Immigration to Ontario
Ontario receives more immigrants than any other Canadian province. Important update: Ontario replaced its former OINP worker and graduate streams (closed June 26, 2026) with one new stream, Ontario Workforce Priority, which opened on August 4, 2026 and is accepting expressions of interest now. It covers job offers at every skill level and has a pathway for self-employed physicians. The old streams — they are gone for good, but applications already sent to them are still being assessed under the old rules.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) streams
We cover 1 open OINP stream, plus 8 former streams kept for reference. Each links to a detailed page with requirements, documents, and processing times.
New to provincial programs? Read our plain-English guide to PNPs.
Not sure which stream fits? See how the program fit check works.
Ontario's Express Entry Human Capital Priorities streamClosed to new applicants
Ontario's Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) that gives foreign workers with the required skilled work experie…
Ontario's Express Entry Skilled Trades StreamClosed to new applicants
Ontario's Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream is an OINP stream for foreign nationals with Ontario work experience in eligible skilled trades. Applicants must have a valid Express Entry profile and…
Ontario's Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker streamClosed to new applicants
Ontario's Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) that gives foreign workers with required skilled work exper…
OINP Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker streamClosed to new applicants
The Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream gives foreign workers with a job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3), or eligible physicians, the opportunity to apply to permanentl…
OINP Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream gives skilled foreign workers with a qualifying Ontario job offer in any NOC TEER category (0-5), and eligible self-employed physicians without a job offer, a …
OINP Employer Job Offer: International Student streamClosed to new applicants
The Employer Job Offer: International Student stream gives international students with a job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) the opportunity to apply for permanent residence …
OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills streamClosed to new applicants
The Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream allows foreign workers with a job offer in specific in-demand NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupations (such as agriculture, construction, and personal support wo…
OINP Masters Graduate streamClosed to new applicants
The Masters Graduate stream allows international graduates with an Ontario masters degree to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence in Ontario. Applicants must first register an …
OINP PhD Graduate StreamClosed to new applicants
The PhD Graduate stream allows international graduates with an Ontario PhD degree to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence in Ontario. Applicants must first register an Expressi…
Where Ontario is actually hiring
The sectors that drive Ontario's immigrant recruitment — and the occupations consistently in demand.
Tech (Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa)
Canada's largest technology hub by absolute volume — Toronto and Waterloo together hold over 40% of national tech employment. Before the June 2026 redesign, the OINP Human Capital Priorities stream issued regular tech-targeted draws and was a major route for software engineers, developers, and data scientists. Since August 4, 2026, tech workers with an Ontario job offer can use the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, or consider federal Express Entry directly.
Finance, accounting, and professional services
Bay Street is Canada's financial capital. Major banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC), insurance, asset management, and the big four accounting firms recruit foreign-trained accountants, financial analysts, and consultants consistently. Until June 2026 the OINP's HCP and Employer Job Offer streams were the usual provincial routes; since August 4, 2026, finance professionals with an Ontario job offer can use the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, and federal Express Entry remains the main no-offer path.
Healthcare (chronic shortage)
Ontario has the most consistent nursing shortage in the country — CNO actively recruits foreign-trained RNs through NNAS pathways, and until June 2026 the OINP HCP stream nominated healthcare professionals regularly. GTA, Ottawa, and Northern Ontario all have sustained demand across nursing, allied health, and specialist medicine — since August 4, 2026, healthcare workers with an Ontario job offer can use the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream (which also has a pathway for self-employed physicians).
Manufacturing and automotive (Windsor-Hamilton corridor)
Southwestern Ontario remains Canada's manufacturing heartland — automotive, aerospace, steel, food processing. Until June 2026 the OINP In-Demand Skills and Employer Job Offer streams covered production workers, engineers, and tradespeople with offers from manufacturers across Windsor, London, Hamilton, and Cambridge. Those streams are gone, but their ground is covered: since August 4, 2026 the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream accepts job offers at every skill level (TEER 0 to 5) — including production and trades roles the old streams served.
Ontario immigration — questions
How many OINP streams are there?+
One: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, open since August 4, 2026. Ontario removed its former eight worker and graduate streams (three Express Entry-aligned, three Employer Job Offer, two graduate) in its 2026 redesign and replaced them with this single stream. It covers Ontario job offers at every skill level (TEER 0 to 5) and has a pathway for self-employed physicians. If you already applied under an old stream, your application is still being assessed under the old rules.
Do I need to live in Ontario before applying to the OINP?+
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream (open since August 4, 2026) is built around a full-time, permanent job offer from an Ontario employer who starts the process through the employer portal — the offer is the entry requirement, both you and the employer must meet the stream's other criteria, there is no general residency requirement, and it covers any skill level (TEER 0 to 5). Self-employed physicians with an OHIP billing number and a CPSO certificate can apply without a job offer.
Is Ontario the easiest province for tech workers?+
Ontario has the largest tech labour market by absolute volume. Since August 4, 2026 its single nominee stream — Ontario Workforce Priority — is open, and it needs an Ontario job offer to use. Tech workers without one can look at Alberta's Accelerated Tech Pathway or BC's tech-focused streams, or go through federal Express Entry directly. If you're open to either Toronto/Waterloo or Calgary/Edmonton, check both province pages.
Is Ontario a fit for you?
Full report: US$5 one-time. We scan the 50+ programs we cover; your report shows up to 3 closest results. The scan may find none.