Updated August 4, 2026. Ontario rebuilt the OINP in June 2026: all eight former nomination streams were terminated and replaced by a single Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Its expression of interest (EOI) portal opened on August 4, 2026, so the program is accepting new candidates again. This guide describes the program as it works now. For the announcement and what it meant for Filipino applicants, read what changed and what it means for Filipinos, or estimate where you stand with our Workforce Priority Stream points calculator.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is how the Province of Ontario nominates skilled workers for Canadian permanent residence. A provincial nomination is one of the strongest advantages available to a Filipino worker already in Ontario, or holding an Ontario job offer — but the program that existed for the last decade is gone. Ontario terminated all eight of its nomination streams in June 2026 and replaced them with one.

If you were building toward Human Capital Priorities, a Masters or PhD Graduate nomination, or one of the Employer Job Offer streams, none of those routes exist any more. This page explains what replaced them, who now qualifies, and what to do if you were caught mid-process.

What changed in 2026

May 30, 2026 — the three Employer Job Offer streams (Foreign Worker, In-Demand Skills, International Student) closed.
June 25–26, 2026 — Ontario announced Phase 1 of the OINP redesign on June 26; the regulatory amendments came into force on June 25. Eight streams were terminated.
July 20, 2026 — Ontario published the full requirements for the replacement stream.
August 4, 2026 — the EOI portal for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream opened. Employers can submit job offers and candidates can register EOIs.

The eight terminated streams were: 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; and Express Entry Skilled Trades.

The single biggest consequence: an Ontario job offer is now required for almost everyone. The old profile-only routes — where a strong Express Entry profile or an Ontario graduate degree was enough on its own — no longer exist.

The Ontario Workforce Priority stream

One stream now covers every occupation, with requirements that differ by the NOC TEER category of your job offer.

If your job offer is NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3

You need a qualifying Ontario job offer plus one of the following:

At least 6 months of consecutive, paid, full-time work experience in the offered position, within the last 12 months; or
At least 3 months of consecutive, paid, full-time experience if you are a recent Ontario graduate; or
At least 2 years of cumulative, paid, full-time experience in the same NOC occupation.

If your job offer is NOC TEER 4 or 5

You need a qualifying Ontario job offer plus at least 9 months of cumulative, paid, full-time work experience in the position your employer is seeking approval for, within the last 2 years.

This matters for a large share of Filipino workers in Ontario — personal support work, food service, cleaning, warehousing and general labour occupations sit in TEER 4 and 5. Ontario kept a route open for these workers, which not every province does.

If you are a self-employed physician

Physicians can apply without a job offer, provided you hold an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) billing number and the required College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) certification.

Can you still get the 600 Express Entry points?

Yes — but only on the higher-skilled track. This is the most misunderstood part of the redesign. Ontario no longer runs a standalone Express Entry stream, and that has been widely reported as Ontario leaving Express Entry altogether. It did not.

TEER 0–3 job offers and self-employed physicians may ask to be nominated through the Express Entry system. Ontario’s guidance is explicit: if you accept, “you will receive an additional 600 points for being nominated,” which in practice guarantees an invitation to apply in the next federal round. You must have indicated this in your application and must keep a valid Express Entry profile throughout.
TEER 4–5 job offers are nominated through the base (non–Express Entry) provincial route. You apply to IRCC directly as a provincial nominee. There is no 600-point bonus, because the base route does not run through Express Entry at all.

So the 600 points survived. What changed is the price of entry: you now need a qualifying Ontario job offer to reach them. If you are working on your score, see our guide to improving your Express Entry CRS score.

Your employer has to qualify too

The new stream is employer-driven, and a job offer from an employer who cannot meet Ontario’s criteria is worth nothing. Before you count on an offer, confirm the employer:

Has been in active business for at least 3 years before submitting the application;
Has business premises in Ontario where you will actually work;
Has no outstanding orders against it under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
Meets Ontario’s revenue and minimum-employee thresholds, which vary by where the job is located; and
Can demonstrate genuine recruitment effort to hire a Canadian citizen or permanent resident before offering you the position.

How to apply — and the deadlines that catch people out

The sequence is employer-first, and it runs on short clocks. Missing one restarts the whole process.

Your employer registers first. They register their business and submit the job offer through the Employer Portal. Nothing can happen before this.
You register an EOI within 30 calendar days of your employer submitting that job offer. Miss the window and the offer must be resubmitted.
Ontario invites candidates from the EOI pool. Scoring factors include your NOC TEER category, wage, language ability and education.
Your employer files within 14 calendar days of the invitation — they must submit the application for approval of the employment position.
You file within 17 calendar days of the invitation, and only after your employer has submitted theirs. The two are not independent; your employer’s delay eats your window.
Nomination, then PR. Once nominated, you either receive 600 CRS points in Express Entry (TEER 0–3 and physicians who elected it) or apply directly to IRCC as a provincial nominee.

Ontario has not yet published a processing-time standard or fee schedule for the new stream. We will update this page when it does.

If you had an EOI or application under an old stream

EOIs and employer job offers registered under a former stream that had not already produced an invitation to apply were withdrawn automatically, with direct notice to the candidate. Nothing carries over to the new stream — not your EOI, not your score, not your place in the pool. If you want to be considered, you and your employer must start again under the Workforce Priority stream.

Employer registrations do carry over, so your employer does not need to re-register their business. An approved employment position does not carry over: they must submit a new job offer and a new application for approval of an employment position.

What this means for Filipinos in Ontario

Ontario has the largest Filipino community in Canada, and the GTA labour market — healthcare, long-term care, logistics, skilled trades, food service — is where most Filipino newcomers are already working. The redesign is not bad news for everyone, but it redistributes who has a path:

If you are already working in Ontario for a stable employer, you are in a better position than before. Your existing job and experience are now the qualifying factor.
If you are a PSW, caregiver or other TEER 4–5 worker, Ontario kept a dedicated route for you. See our Filipino caregiver pathway guide.
If you are an international student counting on the Masters or PhD Graduate streams, those are gone; you now need a qualifying job offer. Our PGWP guide covers how to use your post-graduation work permit to get there.
If you are overseas with a strong Express Entry profile and no Ontario job offer, Ontario is, for now, closed to you. The profile-only route is gone.

Frequently asked questions

Is the OINP closed?

No. The OINP is open, but every one of its former streams is closed. The single Ontario Workforce Priority stream replaced them, and its EOI portal opened on August 4, 2026.

Can I apply to the OINP without a job offer?

Only if you are a self-employed physician with an OHIP billing number and CPSO certification. Every other applicant needs a qualifying Ontario job offer.

I was in the Human Capital Priorities pool. What happens to me?

That stream was terminated and your EOI was withdrawn. There is no transitional route. To be considered by Ontario now you need a qualifying job offer and a new EOI under the Workforce Priority stream.

Do I still get 600 CRS points from an Ontario nomination?

Yes, if your job offer is NOC TEER 0–3 or you are a self-employed physician, you elected the Express Entry route in your application, and you maintain a valid Express Entry profile. TEER 4–5 nominations go through the base route and do not carry the 600 points.

Can my spouse and children be included?

Yes. Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children are included in your permanent residence application after you receive your provincial nomination.

Get help with your OINP application

The redesigned stream is employer-driven and runs on 30-, 14- and 17-day clocks, which means most failures are timing and employer-eligibility failures rather than applicant failures. JCA Law Office has helped hundreds of Filipino families obtain provincial nominations and permanent residence, and we work with the employer side as well as the applicant.

How we help:

Eligibility assessment against the Workforce Priority requirements
Confirming your employer can actually meet Ontario’s criteria before you rely on the offer
Express Entry profile setup and the enhanced-nomination election
Employer guidance for Employer Portal registration and job offer submission
Document preparation, deadline management and full application handling

📞 Book a consultation:
Phone: 1-855-522-5290
Email: immigration@jcalaw.ca
Book an appointment online or contact us.

Last updated: August 4, 2026.

Sources: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, Ontario Workforce Priority stream, and 2026 OINP updates (Government of Ontario).

Applying to OINP and based in the GTA? Reach out to JCA Law Office’s Toronto immigration practice for help.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Complete Guide for Filipinos (2026)