Maple News reports that Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued invitations in its second selection round of 2026, inviting 918 international graduates to apply for provincial nomination. The invitations are targeted at graduates who studied in Ontario and are currently in Canada with valid work or study permits.
A breakdown shows 674 invitations under the Master’s Graduate Stream and 244 under the PhD Graduate Stream. Minimum cutoff scores were 61 for the Master’s stream and 56 for the PhD stream.
To be considered, candidates must have created their OINP profile between April 22, 2025 and April 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
This round follows the April 15 draw that targeted workers in priority and agriculture-related occupations, as well as the March 18 draw that previously focused on Master’s and PhD graduates. Unlike the March draw, the latest round did not require applicants to have a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
Nearly three-quarters of the invitations went to Master’s graduates, with about 73.4% issued through the Master’s Graduate Stream.
For applicants, a provincial nomination through OINP can facilitate permanent residence via Canada’s federal streams. Prospective nominees should gather required documents, ensure their status remains valid, and be prepared to provide transcripts, degree certificates, and proof of ongoing residence in Ontario as requested by the program.
Maple News notes that Ontario’s strategy continues to leverage graduate-focused streams to attract high-skilled talent, reinforcing the province’s commitment to strengthening its tech, research, and innovation ecosystems through targeted immigration.