be automatically withdrawn. Use the interval before the EOI portal reopens to renew language tests if CLB scores have expired or are approaching expiry. CLB 4 to CLB 6 is now mandatory across all pathways. If you have not completed an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for education earned outside Canada, complete one now.

Ontario International Graduates

The Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams are permanently closed. International graduates now need a qualifying Ontario job offer to access the TEER 0-3 pathway. Graduates whose credential was completed within the past three years benefit from a reduced three-month consecutive work experience requirement. Confirm that your program lasted at least two years and was completed at an eligible Ontario institution.

Employers Supporting Applications

Existing OINP employer portal registrations remain valid, but new job offers must be submitted under the Workforce Priority stream. Review job offers against the regional median wage requirement for the relevant occupation, and confirm that the role is full-time and permanent. The new system introduces stronger compliance enforcement, including Administrative Monetary Penalties and program bans for non-compliant employers. For rural and Northern employers, the new program introduces lower revenue thresholds for businesses located in census divisions with populations under 150,000, expanding access for smaller businesses outside the Greater Toronto Area.

Candidates Without a Qualifying Job Offer

Candidates who do not have a qualifying Ontario job offer and are not a self-employed physician should consider federal Express Entry options. The Canadian Experience Class remains a viable pathway for candidates with Canadian work experience. Do not make immigration decisions based on proposed Phase 2 pathways until Ontario publishes confirmed requirements and launch dates.