Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OINP)

What this page is: a client-friendly summary of the eligibility rules for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It covers the TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 job-offer categories, plus the self-employed physician category.

1. Stream options

The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream has three applicant categories:

A person applying for nomination must be a foreign national. Applicants must genuinely intend to live in Ontario. Anyone applying from inside Canada must have valid temporary resident status, including maintained status where applicable. An applicant must also attend an in-person interview if Ontario requests one.

2. Requirements applying to job-offer applicants

To apply through either the TEER 0–3 or TEER 4–5 category:

• Your employer must register with the OINP and submit your job offer through the Employer Portal.
• You must register an Expression of Interest, or EOI.
• You must receive an invitation to apply.
• You must apply within the deadline stated in the invitation.
• The current stream page gives applicants 17 calendar days from the invitation date to submit and pay for the application.
• You must prove every qualification and scoring factor you claimed in your EOI.
• Your employer must submit its application for approval of the employment position.
• Your nomination cannot be approved unless Ontario approves the employment position.
• Your job offer must fall within the correct TEER category.
• You and your family members generally cannot own or have owned part of the employer’s business. An exception applies when the ownership was received as employee compensation and your family’s combined ownership is below 10%.

3. TEER 0–3 applicant requirements

Your approved job offer must be in a NOC occupation classified as TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. You must meet the following requirements.

A. Work experience or mandatory licence

You must meet at least one of these options:

Option 1 — Six months in the exact job-offer position

You must have:

• At least six consecutive months of paid, full-time experience
• In the exact employment position covered by the application
• With the job-offer employer
• Within the 12 months before applying
• While legally living and working in Ontario

The job must be the same occupation, employer, work location and employment position covered by the employer’s application.

Option 2 — Recent Ontario graduate

A recent Ontario graduate may qualify with:

• At least three consecutive months of paid, full-time experience
• In the exact job-offer position
• Within the 12 months before applying
• While legally living and working in Ontario

A recent Ontario graduate means someone who graduated from an eligible Ontario institution during the previous three years with:

• A degree or diploma requiring at least two years of full-time study
• An Ontario College Graduate Certificate
• A master’s degree
• A PhD

Option 3 — Two years of related experience

You may qualify with at least:

• Two years of cumulative, paid, full-time work experience, or an allowed part-time equivalent
• Gained within the five years before applying

The experience must be in:

• The same NOC occupation as the job offer; or
• NOC Sub-Major Group 213, professional engineering occupations, when the job offer is in NOC Sub-Major Group 223, technical engineering occupations; or
• NOC 31120, Pharmacists, when the job offer is NOC 33103, Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants; or
• NOC 32101, Licensed practical nurses, or NOC 31301, Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, when the job offer is NOC 33102, Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates.

For this two-year option:

• Full-time experience generally means at least 30 paid hours per week and at least 3,120 paid hours over two years.
• An allowed part-time equivalent may be:
  • One job of at least 15 paid hours per week for four years, totalling at least 3,120 hours; or
  • Multiple jobs totalling at least 30 paid hours per week for two years and at least 3,120 hours.

Option 4 — Mandatory licence or authorization

When Ontario or federal law requires a licence or authorization to perform the offered job:

• You must already hold the valid licence or authorization.
• It must come from the appropriate Ontario or Canadian regulatory authority.
• In most cases, holding the mandatory licence exempts you from the work-experience and education requirements.
• You must keep the licence or authorization valid throughout the nomination period.

Special rule for truck and transit drivers

For job offers in:

• NOC 73300 — Transport truck drivers
• NOC 73301 — Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators

You must meet the six-consecutive-month work-experience requirement even when you:

• Hold the required licence; or
• Are a recent Ontario graduate.

These occupations are also subject to the regular TEER 0–3 postsecondary education and CLB 6 requirements described below.

Work-experience calculation rules

• Only experience completed before the application is submitted can be counted.
• Cumulative experience can include breaks between periods of employment.
• Normal paid vacation, ordinary sick leave and other standard paid short-term leave will generally not interrupt full-time employment.
• Extended leave is considered an interruption and should not be counted.

B. Education for TEER 0–3

Most TEER 0–3 occupations

You must have:

• A postsecondary degree or diploma from an eligible Canadian institution requiring at least one year of full-time study; or
• An equivalent foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment.

One full-time academic year generally means at least 15 hours of instruction per week over two semesters, including workplace training that forms part of the program. Equivalent part-time studies may qualify.

Listed skilled-trade occupations

For the listed skilled-trade groups, the minimum is:

• A Canadian secondary-school diploma; or
• A foreign equivalent supported by an ECA.

The listed skilled-trade groups are:

• Major Group 72 — Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers, excluding Sub-Major Group 726
• Major Group 73 — General trades
• Major Group 82 — Supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• Major Group 83 — Occupations in natural resources and related production
• Major Group 93 — Central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932
• Minor Group 6320 — Cooks, butchers and bakers
• Unit Group 62200 — Chefs

Nurse aides

For a job offer in NOC 33102 — Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates, you may meet the education requirement with an Ontario college certificate that required at least one year of full-time study at an eligible Canadian institution.

Licensed occupations

When the job legally requires a licence or authorization and you hold it, the normal education requirement does not apply. This education exemption does not apply to NOC 73300 or NOC 73301.

C. Language for TEER 0–3

Your language test must normally have been taken within the two years before applying.

You need:

• CLB 6 or higher in speaking, listening, reading and writing for most TEER 0–3 occupations.
• CLB 5 or higher in all four abilities for one of the listed skilled-trade occupations above.

A recent Ontario graduate does not need a language test when the person graduated from an eligible Ontario institution within the previous three years with:

• A two-year or longer postsecondary degree or diploma
• An Ontario College Graduate Certificate
• A master’s degree
• A PhD

The special CLB 5 skilled-trade rule does not apply to NOC 73300 and NOC 73301; those occupations remain subject to CLB 6.

4. TEER 4–5 applicant requirements

Your approved job offer must be in a NOC occupation classified as TEER 4 or 5.

A. Work experience

You must have:

• At least nine months of cumulative, paid, full-time experience
• In the exact employment position covered by the employer’s application
• With the job-offer employer
• Within the two years before applying
• While legally residing and working in Ontario

The experience must relate to the same occupation, employer, location and position in the job offer.

The stream page describes full-time experience for this requirement as:

• At least 30 paid hours per week; and
• At least 1,170 paid hours within a 12-month period.

B. Licence or authorization

When Ontario or federal law requires a licence or authorization to perform the job:

• You must hold the required licence or authorization when you apply.
• You must maintain it during the nomination period.

Unlike the general TEER 0–3 licensed-occupation rule, the TEER 4–5 regulation does not provide a work-experience or education exemption merely because the applicant is licensed.

C. Education

You must have:

• A Canadian secondary-school diploma; or
• An equivalent foreign credential supported by an ECA.

D. Language

You must have:

• CLB 4 or higher
• In speaking, listening, reading and writing
• In English or French
• Based on an approved test taken within the two years before applying.

E. Ownership in the employer’s business

Neither you nor your family members may hold or previously have held equity in the employer’s business, directly or indirectly.

The only exception is when:

• The equity was received as part of your compensation as an employee; and
• Your family’s total combined ownership is below 10%.

5. Accepted language tests

English

• IELTS General Training Academic and One Skill Retake tests are not accepted.
• CELPIP General
• PTE Core PTE Academic is not accepted.

French

• TEF Canada
• TCF Canada

The result must meet the required CLB level in all four abilities.

6. Educational Credential Assessment requirements

A foreign education credential requires an ECA that is less than five years old when the application is submitted.

The stream page lists these designated organizations:

• Comparative Education Service — University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
• International Credential Evaluation Service
• International Qualifications Assessment Service
• Medical Council of Canada, for doctors
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada, for pharmacists
• World Education Services

An electronic copy must be included with the application, and the applicant must authorize the OINP to verify the assessment where required.

7. Legal status in Canada

When applying from inside Canada, you must have legal temporary status, such as:

• A visitor record
• A study permit
• A work permit

You may apply while on maintained status when you applied to extend your temporary status before it expired and are still waiting for IRCC’s decision.

A person may not qualify for nomination if they are in Canada without valid legal status at the time of nomination.

8. Intention to live and work in Ontario

You must genuinely intend to live and work in Ontario after becoming a permanent resident.

Ontario may examine connections such as:

• Current or previous Ontario employment
• Ontario job offers, job applications or interviews
• Ontario education
• Volunteer work
• Leasing or owning Ontario property
• Visits to Ontario
• Professional networks
• Family connections
• Personal relationships in Ontario.

9. Employer eligibility requirements

These requirements do not apply to self-employed physicians.

A. Business requirements

The employer must:

• Submit its application within Ontario’s deadline.
• Have actively operated for at least three years before applying.
• Maintain business premises in Ontario.
• Have the employee’s work take place primarily in Ontario, except for the special transport occupations.
• Have no outstanding orders under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Meet the applicable revenue requirement.
• Meet the applicable Canadian-citizen or permanent-resident employee requirement.
• Make reasonable but unsuccessful efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident when Ontario requires recruitment evidence.

B. Minimum business revenue

C. Minimum number of Canadian or permanent-resident employees

D. Special employer requirement for drivers

For a position in:

• NOC 73300 — Transport truck drivers; or
• NOC 73301 — Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators

The employer must have:

• A valid Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration certificate; and
• A safety rating of Excellent or Satisfactory.

E. Government employers

An EOI or application will not be accepted when the Ontario Public Service or an OPS entity is the employer.

Another government organization may qualify when it:

• Is a separate legal entity
• Is not staffed by OPS employees
• Meets all employer requirements.

10. Job-offer requirements

The offered position must:

• Be located in Ontario.
• Be in the appropriate TEER category.
• Be full-time.
• Require at least 1,560 paid hours per year and at least 30 paid hours per week.
• Be permanent, with no end date.
• Not be seasonal or contract-based.
• Be urgently necessary to the employer’s business.
• Be consistent with the employer’s existing business activities.
• Not negatively affect a labour dispute or the employment of someone involved in a labour dispute.

Wage requirement

The base wage must normally meet or exceed:

• The Job Bank median wage for the occupation and Ontario region; or
• The Job Bank low wage when the applicant is a recent Ontario graduate and the job is in TEER 0–3.

When the regional wage is unavailable, Ontario may use:

• The most recently available regional historical wage; or
• The national wage if the historical regional wage is also unavailable.

When the applicant is already working in the position, the offered wage must:

• Meet the required Job Bank wage; and
• Be at least equal to the wage the employer currently pays the applicant.

If a collective agreement applies, the agreement is considered when assessing the wage.

The following do not count toward the required hourly base wage:

• Piecework
• Bonuses
• Commissions
• Vacation pay
• Non-financial compensation.

Continuing employment

When you already work for the employer, you must remain employed in the approved position:

• Until nomination; and
• During the post-nomination period until the permanent-residence application is approved or refused.

When you are not yet working for the employer, the job offer becomes effective when you obtain authorization to work and begin the approved employment.

Changes to duties, wage, hours or the employment term must be reported to the OINP.

11. Self-employed physician eligibility

A self-employed physician may apply without an employer or job offer.

The physician must:

• Receive an invitation to apply.
• Apply within the stated deadline, currently 17 calendar days.
• Prove the qualifications claimed in the EOI.
• Be or intend to be self-employed.
• Be eligible to receive payment for publicly funded health services under Ontario’s Health Insurance Act, meaning the physician has an OHIP billing number.
• Be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
• Hold one of these certificates:
  • Independent-practice certificate
  • Academic-practice certificate
  • Provisional certificate

A postgraduate education licence does not qualify for the self-employed physician category. A physician with that licence may instead qualify through a job-offer category.

A qualifying self-employed physician does not need to meet the other job-offer applicant requirements, and the employer requirements do not apply. The general legal requirements applying to every category—including being a foreign national, intending to reside in Ontario and having valid temporary status when applying from Canada—still apply.

Official source

Always verify current details on Ontario's official page: Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.

This page is a plain-language summary. If Ontario changes the program rules, the official Ontario source and applicable legislation control.