Ontario, Canada, has opened applications for a new immigration pathway that gives eligible foreign workers and self-employed physicians an opportunity to seek permanent residence in the province.
The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, operated under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), became available for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) on August 4, 2026.
Under the new system, eligible foreign workers with qualifying job offers from Ontario employers can register an EOI through the province’s e-Filing Portal and enter a selection pool for possible nomination.
The programme also provides a route for eligible self-employed physicians who do not have a job offer but are registered to practise in Ontario and meet the province’s requirements.
The opening of the stream is expected to attract the attention of foreign workers seeking opportunities to live and work permanently in Canada, including Nigerians looking for immigration routes through employment.
According to information released by the Ontario government, the Workforce Priority Stream is designed to help the province address labour shortages while giving employers a way to retain workers who have the skills and experience they need.
The new programme has pathways for workers in different skill levels, including higher-skilled and lower-skilled occupations, as well as a separate pathway for self-employed physicians.
For foreign workers applying with a job offer, the process must begin with the employer. The employer is required to register through the OINP Employer Portal and submit information about the job.
Once the employer submits the job offer, the worker receives a job offer identification number which is then used to register an EOI.
Ontario said the job must generally be a full-time and permanent position in the province and must meet the programme’s wage and other requirements.
The employer must also meet certain conditions, including being in active business for at least three years, having business premises in Ontario and meeting requirements relating to revenue and the number of Canadian citizens or permanent residents employed.
Where the foreign worker is living outside Canada or working outside Ontario, the employer must also show that reasonable efforts were made to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident before offering the position to the foreign worker.
After an EOI is registered, candidates are ranked using a points-based system. Ontario can then conduct draws and invite the highest-ranking candidates to apply for provincial nomination.
The province said an EOI remains valid for up to 12 months. Applicants who do not receive an invitation during that period must register a new EOI if they still want to be considered.
Candidates who receive an invitation have a limited period to complete the next stage of the process.
For applicants with job offers, the employer must submit an application for approval of the employment position within 14 calendar days of the invitation. The foreign worker must submit the nomination application and pay the required fee within 17 calendar days.
Ontario stressed that the applicant cannot submit the nomination application until the employer has submitted its own application for approval of the employment position.
The province has also set language, education and work experience requirements depending on the type of job being offered.
For higher-skilled positions classified under TEER categories 0 to 3, applicants generally need to meet specified language requirements, although some graduates of eligible Ontario institutions may qualify without submitting a language test.
For lower-skilled positions in TEER categories 4 and 5, applicants are required to meet a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of four in all four language abilities.
Applicants may also need to provide evidence of relevant work experience, education, professional licences or other authorisations, depending on their occupation.
For certain TEER 4 and 5 positions, Ontario requires at least nine months of cumulative, paid, full-time work experience in the occupation covered by the job offer, gained within the two years before the application.
The program is also open to self-employed physicians who meet the conditions set by Ontario.
Such physicians can apply without a job offer, but they must meet specific requirements, including registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and proof of registration for billing under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, known as OHIP.
Successful applicants who receive an Ontario nomination can proceed to the federal stage by applying to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence.
Ontario said successful nominees would receive a nomination approval letter and certificate, while eligible applicants may also receive a work permit support letter.
The nomination certificate is valid for six months, during which the nominee must apply for permanent residence to the federal government. Ontario, however, does not make the final decision on permanent residence. That decision is made by the federal government. ([Ontario][1])
Some applicants may also benefit from the Express Entry system.
Those applying through TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations, as well as eligible self-employed physicians, may choose to be nominated through Express Entry if they meet federal requirements and maintain a valid Express Entry profile.
Ontario said nomination through Express Entry could lead to faster processing of permanent residence applications by the federal government.
The Workforce Priority Stream is part of a major overhaul of Ontario’s immigration programme.
The province announced the redesign on June 26, saying it was changing the OINP to better match immigration with labour market needs and address shortages in key areas of the economy.
As part of the first phase of the reform, Ontario removed its previous eight immigration streams and introduced the Workforce Priority Stream. The province said the changes were designed to create clearer pathways for applicants, reduce duplication and give employers greater flexibility in recruiting workers for hard-to-fill positions.
The government also said the reforms would make it easier for smaller businesses in rural and northern parts of Ontario to participate in the immigration programme by introducing more flexible revenue requirements.
The Workforce Priority Stream is only the first part of the planned changes. Ontario said additional pathways would be introduced as part of the second phase of the modernisation.
These include a Priority Healthcare Worker Stream, an Entrepreneur Stream and an Exceptional Talent Stream.
The changes come as Canadian provinces continue to use provincial nominee programmes to select immigrants whose skills match local labour needs.
Canada’s immigration system allows provinces and territories to nominate people for permanent residence based on their economic and workforce needs. A provincial nomination does not by itself grant permanent residence, as nominees must still complete the federal immigration process.
For prospective immigrants, the new Ontario programme provides another opportunity, but it is not an automatic route to permanent residence. Candidates must first meet the eligibility requirements, secure a qualifying job offer where required, register an EOI, receive an invitation and then successfully complete the provincial and federal processes.
The Ontario government has urged applicants and employers to familiarise themselves with the requirements before entering the selection process, as errors or missed deadlines can result in an EOI or application being removed from consideration.
With the opening of the new stream, foreign workers with relevant skills and Ontario job offers now have a fresh route to seek provincial nomination and, ultimately, permanent residence in Canada.