Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

The TEER 0-3 pathway is for workers in higher-skilled occupations who hold a qualifying job offer from an eligible Ontario employer.

The work experience requirement under the TEER 0-3 pathway can be satisfied through one of three routes. In our practice, we see the cumulative route used most often: two years of experience in the same NOC occupation accumulated over the past five years, regardless of employer or country. This suits candidates who have worked across multiple employers or jurisdictions in the same field. The 2-year cumulative occupational experience may be in the same NOC occupation as the job offer, or in a related occupation under specified exemptions defined in the regulation. Ontario has indicated this flexibility is intended to support workers transitioning between related roles, such as a foreign-trained nurse working in a personal support worker position while pursuing credential equivalency. Specific related-occupation pairings are defined in Ontario Regulation 422/17. Candidates relying on this flexibility should verify their specific occupational pairing is recognized under the regulation. The same-employer six-month route applies to candidates currently working with their job-offer employer under a work permit; they need six consecutive months in the job-offer position in the past twelve months. Recent Ontario graduates benefit from a third route: three consecutive months with the job-offer employer, available only if the credential was completed within the past three years and the program was at least two years in duration. The three-month graduate route does not apply to short-cycle credentials or programs completed outside Ontario.

The TEER 4-5 pathway is for workers in essential and intermediate occupations, covering sectors such as healthcare support, transport, food service, agriculture, and manufacturing.

The work experience requirement here is notably stricter than the TEER 0-3 pathway. In our practice, this is the primary eligibility barrier we see for TEER 4-5 candidates: all nine months must be with the same employer who is offering the job. There is no global experience route and no cumulative option across multiple employers. Workers who recently changed employers need to understand that their experience clock effectively resets for this pathway. A worker with strong cumulative experience across several Ontario employers in the same occupation would not qualify unless they have nine months with the one employer making the current job offer. Workers who previously qualified under the former Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream without a language test must now achieve CLB 4 before applying.

The Self-Employed Physicians pathway is designed to address Ontario's physician shortage by providing a direct nomination route for registered Ontario physicians.

This is the only pathway in the redesigned OINP that does not require a job offer. Physicians are assessed on the basis of their CPSO standing and OHIP billing eligibility alone, without an employer relationship. The pathway is designed as a standalone qualification: if a physician holds the required CPSO certificate class and meets the OHIP billing requirement, no additional employer documentation is needed. Licensing requirements, including the criteria for each certificate class, are established by CPSO independently of OINP. Physicians should review the CPSO website for class-specific criteria, as the provisional class in particular has conditions that vary by individual registration history.

Employers who wish to support a Workforce Priority application must meet specific eligibility criteria and comply with the new program's enhanced enforcement provisions.

The "predominantly in Ontario" work requirement has a specific transport exception. Employers with NOC 73300 or 73301 occupations (transport truck drivers, delivery drivers) are exempt from this requirement if they hold a valid CVOR (Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration) certificate and have an Excellent or Satisfactory safety rating under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. This exception recognizes the cross-provincial nature of transport work.

Recent Ontario graduates applying under the TEER 0-3 pathway only need to meet or exceed the low-wage level for their occupation (not the regional median), which provides employers in lower-wage markets more flexibility when supporting graduate applications.

The new system introduces stronger compliance and enforcement mechanisms, including Administrative Monetary Penalties and program bans for employers found to be non-compliant. Employers who have previously used OINP should review the updated compliance requirements carefully. Employers whose workers need temporary work authorization before qualifying for OINP nomination may wish to review LMIA options for employer-supported work permits.

The redesigned program introduces lower gross annual revenue requirements for employers located in rural communities. For program purposes, a rural community is defined as a community located in a census division with a population of less than 150,000 people. This applies across all Ontario Workforce Priority pathways. Ontario has not published the specific dollar threshold values in the publicly available amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 reviewed at this writing. Employers should verify the current revenue requirement applicable to their location through the OINP directly.

The redesign also tightened compliance and enforcement procedures. The response time for a Notice of Intent to Issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty or Ban order has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days. Notices of contravention may now be delivered by email, mail, or in person, and are treated as delivered for procedural purposes.

The Workforce Priority stream uses an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. The portal is currently closed and is anticipated to reopen in summer 2026. Once open, the process follows the steps below.

With the EOI portal closed, the period before it reopens is the right time to resolve outstanding eligibility issues. The action items below are organized by the most common gaps we see in Workforce Priority applications.

Ontario has confirmed that the June 26, 2026 launch of the Workforce Priority stream is Phase 1 of a broader two-phase OINP redesign. Phase 2 has been announced but Ontario has not provided a confirmed launch date or final eligibility requirements.

The Priority Healthcare Stream is of particular note because licensing in regulated healthcare professions in Ontario is provincially regulated and can take multiple years. A physician who is licensed can access the current Self-Employed Physicians pathway. Other healthcare professionals (nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists) whose licensing process is underway may be intended beneficiaries of the Phase 2 stream, but no confirmed eligibility criteria have been published.

These remain proposed pathways. Ontario has not confirmed launch dates, full eligibility requirements, or implementation details for any Phase 2 stream. Candidates who are planning their immigration strategy around Phase 2 should monitor the official OINP program updates page and not take preparatory steps (such as delaying a Phase 1 application) based on Phase 2 expectations alone.