What Ontario PNP pathways to permanent residence are currently open?
If you’re seeking Canadian permanent residence through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), you may have noticed that the OINP has issued only 4 invitations to apply for nomination in 2025—a far cry from the 14,760 invitations the OINP issued during the first two months of 2024.
This pause in OINP immigration draws mirrors that of many other Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) in Canada, as provinces adjust to halved provincial immigration allocations for 2025.
This article will cover:
- Which streams are currently issuing ITAs and accepting new Expressions of Interest (EOIs);
- An overview of eligibility criteria for OINP streams; and
- A brief background of changes to provincial immigration in 2025.
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Which streams are currently issuing ITAs and accepting new EOIs?
At the time of writing, only one stream of the OINP has issued ITAs in 2025—the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream.
The OINP held a single draw under this stream on January 4, issuing four ITAs in a targeted draw to candidates in the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP). The EMPP is a permanent work pathway for skilled refugees and displaced people looking to find employment in Canada.
A representative from the OINP confirmed to CIC News that all streams that require foreign nationals to proactively apply to be considered are still accepting new EOIs:
- The Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream;
- The Employer Job Offer: International Student stream;
- The Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream;
- The Master's Graduate stream; and
- The PhD Graduate stream.
In addition to the above streams, for which candidates must submit EOIs directly to the province, the OINP also has Express Entry-aligned streams, which candidates cannot directly apply to.
Ontario Express Entry-aligned streams also remain open, and the OINP proactively considers all candidates with valid Express Entry profiles, issuing Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to eligible candidates through the Express Entry system.
Under this passive consideration model, all candidates have to do is keep their Express Entry profiles up to date and active in order to be considered for any Express Entry-aligned OINP streams for which they are eligible.
Candidates who receive NOIs from the OINP through Express Entry can then respond by applying to the province for nomination.
If successful these candidates receive a provincial nomination from Ontario, which awards them an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), greatly increasing their chances of receiving an ITA for permanent residency from the federal government.
CIC News has further learned that as of the time of writing, the OINP plans to maintain all its current immigration streams with no plans of removing immigration pathways to Ontario.
The OINP did not provide a date for the resumption of draws in 2025.
Overview of eligibility criteria for OINP streams
| Stream | Job offer required? | Express Entry-aligned? | Summary of main requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream | Yes | No | Job offer requirements: - Full-time; - Permanent; - Skilled occupation; - Pays ≥ the occupation’s median wage in Ontario; and - Urgency necessary to the employer’s business. Candidate requirements: - Work experience; and - Licensing (if required). |
| Employer Job Offer: International Student stream | Yes | No | Job offer requirements: - Full-time; - Permanent; - Skilled occupation; - Pays ≥ the occupation’s median wage in Ontario; and - Urgency necessary to the employer’s business Candidate requirements: - Graduate of an eligible Ontario school; and - Must apply within two years of graduation. |
| Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream | Yes | No | Job offer requirements: - Full-time; - Permanent; - Eligible occupation; - In eligible location; - Pays ≥ the occupation’s median wage in Ontario; and - Urgency necessary to the employer’s business. Candidate requirements: - 9 months work experience. |
| Master's Graduate stream | No | No | - Master’s degree from an eligible Ontario school. - Language proficiency ≥ CLB 7. - Has lived in Ontario for at least one of the previous two years. - Must apply within two years of graduation. - Settlement funds. |
| PhD Graduate stream | No | No | - PhD from an eligible Ontario school. - Language proficiency ≥ CLB 7. - Has lived in Ontario for at least one of the previous two years. - Must apply within two years of graduation. - Settlement funds. |
| Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream | No | Yes | - Express Entry profile. - Qualify for CEC or FSWP. - Master’s or PhD. - Language proficiency ≥ CLB 7. - Settlement funds. |
| Express Entry Skilled Trades stream | No | Yes | - Express Entry profile. - One year of Ontario work experience in your skilled trade in the past two years. - License or certificate (if applicable). - Living in Ontario with legal work authorization. - Language proficiency ≥ CLB 5. - Settlement funds. |
| Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker | No | Yes | - Express Entry profile. - Qualify for CEC or FSWP. - Have a university degree, or be a nurse. - French proficiency ≥ NCLC 7. - English proficiency ≥ CLB 6. - Settlement funds. |
All OINP streams require that candidates have an intention to live in Ontario once they become permanent residents and that they maintain valid temporary status in Canada during the application process (for those applying from within Canada).
For more information on stream eligibility criteria, and to learn more about immigrating to Canada through the OINP, visit our dedicated webpage.
Why has provincial immigration in Canada slowed?
In October of 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made the decision to halve the total allocation of immigrant landings under provincial immigration, as Canada looked to adjust immigration levels in the face of housing and affordability pressures.
This change is detailed in Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan, with overall PNP allocations falling from 110,000 in 2024, to just 55,000 immigrant landings in 2025.
Early in 2025, IRCC communicated reduced allocations of nominations to all the PNPs, along with reduced Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) allocations to the Atlantic provinces. In the wake of this change, many of Canada’s provinces have had to adjust their provincial immigration programs accordingly.
For example, New Brunswick has imposed new restrictions and eligibility criteria on their immigration streams after seeing their allocations reduced. The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) chose to delay its first intake of applications in 2025.
In the midst of this reshuffling, IRCC has also given provinces a path to regain their immigrant landings allocations this year: accept more humanitarian immigrants. Newfoundland and Labrador was recently able to regain more than 90% of its immigrant allocations by agreeing to accept 290 humanitarian immigrants over the next two years.
These changes have caused delays in PNP activity, as provinces look to adjust to new landings levels and negotiate with IRCC to regain lost provincial nomination spots. The OINP plans to announce its 2025 nomination allocation once finalized.
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