PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS
Ontario Workforce Priority Stream | Toronto Lawyer
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream allows eligible workers with Ontario job offers, and certain self-employed physicians, to seek provincial nomination for permanent residence.
Last modified: 2026-08-22
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is Ontario’s employer-supported permanent residence pathway under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
It is open to eligible foreign workers with qualifying Ontario job offers in occupations from TEER 0 to TEER 5. A separate pathway is available to certain self-employed physicians without a job offer.
The stream replaced the former OINP Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker, International Student and In-Demand Skills streams in 2026.
For most applicants, the process begins with the Ontario employer. The employer submits the job offer through the OINP Employer Portal, after which the applicant registers an Expression of Interest, or EOI.
If Ontario issues an Invitation to Apply:
- the employer has 14 calendar days to apply for approval of the employment position; and
- the applicant has 17 calendar days to submit the nomination application.
The employer, job offer and applicant must each meet the program requirements. An eligible employee cannot compensate for an ineligible employer or deficient job offer.
If nominated, the applicant must apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence. TEER 0-3 applicants and eligible self-employed physicians may request an Express Entry nomination if they independently qualify under a federal Express Entry program.
This service is for applicants and Ontario employers using the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.
It may be suitable for:
- workers with Ontario job offers in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations;
- workers with Ontario job offers in TEER 4 or 5 occupations;
- recent graduates from eligible Ontario institutions;
- workers with qualifying Canadian or foreign work experience;
- regulated professionals with the required Ontario licence;
- eligible self-employed physicians;
- Ontario employers seeking to retain foreign workers;
- applicants preparing an OINP Expression of Interest;
- applicants who have received an Invitation to Apply;
- applicants with uncertain NOC classifications or mixed work experience;
- employers with multiple locations, hybrid workers or complex corporate structures; and
- applicants with previous OINP, work permit or permanent residence refusals.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation. Ontario may target candidates based on EOI score, occupation, work location or provincial labour market priorities.
Legal representation may include eligibility review, employer and job offer assessment, EOI strategy, application preparation and post-nomination permanent residence services.
Eligibility and Strategy
- assessment under the TEER 0-3, TEER 4-5 or self-employed physician pathway;
- review of the applicant’s NOC code and TEER category;
- review of Canadian and foreign work experience;
- assessment of recent Ontario graduate provisions;
- review of language test results and exemptions;
- review of education and Educational Credential Assessments;
- review of mandatory licences or professional authorizations;
- review of legal status and work authorization in Canada;
- assessment of the applicant’s intention to live and work in Ontario;
- review of ownership interests in the employer’s business;
- assessment of Express Entry eligibility; and
- review of previous refusals or immigration concerns.
Employer and Job Offer Review
- review of the employer’s active business history;
- review of Ontario business premises;
- assessment of gross revenue and employee-count requirements;
- review of corporate, financial and payroll evidence;
- review of employment standards and workplace compliance;
- review of recruitment requirements, where applicable;
- review of the position’s NOC code, duties and business need;
- review of full-time and permanent employment requirements;
- comparison of the wage with the applicable Job Bank wage;
- review of work and reporting locations;
- assessment of hybrid, mobile or multi-location work; and
- advice regarding proposed changes to duties, wage, hours or location.
EOI and Application Preparation
- guidance on the Employer Portal job-offer process;
- calculation and verification of the applicant’s EOI score;
- review of supporting evidence for each claimed EOI factor;
- preparation for the short post-invitation deadlines;
- preparation or review of the employer application;
- preparation or review of the applicant nomination application;
- review of employment letters, pay records and tax documents;
- review of education, language, status and licensing documents;
- review of consistency across the job offer, EOI, forms and evidence;
- preparation of legal submissions;
- responses to OINP correspondence; and
- monitoring through to a decision.
Post-Nomination Services
- review of nomination conditions;
- Express Entry or non-Express Entry permanent residence preparation;
- provincial nominee work permit strategy;
- review of employment changes after nomination; and
- preparation of the permanent residence application to IRCC.
Legal representation may be particularly useful where the case involves uncertain NOC classification, multiple work locations, foreign work experience, maintained status, ownership in the employer, missing records, corporate changes or previous refusals.
Legal assistance should be considered where:
- the correct OINP pathway is unclear;
- the applicant is unsure whether their work experience qualifies;
- the job duties do not clearly match the proposed NOC;
- the applicant is relying on recent Ontario graduate provisions;
- a professional licence may satisfy an eligibility requirement;
- foreign education requires an ECA;
- language results are close to expiry;
- the employer is unsure whether it meets the revenue or employee requirements;
- the employer has recently merged, reorganized or changed ownership;
- the employee works remotely or at multiple locations;
- recruitment may be required;
- the wage may not meet the applicable Job Bank level;
- the applicant or a family member owns part of the employer;
- the applicant has maintained status or restoration history;
- an Invitation to Apply has already been issued; or
- information in the job offer, EOI and supporting documents may be inconsistent.
OINP refusals may result from employer ineligibility, wage deficiencies, inaccurate NOC classification, insufficient work-experience evidence, unsupported EOI points, missing documents or inconsistencies between the employer and applicant applications.
A refusal should be reviewed before reapplying. Depending on the circumstances, the applicant may need a new EOI, an internal review request or another legal remedy.
Andra Dumitrescu
Barrister & Solicitor
Law Society of Ontario # 75447M
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
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Discovery call to understand the Ontario job offer, employer and applicant’s permanent residence goals.
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Eligibility review covering the OINP pathway, NOC, work experience, education, language, licensing and EOI score.
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Employer and job offer review covering revenue, employee count, wage, work location and business need.
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Preparation of the employer application, applicant application, legal submissions and supporting evidence.
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Guidance through nomination, work permit options and the permanent residence application.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is Ontario’s current employer-supported immigration pathway under the OINP. It is available to eligible workers with Ontario job offers in TEER 0 through TEER 5 occupations. A separate pathway is available to certain self-employed physicians without a job offer. The stream replaced the former Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker, International Student and In-Demand Skills streams.
The applicant must have a qualifying full-time and permanent Ontario job offer in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation.
The work-experience requirement may generally be met through one of the following:
- 6 consecutive months in the job-offer position within the previous 12 months;
- 3 consecutive months for an eligible recent Ontario graduate;
- 2 years of qualifying work experience, generally in the same NOC, within the previous 5 years; or
- the mandatory licence or authorization required for the position.
Most applicants require at least a one-year post-secondary credential and CLB 6. Different requirements apply to listed skilled trades, recent Ontario graduates and regulated occupations.
The applicant must have a qualifying full-time and permanent Ontario job offer in a TEER 4 or 5 occupation.
The applicant generally requires:
- 9 months of paid full-time work experience in the job-offer position within the previous 2 years;
- CLB 4 in English or French; and
- a Canadian secondary school diploma or foreign equivalent.
Unlike the former In-Demand Skills Stream, the pathway is not limited to a short list of TEER 4 or 5 occupations.
The employer must generally:
- have been in active business for at least 3 years;
- maintain Ontario business premises;
- meet the applicable revenue threshold;
- have the required number of Canadian citizen or permanent resident employees;
- comply with Ontario employment and workplace safety laws; and
- offer a qualifying full-time and permanent position.
For GTA positions, the employer generally requires at least $1 million in gross revenue in the most recently completed fiscal year and 5 qualifying employees.
Specified Ontario regions generally require at least $500,000 in gross revenue. Other qualifying locations may require at least $250,000 in each of the two most recently completed fiscal years.
Employers outside the GTA generally require at least 3 qualifying employees.
The job offer must generally be:
- full-time, meaning at least 30 paid hours per week and 1,560 hours per year;
- permanent, with no fixed end date;
- primarily based in Ontario;
- urgently necessary to the employer’s business;
- consistent with the selected NOC occupation; and
- paid at or above the required wage.
Most positions must meet the regional Job Bank median wage. Eligible recent Ontario graduates may qualify using the applicable low wage.
If the applicant already works in the position, the offered wage must also be at least equal to their current wage.
An LMIA is not generally required for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.
Recruitment evidence may be required where the applicant lives outside Canada or works outside Ontario. Recruitment is generally not required where the applicant is already authorized to work in Ontario or the employer has a positive LMIA for the same position.
The nomination process does not itself authorize the applicant to work in Canada.
The employer first submits the job offer through the OINP Employer Portal.
The applicant must register an EOI within 30 calendar days of the job-offer submission. The EOI is scored using factors such as:
- NOC and TEER category;
- occupation;
- hourly wage;
- Ontario work experience;
- Canadian earnings;
- legal status;
- education;
- English and French ability; and
- work location.
If invited, the employer has 14 calendar days to submit its application and the applicant has 17 calendar days to submit the nomination application.
An EOI does not guarantee an invitation.
TEER 0-3 applicants and eligible self-employed physicians may request an Express Entry nomination if they independently qualify under an eligible federal Express Entry program.
The applicant must maintain a valid Express Entry profile. An accepted provincial nomination provides 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System points.
TEER 4-5 nominees proceed through the non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program permanent residence process.
Yes.
An eligible self-employed physician may apply without a job offer if the physician:
- is eligible to bill publicly funded health services through OHIP; and
- is a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
The physician must hold an eligible certificate authorizing independent, academic or provisional practice.
A postgraduate education licence does not qualify for the self-employed physician pathway.
A refusal should be reviewed before a new application is filed.
An internal review may be available where the OINP made an error in assessing the original application. The request generally must be submitted within 30 calendar days after the refusal.
Depending on the reasons, the applicant may instead need to correct the eligibility or evidence issue, register a new EOI or consider another legal remedy.
Latest Updates
A curated feed of recent Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program updates covering program changes, case law, and regulatory amendments.
