Ontario's immigration program is mid-transition right now — on July 20, 2026 Ontario published the new stream's full eligibility criteria and its points-based scoring grid, the application (Expression of Interest) intake opened on August 4, 2026, and Phase 2 is still to come. Always confirm the latest on the official Ontario.ca OINP updates page and with a licensed advisor before acting.
The 30-second version: On June 25, 2026, Ontario permanently closed all 8 of its old OINP streams — including the Masters Graduate and International Student streams that many graduates relied on — and replaced them with a single new Ontario Workforce Priority stream that is built around having a job offer. The Expression of Interest (EOI) intake opened on August 4, 2026. If your plan was "graduate in Ontario, then get nominated without a job offer," that route is closed for now — so a qualifying job offer (or the federal Express Entry route) matters more than ever. As of July 20, 2026, Ontario has also published the points-based scoring grid (out of 130) that ranks EOIs in each draw.
What actually changed
Ontario rebuilt the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) from the ground up. Phase 1, effective June 25, 2026:
- All 8 former streams are permanently closed. No new invitations will be issued under them. This includes the streams graduates used most — the Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams and the International Student (Employer Job Offer) stream — as well as the three Express Entry-aligned streams (Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker, and Skilled Trades). (The separate Entrepreneur stream was not part of this closure.)
- One new stream replaces them: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, now the main employer-sponsored path to a provincial nomination.
- The EOI intake opened on August 4, 2026. Eligible people can now build a profile and register.
- New language and education requirements were introduced, along with more flexibility for rural employers and stronger compliance/enforcement.
- On July 20, 2026, Ontario published the full eligibility criteria and the points-based scoring grid for the new stream (see the scoring section below). The EOI system you actually register in opened on August 4, 2026.
The new Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The Workforce Priority stream has three pathways (the eligibility below is from Ontario's official June 25, 2026 update — always confirm current details on Ontario.ca):
1. Higher-skilled jobs — NOC TEER 0–3 pathway. Requires a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario, plus:
- Work experience — one of: 6 months consecutive in the last 12 in the job-offer position; for recent Ontario graduates, just 3 months consecutive in the last 12 in the job-offer position; or 2 years cumulative in the last 5 in the occupation. (Licensed applicants are exempt.)
- Language: CLB 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations).
- Education: a post-secondary degree or diploma.
2. Lower-skilled jobs — NOC TEER 4–5 pathway. Requires a full-time, permanent job offer, plus 9 months cumulative experience in the last 2 years in the job-offer position, language CLB 4, and a Canadian secondary-school diploma or equivalent.
3. Self-employed physicians. The one pathway that doesn't need a job offer — for physicians in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, with valid registration and OHIP billing eligibility.
Employers in rural communities (a census division under 150,000 people) get lower business-revenue thresholds.
The detail that matters most for you: the TEER 0–3 pathway gives recent Ontario graduates a reduced work-experience bar — just 3 months in your job-offer role (vs. 6 months for everyone else). So a qualifying job offer plus a few months in the role can put you in range.
How your EOI is scored (the new points system)
On July 20, 2026, Ontario published the Workforce Priority stream's full eligibility criteria and its points-based scoring grid. Once the Expression of Interest (EOI) system opens, everyone who registers is scored out of 130 points, and Ontario invites the highest-ranked profiles — similar in spirit to the federal CRS. Points come from these factors (maximums shown):
- Regional work location — up to 15. Northern Ontario scores highest (15); Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario outside the GTA, and Southwestern Ontario score 10; inside the GTA except Toronto scores 5; Toronto scores 0.
- Hourly wage — up to 15. $40+/hour = 15, scaling down to 0 below $20/hour.
- Official language ability — up to 15. Based on your lowest CLB across the four skills: CLB 9+ = 15, CLB 8 = 12, CLB 7 = 8, CLB 6 = 4, CLB 5 or lower = 0.
- Ontario work experience — up to 18. Time in your job-offer position (24+ months = 18, down to 0 under 6 months); if you have under 6 months in that specific position, your general Ontario work experience is scored instead (up to 12).
- NOC broad occupational category — up to 10, and NOC TEER — up to 9 (TEER 0–1 = 9, TEER 2–3 = 6, TEER 4–5 = 0).
- Highest education — up to 10 (a doctorate in medicine/dentistry/veterinary medicine/optometry = 10, Master's = 8, bachelor's = 6, trades/college certificate = 5, down to 0), plus number of Canadian credentials — up to 10 (more than one = 10, one = 5).
- Bilingualism — up to 10 (both English and French at CLB 6+), legal status in Canada — up to 10 (valid work permit = 10, study permit = 5), and Canadian earnings history — up to 8 ($70k+ in a year = 8).
There is no fixed pass mark — the cut-off will depend on each draw, so treat your score as a way to gauge and improve your profile, not a guaranteed threshold. Always confirm the current grid on Ontario.ca.
Estimate your score: Use the MaplePath Ontario OINP (Workforce Priority) calculator to work through the 130-point grid one question at a time and see how each factor moves your total.
Why this hits international graduates specifically
Before June 25, Ontario had streams that could nominate certain graduates without a job offer — most notably the Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, which were aligned with your degree rather than an employer. Those are gone.
In plain terms: the "study here, then get nominated on the strength of your degree alone" route is closed for now. Provincial nomination through OINP now generally runs through an employer and a job offer (the Workforce Priority stream).
This isn't the end of the road — and it's not all bad news. The new stream needs a job offer, but recent Ontario graduates get an easier work-experience requirement once they have one (just 3 months — see above). What it really changes is your focus: landing a qualifying job offer is now the thing that matters most.
Your real options now
1. Aim for a qualifying job offer (Workforce Priority stream). This is now the central OINP path. If you're on a PGWP, prioritize landing a job in an eligible occupation (TEER 0–5) with an employer who can support a nomination, and make sure you meet the new language and education requirements. Get your profile ready and register now that the EOI intake is open (opened August 4, 2026).
2. Look at federal Express Entry (especially the Canadian Experience Class). OINP is one route to PR, not the only one. The federal Express Entry system — particularly the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) — is a separate, nationwide path that rewards skilled Canadian work experience (the kind you build on a PGWP). It doesn't require an Ontario nomination at all. For many graduates this is the more realistic primary route now; OINP becomes a possible boost rather than the whole plan. (Federal rules and cut-off scores change frequently — check current requirements.)
3. Watch for the upcoming OINP streams (Phase 2). Ontario has confirmed this is a two-phase redesign, with more to come. Immigration-law commentary (not yet detailed on Ontario.ca, so treat as likely-but-unconfirmed) anticipates a Priority Healthcare stream for regulated healthcare professionals with Ontario licensure — reportedly allowing nomination without a job offer — and an Exceptional Talent stream for recognized leaders in tech, science, arts, and culture. If you're a healthcare grad or have standout achievements, keep an eye out, but don't bank on the details until Ontario publishes them.
4. Don't make irreversible moves on rumours. The system is changing week to week. Confirm anything important against Ontario.ca and a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer before, say, turning down a job or changing your study/work plans.
A quick action checklist
- ☐ Confirm your current status and PGWP timeline — know how much work-permit runway you have.
- ☐ Identify whether your target job sits in an eligible NOC TEER 0–5 occupation.
- ☐ Check your language test results are current and meet the new thresholds.
- ☐ Start (or continue) building skilled Canadian work experience — it feeds both Workforce Priority and federal Express Entry/CEC.
- ☐ Register your Expression of Interest on Ontario.ca — the EOI intake opened August 4, 2026.
- ☐ If your case is complex, book a consult with a licensed RCIC — one good hour can save a costly mistake.
OINP 2026 updates — timeline at a glance
- June 25, 2026 — Phase 1 in force: all 8 old streams closed; Workforce Priority stream created.
- July 20, 2026 — Ontario publishes the Workforce Priority eligibility criteria and the 130-point scoring grid.
- August 4, 2026 — EOI intake opened; eligible candidates build a profile and are scored.
- Late 2026 / early 2027 (expected) — additional streams: Priority Healthcare, Exceptional Talent, redesigned Entrepreneur.
Common questions
I was about to apply to the Masters Graduate stream. What now? That stream is permanently closed. Pivot toward a qualifying job offer (Workforce Priority) and/or the federal Express Entry/CEC route. Talk to a licensed advisor about your specific profile.
Does this mean I can't get PR in Ontario without a job offer? Through OINP's current Workforce Priority stream, a job offer is central. But federal Express Entry doesn't require an Ontario nomination at all, and a future Healthcare stream is expected to allow nomination without a job offer. So "no job offer" isn't a dead end — it just changes which door you use.
Is my pending application affected? It depends where you were in the process:
- Already received an invitation (ITA) under a former stream and submitted your application? Ontario will keep assessing it against the eligibility rules that were in effect when you applied.
- Only had an EOI or a registered job offer, but no invitation yet? Those were automatically withdrawn when the system was rebuilt — Ontario notified affected registrants, employers, and representatives directly. You now register a new EOI under the Workforce Priority stream (intake opened August 4, 2026).
Confirm your specific situation on Ontario.ca or with a licensed RCIC.
Important — please read
This article is general information, not immigration or legal advice, and it reflects what we could verify as of July 22, 2026 while the program is actively changing. In Canada, only a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer can give advice on your specific case. Always confirm details on the official Ontario.ca OINP pages and get professional guidance before making decisions that affect your status.