The Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) stream is the only open stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) as of the June 2026 program redesign. If you want to immigrate to Ontario through the OINP today, this is the stream that applies to you.
TL;DR — the 5 things that matter
1. OWP replaced all nine former OINP streams in June 2026.
2. Two of its three pathways require a full-time, permanent job offer from an approved Ontario employer; self-employed physicians can apply without one.
3. Your employer starts the process in the Employer Portal — you register an Expression of Interest (EOI) within 30 days of their job-offer submission.
4. TEER 0–3 workers need qualifying work experience; TEER 4–5 workers need 9 months with the job-offer employer plus CLB 4.
5. A nomination lets you apply to IRCC for permanent residence — IRCC makes the final decision.
What is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream?
The OWP stream is Ontario’s consolidated economic immigration pathway, created on June 25–26, 2026 when the province removed its eight former OINP streams under amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 and introduced this single stream (Ontario’s “Redesign Phase 1”). Ontario describes it as a way to connect skilled workers with the province’s labour-market needs while giving employers more flexibility — including lower business-revenue thresholds for rural and northern employers.
The three OWP pathways
Pathway | Job offer required? | Core requirement |
|---|---|---|
TEER 0–3 (skilled workers) | Yes — full-time, permanent | Qualifying work experience (see below) or mandatory licence |
TEER 4–5 (intermediate/elementary occupations) | Yes — full-time, permanent | 9 months’ experience with the job-offer employer, CLB 4, secondary education |
Self-employed physicians | No | OHIP billing number + CPSO registration in an eligible class |
TEER 0–3 pathway: applicant requirements
To qualify with a job offer in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, you must meet one of these experience options:
– 6 months of consecutive, paid, full-time work in the job-offer position within the last 12 months; or
– 3 months (for recent Ontario graduates — degree/diploma of 2+ years, Ontario College Graduate Certificate, Master’s or PhD from an eligible Ontario institution within the last 3 years); or
– 2 years of cumulative paid full-time experience in the same NOC occupation (or a defined related occupation) within the last 5 years; or
– Hold the mandatory licence or authorization required for the position.
You must also: have received an invitation to apply after your EOI, demonstrate the attributes you attested to in your EOI, meet language/education requirements set out in the document checklist, hold legal status in Canada if applying from inside Canada (maintained status is accepted), and show intention to live and work in Ontario.
TEER 4–5 pathway: applicant requirements
For a job offer in a TEER 4 or 5 occupation — any TEER 4–5 occupation qualifies; there is no occupation list:
– 9 months of cumulative, paid, full-time work experience in the exact job-offer position (same occupation, employer and location) within the 2 years before applying
– CLB 4 or higher in all four language abilities (test taken within 2 years)
– A Canadian secondary school diploma or an assessed foreign equivalent
– Any mandatory licence for the occupation
– Legal status in Canada (if applying from within Canada)
– Intention to live and work in Ontario
Employer requirements (both job-offer pathways)
Your employer must:
– Have been in active business for at least 3 years
– Have a business premises in Ontario where you will work
– Have no outstanding orders under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act
– Meet revenue and full-time-employee minimums based on the job location
– Demonstrate recruitment effort for Canadian citizens/PRs (if you are outside Canada or outside Ontario)
– Offer a full-time, permanent position that is urgently necessary to the business, does not affect a labour dispute, and meets the required wage level for the region
Employers register and submit job offers through the OINP Employer Portal; the Ontario Public Service (OPS) does not participate as an employer.
How to apply: step by step
- Employer submits a job offer in the Employer Portal → you receive a job-offer ID.
- You register an EOI within 30 days of the job offer.
- If invited to apply: your employer files the application for approval of the employment position within 14 days; you file your application within 17 days of the invitation (after the employer’s submission).
- Nomination decision — if approved, you receive a certificate of nomination.
- Apply to IRCC for permanent residence. IRCC makes the final decision.
Self-employed physicians
You may qualify without a job offer if you hold an OHIP billing number and CPSO registration in good standing in one of the eligible classes (independent practice, academic practice, or provisional). Postgraduate-education licence holders are not eligible under this route but may qualify through the job-offer pathway. Contact the OINP to begin EOI registration.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream open right now?
Yes. The OWP EOI system opened August 4, 2026, and it is the only OINP stream accepting new candidates. All former streams (Foreign Worker, International Student, In-Demand Skills, Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate, and the three Express Entry-linked streams, plus Entrepreneur) are closed.
Do I need a job offer for the OINP?
Under the OWP stream, yes — unless you are a self-employed physician. The former job-offer-free graduate streams no longer exist.
What happened to my old EOI?
EOIs and job offers registered under former streams that never led to an invitation were automatically withdrawn after the June 26, 2026 redesign. Nothing carries over; if you qualify for OWP, you and your employer start fresh in the new system. See our OINP draws and application status page.
Does an OINP nomination mean I am a permanent resident?
No. A nomination lets you apply to IRCC for permanent residence (or adds 600 Comprehensive Ranking System points through an Express Entry-linked nomination where available). IRCC makes the final decision.
How long does the OWP process take?
Processing times change; Ontario and IRCC publish current timelines rather than fixed guarantees. See our Ontario PNP processing time page and always verify against official sources before making plans.
Related pages
- Ontario PNP hub — 2026 guide
- Former Foreign Worker Stream → OWP TEER 0–3
- Former In-Demand Skills Stream → OWP TEER 4–5
- Former International Student Stream — what graduates can do now
- OINP draws & application status
- OINP employer guide — what your employer must do
- Stranded EOIs & grandfathering
- Closed streams archive
Official sources
- Ontario Workforce Priority stream — official stream page (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Ontario OINP main page (updated 2026-10-20)
- 2026 OINP updates — Redesign Phase 1
- O. Reg. 422/17 — GENERAL (e-Laws currency 2026-10-22)
Eligibility is individual. Requirements on this page summarize official sources as of the review date above; verify against the official pages or speak with our RCIC before making decisions.