Immigration to Ontario — Provincial Nominee Program of Canada (OINP)

You can immigrate to Canada through one of the provincial programs — the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

Ontario is one of the most attractive regions for immigration to Canada. It's home to Toronto, the country's largest city and economic hub, making it easier to find well-paying jobs and build connections thanks to numerous diaspora communities, including Ukrainian and Russian. Plus, the province borders American states, and right on the border with New York State sits the pride of both countries, Niagara Falls.

Applicants who don't score enough points to immigrate to Canada through federal programs can try immigrating through one of the 11 provincial programs, which are straightforward and accessible to people in a wide range of occupations. These programs are also great for those planning to live and work in a specific province or territory.

Ontario has its own program like this, called the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, one stream instead of eight previous ones

As of June 26, 2026, all 8 previous OINP streams are closed. They've been replaced by a single stream called Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, which combines three pathways: for skilled workers with a job offer in TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3, for workers with a job offer in TEER categories 4 or 5, and a separate track for self-employed physicians without an employer.

Previously, these pathways were divided into separate streams: for candidates with a job offer (Foreign Worker, International Student, In-Demand Skills), for master's and PhD graduates (Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate), and for those who qualified under federal programs (French-Speaking Skilled Worker, Human Capital Priorities, Skilled Trades). All these streams are now closed, no new applications are being accepted, and previously submitted applications continue to be processed under the old rules.

How points are calculated for invitations

After registering an Expression of Interest (EOI), each applicant receives points across several factor groups: the category and broad occupational category of the job offer, hourly wage rate, accumulated work experience specifically in Ontario, income according to Canada Revenue Agency data from recent years, legal status in the country, education level and number of Canadian credentials, English or French language test results, and the region of future employment: the farther from Toronto, the higher the bonus. Invitations for nomination are sent first to those who score the most points.

You can calculate your points for the Ontario program for free using our points calculator.

REDI Pilot Program

Candidates who meet the criteria for the job offer stream could previously also use the pilot Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) program. The 2025 pilot ended on December 31, 2025, and a decision about continuing it into 2026 and its compatibility with the new stream hasn't been announced yet.

Free conference about life and work in Northern Ontario

To increase your chances of receiving an invitation to apply for an Ontario nomination, we recommend keeping track of the history of passing scores and number of invitations.

Book a consultation with an immigration consultant to assess your chances of immigrating to Ontario under the new rules.

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