Ontario’s 2026 PR Spots Just Went Up & These Workers Have the Best Shot

Last Updated On 10 February 2026, 10:36 AM EST (Toronto Time)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has officially received its 2026 nomination allocation from the federal government, and the numbers reflect a significant recovery from last year’s cuts.

Ontario‘s 2026 allocation stands at 14,119 nominations—a 31% increase compared to the 10,750 nominations the province received in 2025.

But what makes this year’s allocation particularly noteworthy isn’t just the increased quota.

Ontario has already signalled its priorities through the first OINP 2026 draws and proposed program restructuring, giving candidates a clear picture of which occupations and worker profiles the province intends to target throughout the year.

If you’re a temporary resident in Canada, an international student, or an immigration professional advising clients, understanding Ontario’s 2026 priorities can help you position yourself for selection success.

Why the 2026 Allocation Matters

Ontario’s 14,119 nominations for 2026 represent a partial recovery from the dramatic 50% cut the province experienced in 2025.

To put this in perspective, Ontario had 21,500 nomination spaces in 2024 before the federal government reduced provincial allocations across Canada.

The 2026 figure recovers approximately 67% of that 2024 capacity and we are expecting it to increase further as we move toward the end of the year.

The increase aligns with Canada’s updated Immigration Levels Plan, which set a target of 91,500 Provincial Nominee Program admissions nationally for 2026—a 66% increase over the previous target of 55,000.

This federal expansion allowed Ontario, as Canada’s most populous province, to receive a proportionally larger allocation.

However, more nominations don’t necessarily mean easier pathways for all candidates.

Ontario has made it clear through its recent draws and proposed program changes that it intends to use these nominations strategically, targeting specific sectors facing labour shortages rather than issuing broad, general invitations.

Throughout 2025, Ontario did not issue a single invitation under its Express Entry streams (Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker).

The province also suspended its Express Entry: Skilled Trades stream in November 2025 due to compliance concerns.

These decisions indicate that employer-driven streams will continue dominating Ontario’s immigration selection in 2026.

Who Will Benefit Most from OINP in 2026

Based on the first OINP draws of 2026 and Ontario’s stated priorities, several worker categories appear positioned to benefit most from this year’s increased allocation.

The occupations listed below were invited in the early 2026 draws, and we expect targeted draws throughout the year to follow a similar pattern.

Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare workers received the overwhelming majority of invitations in early 2026 draws, confirming that Ontario’s healthcare system staffing crisis remains the province’s top immigration priority.

The province is actively seeking workers across the entire healthcare delivery spectrum—from physicians to nursing aides—reflecting workforce needs in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health settings.

Ontario’s January 2026 eligibility changes for self-employed physicians further demonstrate this commitment.

Internationally trained physicians with a provisional certificate of registration from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and an OHIP billing number can now apply under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream—a pathway previously unavailable to them.

Additionally, Ontario has proposed a new Priority Healthcare Stream as part of its 2026 program restructuring, which would allow regulated healthcare professionals to receive nominations without requiring a job offer.

While this stream hasn’t launched yet, its proposal signals long-term provincial commitment to healthcare immigration.

Healthcare occupations invited in early 2026 draws include:

Physicians and Specialists:

NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery

NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians

Nursing Professionals:

NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors

NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners

NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses

Allied Health and Support:

NOC 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates

NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

NOC 12111 – Health information management occupations

Early Childhood Educators and Assistants

Early childhood educators (NOC 42202) appeared in multiple early 2026 draws—both in the healthcare-focused provincial draw and in the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot draws.

This dual prioritization highlights Ontario’s acute need for childcare workers amid ongoing workforce shortages in the sector.

Ontario reduced education requirements for this occupation in July 2025, no longer requiring a Canadian bachelor’s degree for the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream.

This change expanded eligibility for internationally trained early childhood educators who may hold equivalent credentials from their home countries.

For temporary residents working in licensed childcare centres, daycares, or early learning programs, the repeated inclusion of this occupation across different OINP streams suggests strong selection prospects throughout 2026.

Targeted occupation:

NOC 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants

Important For TEER 4 and TEER 5 Occupations

One of the most significant opportunities within OINP lies in the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream, which targets TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations.

This matters because these intermediate-skilled occupations are generally not eligible for the federal Express Entry system (Federal Skilled Worker Program or Canadian Experience Class), making OINP one of the few viable permanent residence pathways for these workers.

Early 2026 draws included invitations for In-Demand Skills stream occupations with minimum score thresholds as low as 34—the lowest among all streams.

This lower bar reflects Ontario’s recognition that essential workers in manufacturing, agriculture, construction support, and caregiving roles play critical functions in the provincial economy.

Ontario’s proposed 2026 program restructuring would create a dedicated TEER 4-5 track within a consolidated Employer Job Offer stream, with all TEER 4 and 5 occupations potentially becoming eligible.

The proposal also includes a potential construction pathway that would allow union-supported trades workers to qualify without a permanent, full-time job offer.

For workers who lack the educational credentials or high-skilled work experience classification required for Express Entry, the In-Demand Skills stream represents one of the most accessible provincial pathways to permanent residence in Canada.

TEER 4 and 5 occupations invited in early 2026 draws:

Available Inside and Outside the Greater Toronto Area:

NOC 44101 – Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations

NOC 65202 – Meat cutters and fishmongers (retail and wholesale)

NOC 75110 – Construction trades helpers and labourers

Available Outside the Greater Toronto Area Only:

NOC 75101 – Material handlers

NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators

NOC 94100 – Machine operators, mineral and metal processing

NOC 94111 – Plastics processing machine operators

NOC 94140 – Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing

NOC 94202 – Assemblers and inspectors, electrical appliance, apparatus and equipment manufacturing

NOC 94203 – Assemblers, fabricators and inspectors, industrial electrical motors and transformers

NOC 94204 – Mechanical assemblers and inspectors

Tech Workers in Regional Areas

While Ontario’s tech sector doesn’t receive the same level of prioritization as healthcare, tech workers with job offers in regional communities outside the Greater Toronto Area may find favourable selection opportunities through the REDI pilot program.

Early 2026 REDI draws included tech occupations with lower score thresholds compared to province-wide draws.

Candidates willing to work in communities like Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, or other designated regions in Eastern, Northern, and Southwestern Ontario face less competition than those seeking nominations for Toronto-area positions.

For international students who graduated from Ontario institutions and have secured tech jobs with employers in regional areas, the REDI pilot offers a strategic pathway that combines lower score requirements with Ontario’s commitment to spreading economic growth beyond major urban centres.

Tech occupations invited in early 2026 REDI draws:

NOC 21222 – Information systems specialists

NOC 21231 – Software engineers and designers

NOC 22310 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians

NOC 52120 – Graphic designers and illustrators

Business, Administrative and Social Service Workers

Beyond healthcare and tech, Ontario’s REDI pilot also targeted several business, administrative, and social service occupations.

These roles support the broader economic infrastructure of regional communities and were included in early 2026 invitations.

While these occupations may not receive province-wide targeted draws as frequently as healthcare workers, candidates with job offers in regional communities can benefit from the REDI pilot’s lower score thresholds.

Business and administrative occupations invited in early 2026 REDI draws:

NOC 12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

NOC 13111 – Legal administrative assistants

NOC 22232 – Occupational health and safety specialists

NOC 42201 – Social and community service workers

What to Expect from OINP Throughout 2026

Ontario has proposed significant structural changes to OINP that are expected to roll out throughout 2026.

Understanding these changes helps candidates position themselves strategically.

Phase 1: Employer Job Offer Stream Consolidation

Ontario plans to merge its three current Employer Job Offer streams (Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills) into a single unified stream with two tracks:

TEER 0-3 Track (Skilled Workers): Targeting professionals, technical workers, and skilled trades with higher education and experience requirements.

TEER 4-5 Track (Essential Workers): Targeting intermediate-skilled workers in frontline service, manufacturing, agriculture, and support roles.

Certain essential TEER 4 and 5 occupations would potentially become eligible, with targeted draws based on labour market needs.

This consolidation is expected in the first half of 2026 and should simplify the application process while maintaining Ontario’s ability to run targeted, occupation-specific draws.

Phase 2: New Strategic Streams

Later in 2026, Ontario may introduce three new purpose-built streams designed to address specific provincial needs:

Priority Healthcare Stream: A proposed pathway for regulated healthcare professionals that would not require a job offer.

Candidates with valid registration from their Ontario regulatory body (such as the College of Nurses of Ontario) could potentially receive nominations based on their credentials alone.

Exceptional Talent Stream: Targeting globally recognized leaders with patents, prestigious awards, high-impact research, or notable creative works.

This stream would use qualitative assessment rather than traditional points-based selection.

Entrepreneur Stream (Redesigned): A restructured pathway for business owners looking to establish or expand operations in Ontario.

Current Express Entry-aligned streams like Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker may be eliminated or fundamentally restructured under this proposal.

Candidates currently eligible under these streams should consider applying before Phase 2 changes take effect.

What Candidates Should Do Now

For those seeking Ontario nomination in 2026, several strategic steps can improve selection prospects.

Register in the Expression of Interest system. All Employer Job Offer streams require candidates to register an EOI before receiving invitations.

Ensure your employer has first submitted a job offer through the Employer Portal, which became mandatory in July 2025.

Secure a job offer in a priority occupation. If you work in nursing, allied health, early childhood education, or an in-demand TEER 4-5 occupation, your chances of selection are significantly higher than candidates in general occupations.

Consider regional opportunities. REDI pilot draws consistently show lower score thresholds for candidates with job offers outside the Greater Toronto Area.

Communities in Eastern, Northern, and Southwestern Ontario are actively seeking workers.

Don’t overlook TEER 4 and 5 occupations. Workers who don’t qualify for Express Entry due to their occupation classification may find the In-Demand Skills stream offers their best—and sometimes only—pathway to permanent residence in Canada.

Apply under current streams if eligible. With significant program restructuring expected in late 2026, candidates who qualify under existing streams should consider submitting applications before Phase 2 potentially eliminates certain pathways.

Monitor program updates closely. The official OINP updates page remains the most reliable source for draw announcements and policy changes.

Eligibility criteria and stream availability may shift as Ontario implements its proposed restructuring.

Ontario’s 14,119 nominations for 2026 represent a meaningful increase from last year’s constrained allocation, but the province’s approach to using these nominations has become increasingly targeted.

Healthcare workers, early childhood educators, TEER 4-5 essential workers, and candidates in regional communities will receive priority attention throughout the year.

For workers who face limited options under the federal Express Entry system—whether due to occupation classification, language scores, or lack of Canadian education—Ontario’s employer-driven streams offer viable pathways to permanent residence.

The In-Demand Skills stream, in particular, provides opportunities for intermediate-skilled workers in manufacturing, agriculture, construction support, and caregiving roles that simply don’t exist at the federal level.

As Ontario implements its proposed two-phase program restructuring throughout 2026, candidates who understand the province’s priorities—and position themselves accordingly—will be best placed to benefit from this year’s increased allocation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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