Unlocking Ontario PNP Canada: A Gateway To Diverse Opportunities

The OINP (Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program) is the program used by the province of Ontario to offer permanent residence to targeted immigration candidates so they can contribute to the economy of the province and fill in the gaps in the employment market.

Since June 2026, the OINP operates through a single, redesigned pathway — the Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) stream — which consolidated the program’s former streams for skilled workers, international graduates, and job offer holders into one unified Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) pathway. OWP covers job offers across every NOC TEER category, from senior management and professional roles down to general labour, and remains open to eligible self-employed physicians without a job offer.

Choosing Ontario Immigration

The Ontario province, located at the west of Québec, is the most populated province in Canada, with more than 38% of the Canadian population. Toronto, Canada’s largest city, and Ottawa, Canada’s capital, are both located in the province. Welcoming immigration has been, for decades, a tradition of this massive province.

Apart from some federal programs, the immigration authorities of Ontario also propose a very specific pathway to the Canadian province through the OWP stream. This stream can be pursued in one of two ways: Express Entry-aligned, or standard (non-aligned) processing.

Candidates with a job offer in NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3, as well as eligible self-employed physicians, can opt to be nominated through Express Entry. In case of a successful application, a provincial nomination is issued, leading the applicant to receive 600 extra CRS points. The applicant receiving these points will automatically receive an ITA in the following Express Entry draw..

Candidates with a job offer in NOC TEER category 4 or 5, or who don’t opt in to Express Entry, follow the standard, non-aligned route — there’s no need to be eligible for Express Entry or in the pool to apply this way, though processing to permanent residence typically takes longer than the Express Entry-aligned route.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Overview

The table below presents the different categories and various streams that the province of Ontario operates.

Stream	Main Criteria (not exhaustive)	Job Offer Required	Aligned with Express Entry	Application Fees
Ontario Worforce Priority (OWP)	Full-time (30h/week min), permanent job offer in any NOC TEER category (0–5), paying at least the median wage, necessary to the employer's business, and based in Ontario Work experience: 6 months (TEER 0-3) or 9 months (TEER 4-5) in the job offer position — shorter for recent Ontario grads Language: CLB 6 (TEER 0-3), CLB 5 (skilled trades), or CLB 4 (TEER 4-5) Education: 1-year+ postsecondary (TEER 0-3) or high school diploma (TEER 4-5) Valid immigration status in Canada, if applying from within the country, and intention to live and work in Ontario Self-employed physicians (no job offer needed): valid OHIP billing number and certificate of registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario	Yes (except for self-employed physicians)	Yes & No	$2,000 inside GTA $1,500 outside GTA

GTA: Greater Toronto Area

You can check out in-demand occupations lists for Ontario and other provinces.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) – Guides

For more detailed information on the OINP streams, you can consult our stream guides below. Each guide includes the stream’s eligibility requirements, application process, documents needed, cost, processing times, etc