Ontario Replaces Nearly All Permanent Residence Pathways: What We Know So Far

02 Jun 2026

Ontario Replaces Nearly All Permanent Residence Pathways: What We Know So Far

Ontario has made a major change to its provincial immigration system. As of May 30, 2026, nearly all existing pathways to permanent residence under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, also known as the OINP, have been revoked.

This means that the immigration streams foreign nationals previously used to qualify for a provincial nomination in Ontario are no longer active in their previous form.

At this time, Ontario has not yet introduced replacement streams. The province has also not confirmed the final eligibility rules, launch dates, or operational details for the new system.

However, Ontario had already shared a proposal in December 2025, which gives some insight into what the future OINP system may look like.

What Changed on May 30, 2026?

On May 30, 2026, scheduled changes to Ontario’s provincial immigration regulations came into effect. These changes invalidated the existing immigration streams under the OINP.

The affected streams included several pathways that were previously used by skilled workers, international graduates, foreign workers, healthcare professionals, and entrepreneurs.

Ontario has confirmed that applications already received under the closed streams will be assessed based on the eligibility requirements that were in place at the time the application was submitted.

This means applicants who submitted their applications before the closure should still be assessed under the old rules.

Has Ontario Announced New OINP Streams?

Not yet.

As of now, Ontario has not officially confirmed:

Which new immigration streams will be launched
When the new streams will open
What the final eligibility criteria will be
How invitations will be issued under the new system

However, in a December 2025 stakeholder consultation, Ontario proposed replacing the old system with a smaller number of new immigration pathways.

The consultation closed on January 1, 2026, but the province has not yet published a formal response to stakeholder feedback.

Proposed New OINP Streams

In its December 2025 consultation, Ontario proposed replacing the previous OINP structure with four main nomination streams. One of these streams would have two separate tracks, creating five possible nomination pathways in total.

The proposed streams are:

Employer Job Offer stream – TEER 0 to 3 track
Employer Job Offer stream – TEER 4 to 5 track
Priority Healthcare stream
Entrepreneur stream
Exceptional Talent stream

Under this proposal, the three previous Employer Job Offer streams would be combined into one larger stream with two tracks: one for higher-skilled occupations and one for lower-skilled occupations.

Employer Job Offer Stream: TEER 0 to 3 Track

The proposed TEER 0 to 3 track would be designed for skilled workers. It would likely prioritize candidates who are already working in Ontario.

To qualify under this proposed track, applicants would need to meet requirements related to their job offer, work experience, and education.

Job Offer Wage Requirement

The job offer would generally need to meet the median wage for the occupation in Ontario.

However, recent graduates from eligible Ontario institutions may be able to qualify with a job offer at the low-wage level, if they graduated within the last two years.

In this context, a “job offer” may also include current employment. This means the applicant does not necessarily need to be starting a new job.

Work Experience Requirement

Under the proposal, applicants would need to meet one of the following work experience requirements:

Six months of Ontario work experience in the job offer occupation with the same employer
Two years of experience in the job offer occupation within the last five years
A valid licence in the occupation and good standing with the relevant regulatory body

Education Requirement

Applicants with at least six months of Ontario work experience with the same employer in the job offer occupation may not need to meet a minimum education requirement.

However, applicants who do not have six months of Ontario work experience may need a post-secondary credential.

If the credential was completed outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment may be required.

This proposed track may be especially important for international graduates from Ontario and foreign workers who are already employed in the province.

Employer Job Offer Stream: TEER 4 to 5 Track

The proposed TEER 4 to 5 track would support foreign workers in occupations that usually require a high school diploma, job-specific training, or on-the-job training.

Under the proposed criteria, all TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations would be eligible.

However, selection would likely focus on occupations facing labour shortages. Ontario may use targeted draws to invite candidates based on labour market needs.

To qualify under this proposed track, applicants would need:

A job offer in Ontario
Minimum language ability
At least nine months of work experience in the job offer occupation with the same Ontario employer

Possible Flexibility Under the Employer Job Offer Stream

Ontario’s proposal also mentioned two possible flexibilities under the new consolidated Employer Job Offer stream.

First, there may be a construction trades pathway where union support could replace the requirement for a permanent, full-time job offer.

Second, Ontario may be able to invite candidates based on specific regions, occupations, or other labour market criteria.

This suggests the new system may become more targeted and employer-driven than the previous OINP structure.

Priority Healthcare Stream

Ontario also proposed a new Priority Healthcare stream.

This stream would create a dedicated pathway for regulated, high-skilled healthcare professionals. A job offer may not be required under this proposed stream.

To qualify, applicants would likely need valid professional registration with an Ontario regulatory body.

The proposal also suggests that recent graduates who are completing their registration process may also be considered.

Examples of regulated healthcare professionals in Ontario include:

Nurses
Medical technologists
Laboratory specialists
Other regulated healthcare workers

This proposed stream reflects Ontario’s ongoing need for skilled healthcare professionals.

Entrepreneur Stream

Ontario has also proposed replacing the previously closed Entrepreneur category with a redesigned Entrepreneur stream.

This stream would be for foreign nationals who have either:

Established and actively operate a new business in Ontario
Purchased and operate an existing Ontario business

The second option is also known as business succession.

This proposed stream would likely focus on applicants who are already contributing to Ontario’s economy through active business ownership and operation.

Exceptional Talent Stream

The proposed Exceptional Talent stream would target individuals with strong achievements in areas such as:

Academia
Innovation
Science
Technology
Creative industries

This stream would be designed for people whose contributions may not fit into traditional job-offer-based immigration pathways.

To qualify, applicants may need to show achievements such as:

Significant academic publications
Important research contributions
Prestigious national or international awards
Recognized innovations
Notable artistic or creative work

This stream would likely involve a qualitative assessment of the applicant’s achievements and their potential contribution to Ontario.

Ontario’s Immigration Program Is Currently in Transition

At this stage, Ontario’s provincial immigration system is in a transition period.

The old streams have been revoked, but the new streams have not yet been officially launched.

Ontario published its proposal on December 3, 2025, through the Ontario Regulatory Registry. The consultation period ended on January 1, 2026.

Since then, Ontario has not published final replacement regulations or detailed program instructions.

However, recent regulatory changes give Ontario’s immigration minister authority to create new streams without going through the full regulatory amendment process. This means Ontario may be able to announce new streams with shorter notice.

In a May 29 update, the OINP advised interested applicants and employers to stay tuned to the program updates page for further announcements.

What This Means for Applicants

For applicants, this change creates uncertainty.

Those who were planning to apply under the previous OINP streams may need to wait for Ontario to release final details about the new pathways.

At the same time, the proposed structure suggests Ontario may focus more on: