Provincial nominee programs

Amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 in force June 25, 2026 removed the existing 8 streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority stream; the closed streams are Employer Job Offer (Foreign Worker, In-Demand Skills, International Student), Master’s Graduate, PhD Graduate, and Express Entry Human Capital Priorities, French-speaking Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades. Applications submitted after an invitation under a former stream are assessed against the requirements in effect when they were submitted. The stream is for workers with a job offer in any NOC TEER category and for eligible self-employed physicians without a job offer. The job offer must be for a full-time and permanent position in Ontario, urgently necessary to the employer’s business, not affect a labour dispute and meet the required wage level for its location. The employer starts the process by submitting a job offer in the employer portal and must have its application for approval of the employment position approved. Self-employed professionals without an employer-employee relationship are not eligible, except self-employed physicians: an OHIP billing number and membership in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario with a certificate of registration authorizing independent or academic practice or a provisional certificate (a postgraduate education licence does not qualify).

For a job offer in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, one of: at least 6 months of consecutive, paid full-time work in the job offer position within the 12 months before applying; for a recent Ontario graduate (eligible Ontario credential within the last 3 years), at least 3 months; at least 2 years of cumulative, paid full-time work (3,120 hours, or the part-time equivalent) in the same NOC within 5 years before applying (related NOCs allowed for job offers in Sub-Major Group 223, NOC 33103 and NOC 33102); or a licence or other authorization the job legally requires. For NOC 73300 (transport truck drivers) and NOC 73301 (bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators), the 6 months of consecutive work in the position must be met even if the worker is licensed or a recent Ontario graduate. For a job offer in TEER 4 or 5: at least 9 months of cumulative, paid full-time work in the job offer position within 2 years before applying. Full-time means at least 30 paid hours a week in the job offer position (same occupation, employer and location); vacation and regular sick leave are not interruptions, extended leaves are.

For a job offer in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3: CLB 6 or higher in all four abilities, or CLB 5 for a listed skilled trade (Major Groups 72 except Sub-Major Group 726, 73, 82, 83 and 93 except Sub-Major Group 932, Minor Group 6320 and Unit Group 62200), or instead proof of graduating within the last 3 years from an eligible Ontario institution with a post-secondary degree or diploma of at least 2 years, an Ontario College Graduate Certificate, a master’s or a PhD. For TEER 4 or 5: CLB 4 or higher in all four abilities. The test must be taken within 2 years before applying; accepted tests are IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.

For a job offer in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, one of: a post-secondary degree or diploma that takes at least one year of full-time study from an eligible Canadian institution or its foreign equivalent; for a listed skilled trade, a Canadian high school diploma or its foreign equivalent; for NOC 33102, an Ontario college certificate requiring at least one year of full-time study from an eligible Canadian institution; or a licence or other authorization the job legally requires (not for NOC 73300 or 73301). For TEER 4 or 5: a Canadian high school diploma or its foreign equivalent. Studies completed outside Canada need an Educational Credential Assessment less than 5 years old when the application is made, from an IRCC-designated organization.

The employer first submits a job offer in the Employer Portal; the worker registers an expression of interest within 30 calendar days. Expressions of interest are scored on TEER, occupation category, wage, Ontario work experience, Canadian earnings (since October 5, 2026, 10 points for earning $80,000 or more in a single year within the past 5 years, shown on a Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment), legal status, education, Canadian credentials, language and region. If invited, the employer has 14 calendar days from the invitation to apply for approval of the employment position, and the worker must apply and pay within 17 calendar days of the invitation, but only after the employer has applied. A nominee applies to IRCC for permanent residence within 6 months; with a TEER 0 to 3 job the worker can instead ask to be nominated through Express Entry, if they meet a federal Express Entry program and keep a valid profile.

On October 14, 2026, Ontario announced a new round of the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative, running to the end of 2027. It allocates nomination spaces to selected partner communities, including Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Kenora District, Nipissing District, Rainy River District, Renfrew County and Thunder Bay. It operates within the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program for skilled foreign workers who want to live and work in a participating community; there is no separate application process and applicants must meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

A foreign national is a member of the provincial nominee class if named in a nomination certificate (a) issued by a province under a provincial nomination agreement in force at the time of nomination, (b) made under provincial selection criteria approved in writing by the Minister, and (c) made on the basis of the person's ability to become economically established in Canada and their intention to reside in the nominating province. The province has sole responsibility to evaluate economic establishment and intent to reside under its approved criteria (IRPR 87(2)–(3) as amended by SOR/2026-63; the former officer substituted-evaluation provision no longer appears). Accompanying family members become PRs if the principal does and they are not inadmissible.

A nominee is not a member of the class if the nomination was based on the provision of capital or the person intends to participate or has participated in an immigration-linked investment scheme, unless the capital is provided to a business in the nominating province (not one operated mainly to earn passive investment income), the nominee controls at least 33 1/3% of the equity or an equity investment of at least $1,000,000, provides active and ongoing management from within the province, and the investment terms include no redemption option (IRPR 87(5)–(6)).

Provinces and territories (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon) nominate people who want to live there; Quebec and Nunavut have no PNP. Enhanced: for people who qualify for both a provincial stream and a federal Express Entry program (FSW, CEC or FST); the nominee creates/updates an Express Entry profile and receives 600 CRS points. Base: for people who qualify for a provincial stream but not an Express Entry program; after the province nominates them under a non-Express Entry stream, they apply for PR to IRCC online outside Express Entry. The province tells the applicant which process applies.

An enhanced nomination is obtained either by applying directly to a province's Express Entry-linked stream or after a province sends a 'notification of interest' to the profile (not itself a nomination). The province confirms the nomination with IRCC; the candidate has 30 calendar days to accept or reject it in their account (ignoring it = rejecting). On acceptance the system checks PNP requirements and adds 600 points (only once; 600 is the maximum additional points). If a nomination is withdrawn before an invitation, the profile must be withdrawn and re-submitted; if after an invitation but before applying, decline the invitation, withdraw and re-submit. Applying without a valid nomination can lead to refusal without refund.