Maple News reports that Ontario has opened intake for a new pathway to permanent residence under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWPS) is now available for eligible foreign nationals to be considered for provincial nomination.
To be considered, applicants must create an Expression of Interest (EOI) in Ontario’s online e-Filing Portal.
OWPS comprises three streams: one for higher-skilled workers, one for lower-skilled workers, and a self-employed physician stream for doctors registered to practise in Ontario and eligible to bill Ontario’s public health insurance program (OHIP).
For those pursuing the job-offer route, the EOI must be linked to a qualifying job offer from an eligible Ontario employer via the OINP Employer Portal.
For self-employed physicians, the process begins by submitting a webform to initiate consideration by the OINP and to create/register an EOI.
Ontario launched the OWPS on June 26, 2026, but it was not possible for any foreign nationals to be considered for provincial nomination under the OWPS before the online portal opened on August 4, 2026.
From the pool of eligible EOIs, the OINP will periodically select candidates and invite them to submit full applications for provincial nomination. An EOI remains valid for up to 12 months; if a candidate does not receive an invitation to apply within that period, they must re-register a new EOI to remain in consideration.
This pathway provides another route for skilled workers and physicians to pursue permanent residency in Ontario, aligning with the province’s labour-market needs and economic growth.