Ontario has recently made significant changes to its provincial pathways to permanent residence, impacting foreign nationals seeking nomination through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

Effective May 30, 2026, legislative amendments in Ontario have resulted in the revocation of existing immigration streams, prompting the need for new pathways for provincial nomination for permanent residence.

While specific details are yet to be released by Ontario, the province had previously outlined plans for four new replacement streams during a stakeholder consultation in December 2025. These proposed streams aim to streamline the immigration intake process and enhance eligibility criteria.

As of now, the confirmed launch dates, eligibility criteria, and operational specifics for the new streams are pending publication by Ontario. However, the province has assured that all applications submitted under the previous streams will be evaluated based on the eligibility requirements at the time of application.

Proposed Replacement Streams

In the December consultation, Ontario proposed consolidating its immigration intake into five nomination pathways, including:

• Employer Job Offer stream – TEER 0-3 track;
• Employer Job Offer stream – TEER 4-5 track;
• Priority Healthcare stream;
• Entrepreneur stream (replacing closed Entrepreneur category); and
• Exceptional Talent stream.

Under the proposal, the existing employer job offer streams would be merged into a single stream with two nomination tracks catering to high and low-skilled candidates.

Ontario is yet to announce the official launch dates, final eligibility criteria, and operational details for these new streams.

Employer Job Offer Stream: TEER 0 to 3 Track

This specific track is designed to attract skilled workers, particularly those already residing in Canada. To qualify for this track, candidates must meet specific criteria across three key areas.