The stream closed in June 2026
The OINP International Student stream — including the Employer Job Offer: International Student, Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams — closed in June 2026 when Ontario revoked their regulations. The demand for these routes has not disappeared: thousands of Ontario graduates relied on them. The practical question is what to do now, and the honest answer has three parts.
TL;DR
- The International Student, Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams are all closed.
- EOIs under closed streams were automatically withdrawn.
- Route 1: OWP stream — requires a genuine Ontario job offer from your employer.
- Route 2: Express Entry — CEC after PGWP experience, or other federal categories.
- Protect your status: a PGWP or study permit expiry is the real deadline.
Route 1: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The OWP stream requires a job offer, which the old graduate streams did not. If you have a willing Ontario employer — your co-op employer, a current part-time employer, or a new employer — they can register a job offer and an EOI for you. Your score depends on TEER level, wage, Canadian earnings history, Ontario work experience with the employer, education, language and job location. A higher wage or a job outside the GTA can change your rank materially.
Route 2: Express Entry
With a PGWP and a year of skilled Canadian work experience, you qualify for the Canadian Experience Class. Express Entry rounds have been running all year — 144,259 invitations issued across 63 rounds by late October 2026 — and a competitive CRS score can get you invited without any provincial nomination. A nomination from Ontario adds 600 CRS points, but it is not required. Our PNP vs Express Entry guide compares them.
Route 3: extend your status and wait
If your PGWP is expiring soon, extensions are the real deadline. Some PGWP holders can apply for a second permit depending on program length and field-of-study rules — see the study-permits guide. If you cannot extend, consider Ontario’s OWP stream early: a job offer from an employer who can also support a work permit extension keeps your status secure.
What not to do
- Do not register a new EOI without a job offer. The graduate streams no longer exist.
- Do not let your status expire. Falling out of status complicates every later route.
- Do not trust “masters graduate stream” guides still online. Most of them were written for a program that closed in June 2026.
Is the OINP Masters Graduate stream closed?
Yes. The Masters Graduate stream closed in June 2026. Its successor is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which requires a job offer.
Can I apply to OINP without a job offer as a graduate?
Not anymore. The graduate streams that accepted applications without job offers closed in June 2026. The OWP stream requires a genuine Ontario job offer.
What is the fastest route for an Ontario graduate now?
For most graduates with a PGWP and a year of skilled work experience, Express Entry’s Canadian Experience Class is the fastest route. If you have a strong employer, the OWP stream is a parallel option.
Does a nomination still add 600 CRS points?
Yes. A nomination from Ontario — or any province — adds 600 CRS points to your Express Entry score, effectively guaranteeing an invitation.
Related pages
- OINP student stream — closed, what now
- Ontario Workforce Priority stream
- Ontario PNP vs Express Entry
- Study permits & pathways
Official sources
- Ontario — OINP program page (accessed 2026-10-29)
- IRCC — Express Entry rounds of invitations (accessed 2026-10-29)
- IRCC — Post-graduation work permit (accessed 2026-10-29)
