Ontario nominee program
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
If you live and work in Ontario, or plan to, the provincial nominee program can be the shortest road to permanent residence. In 2026 that road was rebuilt from scratch.
What changed in 2026
Ontario closed all nine of its old streams in May 2026 and launched a single new one, the Workforce Priority stream, with three tracks and a new expression of interest system. Almost everything written about OINP before mid-2026 is now history. If you researched the program earlier and gave up, it is worth looking again, and if you were counting on an old stream, you need a new plan.
How the new system works
You register an expression of interest, the province scores you on factors like occupation, wage, language and work history, and the highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply. A provincial nomination then adds weight to your federal permanent residence application. Employer involvement matters in most tracks, which makes preparation on the employer’s side just as important as yours.
What I do
Fit check
Whether the current OINP setup fits your profile, or whether Express Entry or another province serves you better.
Expression of interest
Prepared so it scores what it should, with the evidence behind every claim.
Nomination application
Assembled in full, including the employer’s documents.
Federal PR stage
The file carried through to permanent residence, not dropped after the nomination.
For employers
If you want to keep a valued foreign worker in Ontario, the nominee program is often the answer, but it asks real questions about your business. I prepare the employer side of the file as well. Get in touch through the contact page.
Related services
Express Entry and PR
The federal route, and how a nomination changes it.
Work Permits
LMIA and permits while your nomination is in progress.
Ontario is your plan?
Let us see whether the new Workforce Priority stream fits you.