Ontario has opened a fresh route to permanent residence for foreign workers, giving thousands of eligible applicants a new chance to settle in Canada.
The Ontario government has officially opened applications for its new Workforce Priority Stream, a pathway under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) designed to attract workers with skills needed by the province.
The programme became operational on August 4, 2026, allowing eligible foreign nationals to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) through Ontario’s e-Filing Portal.
Applicants must have a qualifying job offer from an eligible Ontario employer whose position has been created through the OINP Employer Portal.
The new immigration route comes with three pathways — one for higher-skilled workers, another for lower-skilled workers and a third for self-employed physicians registered to practise in Ontario and eligible to bill the province’s public health insurance scheme, OHIP.
Under the system, foreign workers must first create an EOI linked to a qualifying job offer before they can be considered for nomination.
Although Ontario launched the Workforce Priority Stream on June 26, applicants could not enter the selection pool until the online portal opened this week.
Candidates with active EOIs will now be ranked using a points-based system introduced on July 20, with Ontario expected to invite selected applicants through periodic draws.
Ontario said an EOI remains valid for 12 months.
Applicants who fail to receive an invitation within that period will have to submit a fresh EOI to remain in the running.
Those who receive invitations will have 17 calendar days to submit their complete applications, while employers must apply for approval of the employment position within 14 calendar days of the invitation.
Successful job-offer nominees will receive a provincial support letter which can be used to apply for a federal work permit while their permanent residence applications are being processed.
There is also a potential fast-track benefit for some applicants.
Successful candidates under the higher-skilled worker and self-employed physician pathways may qualify for Ontario’s Enhanced Provincial Nominee Program, which is linked to Express Entry and could provide access to faster permanent residence processing.
The Workforce Priority Stream is the first new immigration pathway introduced under Ontario’s overhaul of the OINP after the province shut down all its previous streams on May 30, 2026.
Ontario said more pathways are on the way in the second phase of the reform, including a Priority Healthcare Worker Stream, Entrepreneur Stream and Exceptional Talent Stream.
The latest move is expected to attract foreign workers, professionals and other skilled applicants seeking a new route to permanent residence in Canada.
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