IMMERGITY
Ontario Workforce Priority Stream: Three New OINP Pathways Launched June 26, 2026
On June 26, 2026, Ontario replaced all 8 remaining OINP streams with the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream — three pathways covering TEER 0–3 workers, TEER 4–5 workers, and self-employed physicians. The EOI system is closed pending a summer 2026 relaunch. Here is what changed, who qualifies, and what to do right now.
Part of the IMMERGITY Provincial Nominee Programs Canada 2026 — Complete Guide →
On June 26, 2026, Ontario made the most significant change to its provincial immigration program in years. All eight remaining streams of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) were shut down and replaced with a single new program: the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. The Expression of Interest (EOI) system closed the same day. No further invitations will be issued under any former stream.
For workers with active EOIs, for employers who had registered job offers, and for anyone counting on the old Human Capital Priorities or Employer Job Offer streams — this is a hard reset. The question is not whether it affects you. The question is what you do next.
What Ontario Actually Announced on June 26, 2026
The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development amended Ontario Regulation 422/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015. According to the official OINP program updates page at ontario.ca, these changes came into force on June 26, 2026, and represent Phase 1 of a two-phase redesign.
The eight streams that were closed include:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
- Employer Job Offer: International Student
- Master's Graduate
- PhD Graduate
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
- Express Entry Skilled Trades
These are gone permanently. The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream takes their place, with three distinct pathways inside it.
The Three Pathways Inside the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is not one stream — it is a container with three separate pathways, each with its own eligibility rules. Knowing which pathway applies to you determines everything about your strategy going forward.
| Pathway | Who It Targets | Job Offer Required? | Language Minimum | Education Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEER 0–3 | Skilled workers in higher-skilled occupations | Yes — full-time, permanent | CLB 6 (CLB 5 for some occupations) | Post-secondary degree or diploma (minimum 1 year full-time) |
| TEER 4–5 | Workers in lower-skilled occupations | Yes — full-time, permanent, at median wage | CLB 4 | Secondary school diploma or equivalent |
| Self-Employed Physicians | OHIP-eligible physicians registered in Ontario | No job offer required | Not specified separately | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) membership required |
TEER 0–3 Pathway — Full Eligibility Breakdown
The TEER 0–3 pathway targets internationally trained workers in occupations that require at least some post-secondary education or training. To qualify, a candidate must satisfy requirements across four areas: job offer, work experience, language, and education. As confirmed by the ontario.ca program updates page published June 26, 2026, licensed applicants are exempt from the work experience requirement.
| Requirement | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Work Experience | 6 months consecutive with the same employer in the past 12 months in the job offer position (3 months for recent Ontario graduates) | 2 years cumulative in the past 5 years in the NOC occupation (licensed applicants exempt) |
| Language | CLB 6 in all four abilities (reading, writing, speaking, listening) | CLB 5 for trades, healthcare support, and certain other designated occupations |
| Education | Post-secondary degree or diploma from a program at least 1 year full-time in length | Canadian or foreign equivalent with valid ECA; skilled trades may qualify with secondary school diploma only |
| Recent Ontario Graduate | Degree or diploma from 2+ year full-time program at eligible Ontario institution within past 3 years | Also qualifies: college graduate certificate, Master's degree, PhD obtained within 3 years |
A licensed applicant — someone authorized to practise in a regulated profession in Ontario — is exempt from the work experience requirement entirely. For everyone else, the 6-month consecutive rule requires that the work be with the same employer making the current job offer. That is a tighter test than the old Human Capital Priorities stream, which did not require employer-linked experience.
Skilled trades workers in NOC Major Groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 93, and Minor Group 6320 (Cooks, Butchers, Bakers) and Unit Group 62200 (Chefs) can satisfy the education requirement with a secondary school diploma only, and the language requirement with CLB 5.
TEER 4–5 Pathway — The Lower-Skilled Route
The TEER 4–5 pathway is a significant development. Previous OINP streams had no clear pathway for workers in lower-skilled occupations. The new pathway changes that — but the requirements are specific and the job offer conditions are strict.
- Job offer: Full-time, permanent, from an eligible Ontario employer, paying at least the median wage for the occupation
- Work experience: 9 months cumulative in the past 2 years with the same employer in the same job as the job offer
- Language: CLB 4 in all four abilities in English or French
- Education: Secondary school diploma or equivalent
The 9-month same-employer requirement is the critical filter here. Workers placed through staffing agencies, workers who changed employers, or workers who moved between locations may not meet it. As of June 26, 2026, there is no exemption for this pathway equivalent to the licensed professional exemption in TEER 0–3.
Transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) and bus drivers and transit operators (NOC 73301) can only satisfy the work experience requirement through the consecutive job-offer minimum — not through cumulative occupational experience.
Self-Employed Physicians Pathway
The physician pathway is the only route in the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream that does not require a job offer. To qualify under this pathway, as confirmed by the OINP's official regulatory amendments effective June 26, 2026, a candidate must:
- Be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
- Hold a valid certificate of registration as an independent, academic, or provisional practitioner
- Be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
Physicians who hold a certificate in any other class — including postgraduate education, short duration, or transitional categories — do not qualify. The OHIP billing eligibility requirement is assessed by the Ministry of Health, not by the OINP.
Employer Requirements — The Revenue and Headcount Rules
The employer eligibility rules have been restructured to reflect geography. Rural employers now face lower thresholds than under the previous system, which the Ontario government described as one of the program's equity objectives. A rural community is defined as a census division with a population of less than 150,000.
| Employer Location | Minimum Annual Revenue | Minimum Canadian/PR Employee Headcount |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area (GTA) | $1,000,000 in most recently completed fiscal year | 5 full-time Canadian citizens or PRs at job offer location |
| Major CMAs (Ottawa, Hamilton, Waterloo, Niagara, Essex, Wellington, Greater Sudbury, Frontenac, Brant, Peterborough, Hastings, Thunder Bay) | $500,000 in most recently completed fiscal year | 3 full-time Canadian citizens or PRs at job offer location |
| Rural communities (census division population under 150,000) | $250,000 in each of the 2 most recently completed fiscal years | 3 full-time Canadian citizens or PRs at job offer location |
The job offer itself must be full-time, of indeterminate duration (no fixed-term contracts), urgently necessary for the employer's business, and performed predominantly in Ontario. Employers must also have been operating for at least 3 years and must have no outstanding orders under major Ontario labour regulations.
What Happens to Existing EOIs and Applications
As of June 26, 2026, the EOI system is closed to new registrations. According to the official OINP program update, EOIs registered under former streams that did not receive an invitation to apply will be automatically withdrawn over the coming weeks as the platform is updated. Affected candidates, employers, and representatives will receive direct notice.
Three categories of people need to understand exactly where they stand:
- You submitted an application after receiving an invitation: Your application continues under the eligibility rules that were in effect when it was submitted. No action needed.
- You registered an EOI but never received an invitation: Your EOI will be automatically withdrawn. You will need to register a new EOI under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream once the system reopens — summer 2026 per the government's announcement, with Fragomen's analysis placing the window at July or August 2026.
- You registered a job offer as an employer but no EOI has been submitted: You do not need to re-register in the employer portal once it reopens, but you will need to submit a new job offer and a new approval-of-employment-position application.
If your situation involves an active application under an old stream, use IMMERGITY's PNP Program Finder to assess whether you also qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream — and whether a parallel strategy makes sense while you wait.
Phase 2 — What Is Coming Next
Ontario confirmed that Phase 1 is not the complete redesign. Phase 2 will introduce three additional streams, none of which have confirmed launch dates as of June 27, 2026:
- Priority Healthcare Stream — targeted at healthcare workers, details not yet released
- Entrepreneurs Stream — targeted at business owners, details not yet released
- Exceptional Talent Stream — targeted at high-demand talent, details not yet released
International students, Master's graduates, and PhD graduates who previously relied on the graduate streams have no direct replacement in Phase 1. The OINP's previous Master's Graduate and PhD Graduate streams gave graduates a pathway that did not require an employer job offer. That route is gone. Candidates in this position should assess their Express Entry profile using the CRS Simulator to determine whether a federal Express Entry pathway is viable while Phase 2 develops.
What To Do Right Now
The program is live on paper but operationally paused. The EOI system is closed until summer 2026. That creates a preparation window — use it.
For candidates:
- Confirm your NOC code and TEER level — this determines which pathway applies
- Check your language test scores against CLB 6 (TEER 0–3) or CLB 4 (TEER 4–5) — book a new test now if needed before the EOI opens
- If you work in a regulated profession in Ontario, confirm your licensing status — it exempts you from the TEER 0–3 work experience requirement entirely
- If you are in a TEER 4–5 occupation, verify you have 9 months of experience with your current employer — this is the most commonly missed requirement
- If your EOI was withdrawn, do not attempt to resubmit — the portal is not accepting new EOIs yet
For employers:
- Pull your financial statements now — revenue documentation by fiscal year is required at job offer submission
- Confirm your headcount of Canadian citizens and PRs at the specific job offer location
- Review whether the role meets the indeterminate, full-time, and urgently necessary criteria — fixed-term contracts will not qualify
- If your business is outside GTA and major CMAs, confirm your census division population to determine whether the rural $250K threshold applies
My Actual Take
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is a structural improvement in one important way: it acknowledges TEER 4–5 workers for the first time in OINP history and creates a formal employer-tied pathway for lower-skilled occupations. That is real progress for sectors like food services, transportation, and agriculture where Ontario's labour gaps are acute.
Where it falls short is the same-employer experience requirement. Requiring 9 months consecutive experience with the specific employer making the job offer eliminates most workers placed through staffing agencies, temp contracts, or anyone who changed employers in the past two years. That describes a large share of the TEER 4–5 workforce in Ontario. This was likely designed as a program integrity measure — and it is — but it will also exclude many genuinely deserving candidates.
For skilled professionals in TEER 0–3, the shift is mixed. The loss of the Human Capital Priorities stream removes a major no-job-offer pathway. Replacing it with a job-offer-required stream narrows access significantly for candidates in the Express Entry pool who are not yet employed in Ontario. As a licensed RCIC who has reviewed hundreds of files, I expect demand for employer-specific OINP preparation to increase sharply once the EOI system reopens. Clients should be ready, not waiting.
The EOI window is expected in summer 2026. When it opens, the first wave of registrations will face competition. Candidates who have documentation — language scores, employment letters, ECA if required — ready before the portal goes live will have a clear advantage. Book a consultation with our licensed RCIC at IMMERGITY to review your profile before the EOI system opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream?
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is the new provincial immigration program that replaced all 8 previous OINP streams on June 26, 2026. It contains three pathways: TEER 0–3 for higher-skilled workers, TEER 4–5 for lower-skilled workers, and a self-employed physicians pathway. Candidates must have a qualifying Ontario job offer for the first two pathways. The EOI system is closed until summer 2026.
What happened to the OINP Human Capital Priorities stream?
The Human Capital Priorities stream was permanently closed on June 26, 2026. Candidates who relied on this stream — which allowed Express Entry invitations without an Ontario job offer — now need a qualifying job offer to access the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream or must pursue federal Express Entry pathways instead. Use the CRS Simulator to assess your Express Entry viability.
When will the OINP EOI system reopen?
As of June 26, 2026, the Ontario government states the EOI system is anticipated to reopen later in the summer. Legal analysis from Fragomen places the window at July or August 2026. No confirmed date has been announced. Monitor the official OINP program updates page at ontario.ca for the reopening announcement.
What happens to my existing OINP EOI that has not received an invitation?
Your EOI will be automatically withdrawn by the OINP as the platform is updated. You will receive a direct notice confirming the withdrawal. Once the new EOI system opens under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, you will need to register a fresh EOI if you meet the new eligibility requirements. Your previous EOI cannot be carried forward.
Does the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream require a job offer?
Yes — for TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 candidates, a full-time, permanent job offer from an eligible Ontario employer is required. The one exception is the self-employed physicians pathway, which requires CPSO membership in good standing and OHIP billing eligibility instead of a job offer. There is no points-based no-job-offer route equivalent to the old Human Capital Priorities stream.
Can international students or graduates use the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream?
International graduates may qualify under the TEER 0–3 pathway if they are recent Ontario graduates — meaning they completed a degree or diploma from a 2+ year full-time program at an eligible Ontario institution within the past 3 years. Recent Ontario graduates benefit from a reduced work experience requirement of 3 months consecutive (instead of 6 months). Graduate streams (Master's, PhD) have no replacement in Phase 1.
What are the employer revenue requirements for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream?
GTA employers must show $1,000,000 in annual revenue with at least 5 full-time Canadian citizen or PR employees. Major CMA employers (Ottawa, Hamilton, Waterloo, and others) need $500,000 and 3 employees. Rural employers — census divisions with populations under 150,000 — need $250,000 in each of the 2 most recently completed fiscal years and 3 employees. All employers must have operated for at least 3 years. Use the PNP Program Finder to check which threshold applies to your employer.
What is Phase 2 of the OINP redesign?
Phase 2 will introduce three additional streams: Priority Healthcare, Entrepreneurs, and Exceptional Talent. As of June 27, 2026, no eligibility details or launch dates have been announced for any Phase 2 stream. Ontario has confirmed Phase 2 is planned but has not provided a timeline. Monitor ontario.ca for any Phase 2 announcements.