The June 2026 redesign changed the rules for everyone with a foot in the OINP system. Some files carry on, some were automatically withdrawn, and the route back in is different from the one you registered for. This page explains exactly where each situation stands — and what to do now.
TL;DR — your situation in one line
1. Application already submitted under a closed stream → not void; assessed under the rules in effect when you applied.
2. Nomination already issued → still valid; proceed to IRCC for permanent residence.
3. EOI or job offer registered but never invited → automatically withdrawn after June 26, 2026; nothing carries over.
4. EOI in progress under an open (OWP) stream → unaffected; keep going.
What happened, in dates
- May 30, 2026 — the legal basis of all nine OINP stream categories was revoked (O. Reg. 47/26). New applications under any closed stream stopped being accepted.
- June 25–26, 2026 — amendments to O. Reg. 422/17 (O. Reg. 204/26) removed the eight remaining streams and created the Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) stream (“Redesign Phase 1”). The EOI system closed to new registrations, then reopened under OWP on August 4, 2026.
Situation 1: You submitted an application before the closure
Your file is not cancelled. Ontario assesses applications that were already submitted under the rules in effect at the time of submission and continues processing them to a decision. You may be asked for updated documents (police certificates, medicals, employment letters); respond within the stated deadlines.
Practical checklist while you wait:
– Keep your work permit / maintained status valid if you’re working in Canada — a pending nomination application does not extend your status by itself
– Update the OINP if your employment, address, or family composition changes — material changes must be reported
– Do not accept “your application is void” advice at face value — the official position is that pre-closure applications continue to be processed
Situation 2: You received a nomination before the redesign
Nominations already issued remain valid for their validity period. Apply to IRCC for permanent residence as normal (or, where applicable, use the Express Entry-linked pathway with the 600 CRS points). See our OINP draws and application status page for what each status means.
Situation 3: Your EOI or job offer never led to an invitation
This is the group the redesign hit hardest. Unactioned EOIs and job offers registered under the former streams were automatically withdrawn after June 26, 2026, with direct notice to registrants. There is no carry-over, no transfer of points, and no priority for having been in the old queue.
If you were waiting in a Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate, Human Capital Priorities, Skilled Trades, French-Speaking Skilled Worker, or any employer job-offer stream EOI pool, you start fresh under the current rules:
– With an Ontario employer willing to hire you full-time and permanently → the OWP stream is built for you. See the OWP guide and its TEER 4–5 pathway if your occupation is TEER 4–5.
– Ontario graduate without a job offer → the job-offer-free graduate streams no longer exist. Realistic routes: secure an Ontario employer (recent-graduate 3-month experience provision under OWP), or go federal (PGWP → Canadian Experience Class). See what graduates can do now.
– Entrepreneur or investor → no provincial business stream is open; Ontario has signalled business immigration in a later redesign phase, but no criteria are published — treat any “Entrepreneur Stream is open” claim as false. See the closed streams archive.
Situation 4: Your EOI is under the current OWP stream
Nothing changed for you — keep monitoring draws and status, keep your job offer with your employer alive, and be ready for the short filing windows (14 days for the employer’s position approval, 17 days for your application) if you are invited.
Scam warning: “priority re-entry” offers
After major redesigns, fraudulent “consultants” market priority access to new streams or claim they can restore withdrawn EOIs. There is no mechanism to restore an auto-withdrawn EOI and no paid priority lane. Verify every claim against Ontario’s official 2026 updates page and work only with a licensed consultant — you can check any RCIC on the CICC public register.
How we can help
Mozirski Immigration Consulting Inc. reviews stranded files daily: we identify which situation you are actually in, verify grandfathering status for submitted applications, and map the fastest current route — OWP with an employer, or federal options. Start with a free assessment or book a paid consultation.
Related pages
- All nine closed streams — archive
- Ontario Workforce Priority stream
- OINP draws & application status
- Ontario PNP hub — 2026 guide
Official sources
- 2026 OINP updates — Redesign Phase 1 (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Ontario OINP main page (updated 2026-10-20)
- Ontario Workforce Priority stream (accessed 2026-10-27)
- 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.