Maple News reports that Ontario has officially opened applications for its In-Demand Skills immigration stream through the province’s enhanced Expression of Interest (EOI) system. This development is part of Ontario’s ongoing effort to streamline its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and better align immigration with labour market demands.
With this update, the In-Demand Skills stream joins the Foreign Worker and International Student streams under the Employer Job Offer category in the EOI system. Other streams—namely the Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate categories—are expected to transition into the EOI framework in the near future, according to the province.
The EOI system allows applicants to register their profiles at any time throughout the year. Ontario ranks these profiles using a points-based matrix that considers educational background, work experience, language ability, and intended regional settlement within the province. Being invited through the EOI system is not guaranteed, but selected candidates may receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination, which supports permanent residency applications.
The In-Demand Skills stream focuses on occupations that are essential yet often classified as ‘low-skilled.’ These roles continue to face critical labour shortages in Ontario. As a result, the stream enables foreign workers with eligible job offers—and with at least nine months of cumulative Ontario work experience in the last three years—to apply, even if the occupation is not traditionally viewed as high-skilled under Canada’s National Occupation Classification system.
To be eligible, candidates must meet multiple criteria: at least a high school diploma, minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in all areas, and sufficient settlement funds or income. Work experience must be recent and can include part-time roles, provided they meet the minimum 1,200-hour threshold.
There are two lists of in-demand occupations categorized by geographic eligibility. Occupations such as transport truck drivers, general farm workers, nurse aides, and heavy equipment operators are available across Ontario. However, specific industrial roles—like sewing machine operators and food processing machine operators—are limited to applicants outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), targeting labour needs in regional communities.
The inclusion of the In-Demand Skills stream in the EOI system reflects Ontario’s commitment to building a diverse and robust workforce by expanding immigration pathways to sectors typically underserved by traditional programs.
This latest update comes following a recent draw in which Ontario issued invitations to 940 international students and foreign workers through the EOI pool, signaling active use of the system to meet employer needs.