Ontario Launches the New OINP Workforce Priority Stream: Phase 1 of Ontario's Immigration Redesign Is Now Law

Ontario Launches the New OINP Workforce Priority Stream

Phase 1 of Ontario's Immigration Redesign Is Now Law What changed today, what closed, and what every current OINP candidate needs to do now By Sawubona Canada Immigration Inc.

Topics: OINP Workforce Priority stream · Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program 2026 · Ontario Regulation 422/17 · Ontario PNP redesign · Canada immigration news · Employer Job Offer Ontario · Express Entry alternative · RCIC Mississauga · Sawubona Canada immigration

• 8 FORMER STREAMS CLOSED TODAY
• 1 NEW STREAM REPLACES THEM ALL
• TEER 0–5 OCCUPATIONS NOW ELIGIBLE
• 30 Days REDUCED AMP RESPONSE WINDOW

Ontario did not wait for summer to finish writing its immigration redesign. Today, June 26, 2026, the province brought Phase 1 of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program redesign into force — closing eight legacy streams in a single stroke and replacing them with one new pathway: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. If you have a file in Ontario's pipeline right now, this is the update that matters most this year.

This follows directly from the regulatory groundwork Ontario laid on May 30, when it stripped the fixed list of OINP streams out of the regulation entirely. Today's amendment to Ontario Regulation 422/17 is the moment that groundwork became a real, operating program — with actual eligibility criteria, actual TEER pathways, and an actual closure of the streams that came before it.

WHAT CLOSED TODAY

Eight Streams, Gone in a Single Regulatory Amendment

Effective June 26, 2026 under amending regulation 204-26

The following OINP streams are now closed. No further invitations will be issued under any of them, and any Expression of Interest or job offer registered under these streams that had not already resulted in an invitation will be automatically withdrawn over the coming weeks as the EOI and application platforms are updated.

• Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
• Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
• Employer Job Offer: International Student
• Master's Graduate
• PhD Graduate
• Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities
• Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker
• Express Entry: Skilled Trades

IF YOU ALREADY HAD AN EOI IN THE POOL You will receive a notice directly. Applications already submitted following an invitation under one of these former streams continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when you applied — that protection has not changed. But if your EOI had not yet resulted in an invitation, it will be withdrawn automatically. You are not being penalized; the program you applied under no longer exists in its old form. The path forward is the new stream described below.

WHAT OPENED TODAY

Introducing the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

One stream, two pathways by occupation skill level — Expression of Interest system to reopen later this summer

In place of the eight closed streams, Ontario has introduced a single new pathway built around two tracks based on occupational skill level, plus a standalone route for self-employed physicians. This is exactly the consolidation the province previewed in its December 2025 consultation — a TEER 0–3 track for higher-skilled occupations and a TEER 4–5 track for other roles, both anchored to a genuine, full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario.

TEER 0–3 Pathway (Higher-Skilled]

• Who qualifies: Skilled internationally trained workers in any TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation with a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario.
• Work experience: One of: 6 consecutive months in the job offer role with the job offer employer in the last 12 months; 3 consecutive months for recent Ontario graduates; or 2 cumulative years in the NOC occupation over the last 5 years. Licensed applicants are exempt.
• Language requirement: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB] 6, or CLB 5 for certain occupations.
• Education: Post-secondary degree or diploma.

TEER 4–5 Pathway (All Other Roles]

• Who qualifies: Workers in any TEER 4 or 5 occupation with a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario.
• Work experience: 9 cumulative months in the job offer role with the job offer employer within the last 2 years.
• Language requirement: CLB 4.
• Education: Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent.

Self-Employed Physicians (No Job Offer Needed]

• Who qualifies: Physicians who are members in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
• Registration: Must hold a valid certificate of registration in an eligible class: independent, academic, or provisional.
• Billing eligibility: Must be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP].

A MEANINGFUL DETAIL FOR RURAL AND NORTHERN EMPLOYERS Across every pathway in the new stream, lower gross annual revenue requirements will apply to employers located in rural communities — defined for program purposes as a census division with a population under 150,000. This is a direct response to feedback Ontario gathered through its regulatory consultation, aimed at improving access for employers outside the GTA who have struggled to meet revenue thresholds calibrated for larger urban businesses.

When can candidates actually apply Not yet — and this is the detail every candidate needs to hold onto. The Expression of Interest system for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream is anticipated to open later in the summer of 2026. The EOI system is closed to new EOIs as of today, full stop, while the platform is rebuilt around the new stream. Employers who previously registered in the employer portal will not need to register again. But once the Employer Portal reopens, they will need to submit a fresh job offer and a new application for an approval of an employment position to initiate an EOI for their candidate under the new stream — even if they had a job offer approved under one of the old streams.

PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Ontario Is Also Tightening Enforcement

Faster compliance action against bad actors in the program

Alongside the new stream, today's regulatory changes shorten the response window for candidates or employers issued a Notice of Intent to Issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty or a Ban order — from 60 days down to 30. Notices of contravention can now be sent by email, mail, or in person, and are deemed delivered without requiring proof of receipt. Ontario describes this as aligning enforcement timelines with other OINP processes and enabling faster action against non-compliant employers and representatives.

If you are an employer working with the OINP, treat any compliance notice as urgent from the moment it arrives — the response clock is now half as long as it used to be.

THE SAWUBONA VIEW

What This Means If You Have a File in Ontario Right Now

Three situations, three different next steps

If you held an Invitation to Apply already and submitted your application, nothing changes for you today. Your file continues to be assessed under the rules in place when you applied.

If you had an Expression of Interest sitting in the pool with no invitation yet, that EOI is being withdrawn. This is not a judgment on your profile — it is the simple consequence of the stream itself no longer existing. The right move now is to study the TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 requirements above, confirm where you would sit under the new criteria, and have your employer ready to move the moment the Employer Portal and EOI system reopen this summer.

If you are still building toward an Ontario application, this is actually good timing. You are not walking into a program mid-transition — you are walking in with full visibility into the new rules before they take live applications. Build your case for the Workforce Priority stream now: secure a genuine, full-time, permanent job offer, document your qualifying work experience precisely as the regulation describes it, and get your language test results to CLB 6 or higher well before the EOI system opens.

Sawubona. We're watching Ontario closely — so you don't have to. If you have an OINP file, a job offer in Ontario, or you're planning to apply once the Workforce Priority stream opens, talk to us now. The right preparation today determines whether you are ready the moment the EOI system reopens. +1 647-558-9000 | info@sawubonacanada.com | sawubonacanada.com/book-consultation Vishal Kapoor, RCIC · Founder & Principal Consultant · RCIC #R707177

Sources and references: Government of Ontario, 2026 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates, June 26, 2026 entry (ontario.ca]. Ontario Regulation 422/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, as amended by amending regulation 204-26, accessed via Ontario's e-Laws. All figures and eligibility criteria reflect the official program update published June 26, 2026. This update is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. The Expression of Interest system for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream has not yet opened, and program details may be refined before intake begins. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant for guidance specific to your situation, and monitor Ontario's official OINP updates page for further announcements.