New Ontario Immigration Stream Eligibility Criteria Is Now Official

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Ontario has officially revealed the long-awaited eligibility requirements for its newly launched Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, ending weeks of uncertainty for skilled workers, employers, international graduates, and healthcare professionals hoping to immigrate to the province.

The announcement comes after Ontario permanently shut down all eight existing streams under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) in June 2026, replacing them with a single streamlined immigration pathway designed to simplify provincial nominations while addressing Ontario’s labour shortages.

For the first time since the major overhaul, applicants can now review the complete eligibility criteria for all three pathways under the new program. These include dedicated routes for skilled workers, essential workers, and self-employed physicians.

While Ontario has confirmed that the new Expression of Interest (EOI) system will launch later this summer, no official reopening date has been announced. Until then, prospective applicants have an opportunity to prepare their documents and determine whether they meet the new requirements.

This guide explains everything currently known about the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, including who qualifies, what has changed from previous OINP programs, employer obligations, language requirements, work experience rules, and how candidates should prepare before invitations begin.

Ontario Completely Restructures Its Immigration Program

The Ontario government has implemented the biggest restructuring in the history of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

Rather than operating multiple immigration streams for different groups of applicants, Ontario has consolidated the system into a single immigration stream with separate pathways based primarily on occupation and employment status.

The regulatory amendments came into effect on June 25, 2026, under Ontario Regulation 422/17 made pursuant to the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015.

The following former OINP streams have now been permanently closed:

Ontario has confirmed that no new invitations will be issued through any of these discontinued programs.

However, individuals who submitted complete applications before June 26, 2026, will continue to have their files assessed under the previous rules that applied when they submitted their application.

Candidates who created Expressions of Interest under the former system but never received an Invitation to Apply will see those EOIs automatically withdrawn.

Introducing the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

Ontario’s replacement program is known as the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.

Instead of multiple independent immigration streams, applicants now enter one program that contains three separate pathways:

TEER 0–3 Skilled Worker Pathway

Designed for higher-skilled occupations.

TEER 4–5 Essential Worker Pathway

Created for workers in essential occupations across numerous industries.

Self-Employed Physicians Pathway

Developed specifically for physicians practising independently without traditional employer sponsorship.

Each pathway has different eligibility rules relating to education, language ability, work experience, licensing, and job offers.

Understanding Canada’s TEER Classification System

The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is built around Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.

Every occupation in Canada falls into a TEER category.

TEER stands for:

• Training
• Education
• Experience
• Responsibilities

Your occupation’s TEER level determines which immigration pathway you may qualify for.

Generally speaking:

• TEER 0 covers management occupations.
• TEER 1 includes professional careers requiring university education.
• TEER 2 includes technical occupations and skilled trades.
• TEER 3 consists of occupations requiring college education or significant workplace training.
• TEER 4 includes intermediate occupations.
• TEER 5 covers labour-intensive and entry-level occupations.

Applicants should determine their NOC code before preparing an application.

TEER 0–3 Pathway for Skilled Workers

The TEER 0–3 pathway targets workers employed in higher-skilled occupations who have secured permanent, full-time employment from an eligible Ontario employer.

Typical occupations include:

TEER 0

Management positions such as:

• Financial managers
• Restaurant managers
• Construction managers

TEER 1

Professional occupations including:

• Software engineers
• Registered nurses
• Lawyers
• Accountants

TEER 2

Technical occupations including:

• Electrical technicians
• Network technicians
• Paralegals

TEER 3

Intermediate skilled occupations such as:

• Administrative assistants
• Bakers
• Cooks
• Dental assistants

Language Requirements for Skilled Workers

Most applicants applying through the TEER 0–3 pathway must demonstrate language proficiency of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 6.

Applicants must meet the minimum score in:

Reading

CLB 6

Writing

CLB 6

Listening

CLB 6

Speaking

CLB 6

Accepted language tests include:

• IELTS General Training
• CELPIP General
• TEF Canada
• TCF Canada

Language test results must be less than two years old when the application is submitted.

Occupations Eligible for Lower CLB 5 Requirement

Ontario has introduced reduced language requirements for certain occupations facing labour shortages.

Applicants working in eligible occupations may qualify with CLB 5.

These occupations include workers in:

Transportation

Including truck drivers and transit operators.

Skilled Trades

Certain TEER 3 trades occupations.

Food Industry

Including:

• Bakers
• Butchers
• Cooks
• Chefs

Manufacturing

Production occupations.

Natural Resources

Forestry and mining support occupations.

Healthcare Support

Including Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates.

Applicants qualifying under the CLB 5 exception also benefit from reduced education requirements.

Education Requirements Under TEER 0–3

Education requirements depend on the occupation.

Most applicants must possess:

• A recognized post-secondary diploma, or
• A recognized university degree.

Applicants educated outside Canada must also obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) completed within the previous five years.

Applicants qualifying through the CLB 5 exception only require a Canadian secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign credential supported by an ECA.

Three Different Work Experience Options

Ontario now provides three separate methods for satisfying work experience requirements.

Option One

Applicants may qualify by completing six consecutive months of paid full-time employment during the previous twelve months with the same employer providing the job offer.

Option Two

Applicants may instead demonstrate two years of cumulative paid employment during the previous five years in the same NOC occupation.

This experience may come from multiple employers.

Option Three

Recent Ontario graduates benefit from a reduced requirement.

They only need three consecutive months of employment during the previous twelve months with the employer providing the permanent job offer.

Licensing Exemption

Applicants already licensed to practise regulated professions in Ontario may qualify without meeting the standard work experience requirement.

This exemption applies only to TEER 0–3 occupations.

It is unavailable under the TEER 4–5 pathway.

Alternate Occupation Experience

Ontario also permits work experience from certain related higher-level occupations.

Examples include:

• Engineering professionals transitioning into engineering technician positions.
• Pharmacists applying for pharmacy assistant occupations.
• Registered nurses moving into nurse aide occupations.

Only specifically approved occupation combinations qualify.

TEER 4–5 Essential Worker Pathway

Ontario has significantly expanded immigration opportunities for workers employed in essential occupations.

Unlike the former In-Demand Skills Stream, which restricted eligibility to a limited list of occupations, the new pathway generally covers all occupations classified under TEER 4 and TEER 5.

Eligible occupations include roles across:

• Healthcare support
• Retail
• Food services
• Manufacturing
• Agriculture
• Transportation
• Warehousing
• Hospitality

Examples include:

• Home support workers
• Food counter attendants
• Retail salespersons
• Construction helpers
• Material handlers
• Industrial cleaners
• Agricultural harvesters

Language Requirement for TEER 4–5

Applicants under this pathway must achieve at least CLB 4.

The minimum score applies equally across:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Accepted language tests remain:

• IELTS General
• CELPIP General
• TEF Canada
• TCF Canada

Results must be less than two years old.

Education Requirement for Essential Workers

Applicants must possess at least:

• A Canadian secondary school diploma, or
• An equivalent foreign credential accompanied by an Educational Credential Assessment.

No post-secondary education is required.

Work Experience Requirement

Unlike the skilled worker pathway, TEER 4–5 applicants must complete:

Nine months of cumulative work experience during the previous two years.

This employment must be:

• Paid
• With the employer offering the permanent job
• In the same position as the job offer

Experience with previous employers does not satisfy this requirement.

There are also:

• No licensing exemptions.
• No reduced requirements for recent graduates.

Self-Employed Physicians Pathway

One of the most notable additions is a dedicated immigration pathway for physicians practising independently.

Unlike other pathways, physicians do not require an employer-sponsored job offer.

Instead, applicants must satisfy three major conditions.

College Registration

Applicants must be members in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Valid Certificate

Applicants must hold one of the approved registration certificates allowing them to practise medicine in Ontario.

OHIP Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible to bill services through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

This pathway addresses challenges experienced by physicians who work independently rather than as employees.

Employer Eligibility Requirements

Employers also face strict eligibility rules.

To support an application, employers generally must:

• Operate an active Ontario business for at least three years.
• Offer permanent full-time employment.
• Demonstrate genuine business need.
• Ensure the work is primarily performed in Ontario.
• Pay wages meeting provincial standards.
• Maintain the required number of Canadian citizens or permanent resident employees.
• Operate free from labour disputes affecting the position.

Revenue Requirements

Ontario continues to require minimum annual business revenue.

Historically, employers needed:

The redesigned program introduces lower revenue thresholds for certain rural communities with populations below 150,000.

This change is expected to make immigration sponsorship easier for smaller employers outside major urban centres.

Wage Requirements

Most job offers must meet or exceed the regional median wage for the occupation.

However, recent Ontario graduates applying through the TEER 0–3 pathway may qualify with wages at the regional low-wage threshold instead.

This flexibility applies only to eligible recent graduates.

Employer Portal Will Reopen Later This Summer

Ontario has confirmed that employers who previously registered under the Employer Portal will not need to create entirely new employer accounts.

However, they must submit:

• A new job offer.
• A new employment position approval.

Previous job approvals cannot be transferred into the new immigration system.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Although the Expression of Interest system remains temporarily unavailable, Ontario has outlined the expected application process.

Step 1

Determine your occupation’s TEER level using Canada’s National Occupational Classification.

Step 2

Complete or renew an approved language test if required.

Step 3

Obtain an Educational Credential Assessment for foreign education credentials.

Step 4

Secure a permanent full-time job offer from an eligible Ontario employer.

Step 5

Your employer submits the job offer once the Employer Portal reopens.

Step 6

Register a new Expression of Interest profile.

Old EOIs will not transfer.

Step 7

Wait for Ontario to issue an Invitation to Apply through targeted draws.

Step 8

Submit a complete application through the OINP e-Filing Portal.

Applicants must choose the correct pathway because changing streams after submission is generally not permitted.

Step 9

Receive a provincial nomination if approved.

Step 10

Submit a permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program.

The federal government will make the final decision regarding permanent residence.

What Happens to Master’s and PhD Graduates?

The closure of the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams represents one of the most significant changes introduced in 2026.

International graduates who previously relied on those pathways will now generally require a permanent, full-time job offer to qualify under the Workforce Priority Stream.

Candidates without employer sponsorship may need to explore federal immigration programs such as the Canadian Experience Class if they meet Express Entry eligibility requirements.

Ontario has indicated that additional immigration streams may be introduced during Phase Two of the program redesign.

Potential future streams under consideration include:

• Priority Healthcare Stream
• Exceptional Talent Stream
• Redesigned Entrepreneur Stream

No official launch dates or eligibility rules have yet been announced.

Ontario’s 2026 Provincial Nomination Allocation

Ontario has received approximately 14,119 provincial nomination spaces for 2026 through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program.

At the national level, Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan has significantly expanded provincial immigration opportunities.

The federal target for Provincial Nominee Program admissions increased to 91,500 for 2026, compared with 55,000 in 2025.

This larger allocation is expected to support continued immigration through the newly established Ontario Workforce Priority Stream throughout the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.

Applicants who receive an Ontario provincial nomination also gain a substantial advantage when applying for permanent residence, particularly through Express Entry-linked provincial nomination pathways.

Final Thoughts

The publication of the official eligibility requirements marks an important milestone in Ontario’s immigration overhaul. After weeks of uncertainty following the closure of all eight previous OINP streams, applicants and employers finally have a clear understanding of how the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream will operate.

While the Expression of Interest system remains temporarily unavailable, this preparation period offers a valuable opportunity for candidates to strengthen their applications. Determining the correct NOC and TEER classification, completing language testing, obtaining Educational Credential Assessments, and securing an eligible full-time job offer can all help applicants move quickly once registrations reopen.