What the OINP Employer Portal does now
Ontario employers use the OINP Employer Portal to register job offers and submit EOIs for candidates under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream — the only open OINP route after the June 2026 redesign. The portal is where the employer side of the process happens: registration, offer posting and compliance.
TL;DR
- The OWP stream is the only open OINP route — and it requires an employer job offer.
- Employers register in the portal, post the job offer and submit an EOI for the candidate.
- Scoring depends on TEER level, wage, earnings history, Ontario experience, education, language and job location.
- Northern and rural job offers earn extra regional points.
- Employer compliance duties did not get lighter — they are the backbone of the nomination.
Employer requirements under OWP
Your business must be established in Ontario, and the offered job must be full-time, permanent, and in a genuine occupation at a real workplace. The offered wage must meet the stream minimum for the TEER level. Employers are responsible for the accuracy of the offer details — a mis-stated wage or occupation can invalidate the EOI.
How the EOI scoring works from the employer side
- TEER level — higher TEER categories earn more points.
- Hourly wage — above the stream minimum, higher wages score more.
- Job location — northern and rural offers earn more regional points.
- The candidate’s Ontario work experience with your business — accumulated months score increasingly.
Two candidates with the same TEER level can score differently because of wage, location and the candidate’s work history with your company. A revised offer with a higher wage or a job outside the GTA can change the rank materially.
Compliance duties
Ontario verifies employers. A nomination obliges the employer to meet the terms of the offer — wage, occupation, hours and location. Non-compliance can invalidate the nomination and affect future applications. Keep your offer documentation, payroll records and workplace details accurate from the start.
What to do while no draws are running
The EOI portal opened August 4, 2026, and no OWP draws had run as of late October 2026. Register your offer properly now — a well-scored EOI is the best position to be in when the first draw runs. Our employer guide service page covers the employer side of the process, and our work permit guide covers the permit your candidate may need first.
What is the OINP Employer Portal?
It is Ontario’s online system for employers to register job offers and submit EOIs for candidates under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
Do employers need LMIA for OWP?
No. The OINP is a provincial nomination — it does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment. The employer registers a job offer under the OWP stream.
Does a job offer from a Toronto employer score lower?
Yes. Job location is a scoring factor, and northern and rural offers earn more regional points than Toronto offers.
Can an employer submit an EOI for an existing employee?
Yes. Ontario work experience with the offering employer is a scoring factor, and accumulated months score increasingly.
Related pages
Official sources
- Ontario — OINP program page (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Ontario — 2026 OINP updates (accessed 2026-10-29)
- IRCC — Hiring foreign workers (accessed 2026-10-29)
