Immigration News Canada has compiled an updated 2026-2027 list of Ontario in-demand careers using the province’s official Explore In-Demand Careers database, following the latest investment in 40,000 new postsecondary seats for high-demand fields.
Unlike rankings assembled by recruitment websites or third-party job boards, the occupations identified below are drawn from Ontario government labour market data on wages, job openings, education requirements and regional employment trends.
Ontario’s career tool is a dynamic, continuously maintained resource rather than a single annual ranking, which means the occupations it identifies reflect current provincial labour market conditions.
The list has taken on added significance after the provincial government announced 40,000 additional funded seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities specifically for programs connected to high-demand fields.
These new seats, available for student enrollment as early as fall 2026, are being directed toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics; health care; education; and skilled trades.
The investment forms part of a broader $1.7-billion commitment to fund more than 70,000 additional postsecondary seats through Ontario’s Priority Growth Fund.
For students choosing a program, workers weighing a career change and newcomers evaluating long-term opportunities in Ontario, the province’s own in-demand career data offers a concrete starting point for identifying occupations with stronger employment prospects heading into 2027.
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Ontario’s 40,000 New Postsecondary Seats And What They Cover
On September 10, 2026, Ontario announced the allocation of 40,000 new funded seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities across the province.
Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn said the investment supports the largest seat expansion in Ontario in more than a decade.
The 40,000 seats join an earlier allocation of 30,000 seats announced in May 2026, bringing the total expansion under the Priority Growth Fund to more than 70,000 new postsecondary spaces.
Colleges and universities worked with their local communities and industries to identify programs that would prepare students for occupations facing current and projected labour shortages.
The province evaluated proposals based on institutional capacity, local industry needs and student demand to ensure each allocation targets workforce gaps that employers are reporting right now.
How The 70,000+ Seats Are Distributed By Sector
The following breakdown reflects the entire $1.7-billion expansion of more than 70,000 seats, not the 40,000 seats announced on September 10 alone.
| Sector | Approximate Seats | Key Programs Identified |
| STEM | 40,200 | Engineering, technology, mathematics, science, AI |
| Health Care | 16,100 | Nursing, nuclear medicine, physician-assistant training |
| Education | 7,900 | Teacher education, early childhood education |
| Skilled Trades | 3,800 | Carpentry, electrical, plumbing, industrial trades |
| Other Labour-Market Programs | 3,000 | Determined by regional employer demand |
Ontario has not yet published a complete program-by-program or institution-by-institution list for the newly allocated 40,000 seats, and individual college and university allocations are still being released.
McMaster University received $90 million for 2,769 new seats, and its president indicated that most are expected to go toward health care and STEM, with nuclear medicine, nuclear energy and physician-assistant training identified as potential programs.
Ontario Tech University and Durham College received $79 million for 2,861 combined seats across STEM, health, trades and education programs.
Additional institutional allocations are expected in the coming weeks, which means this article will be updated as those announcements are confirmed.
STEM Careers In Demand Across Ontario
STEM fields account for the largest share of Ontario’s seat expansion at roughly 40,200 spaces, and the province has specifically named artificial intelligence as a priority area within this allocation.
The official government career database includes several technology occupations, including information systems specialists and cybersecurity specialists.
However, labour market conditions vary significantly by occupation within the STEM category.
Federal Job Bank projections for 2025-2027 currently rate information systems specialists as Moderate, cybersecurity specialists as limited, and software engineers and designers as Very limited across Ontario.
Ontario’s postsecondary investment nevertheless identifies STEM and artificial intelligence as strategic areas for training and long-term workforce development, which is why the province is directing the largest share of new seats toward these fields.
Civil, mechanical and electrical engineers remain part of in-demand career data, supported by infrastructure, transit expansion and clean energy projects that require specialized technical expertise.
The federal government has retained STEM as an Express Entry category for 2026, including cybersecurity specialists and several engineering occupations.
Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy has further elevated the importance of AI-related roles, including machine learning engineers, data scientists and AI research professionals.
Ontario In-Demand And Priority STEM Occupations
- Civil engineers
- Electrical and electronics engineers
- Mechanical engineers
- Industrial and manufacturing engineers
- Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Electrical and electronics engineering technologists
- Information systems specialists
- Business systems specialists
- Data scientists
- Database analysts and administrators
- Cybersecurity specialists
- Computer systems developers and programmers
- Computer network and web technicians
- Chemists
- Biologists
- Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- Urban and land-use planners
Health Care Careers Driving Ontario’s Labour Demand
Health care receives the second-largest share of Ontario’s seat expansion with approximately 16,100 new spaces, and nursing is the occupation the province has specifically named within this allocation.
The province’s official career tool lists registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses with a median annual salary of approximately $87,400 and a Job Bank outlook rated as Very Good through 2027.
Registered practical nurses are also listed among Ontario’s in-demand careers at a median salary of approximately $64,500, filling essential roles in long-term care facilities, hospitals and community health settings across the province.
Paramedical and related technical occupations carry a median salary of approximately $87,700 according to the province’s career data.
Social workers appear on the provincial in-demand list at a median salary of around $80,400, supporting mental health services, child welfare and community support programs that continue to face staffing pressures driven by population growth and an aging demographic.
Home support workers and personal support workers round out the health care demand picture, with Ontario relying heavily on these roles to deliver care in home and community settings where hospital capacity is constrained.
For newcomers considering permanent residence pathways through Ontario, health care occupations received targeted invitations from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program during 2026 before the program redesign took effect.
Ontario In-Demand And Priority Health Care Occupations
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- Registered practical nurses
- Nurse aides and patient service associates
- Personal support workers
- Home support workers and caregivers
- Paramedics
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacy technicians
- Medical laboratory technologists
- Medical laboratory assistants
- Medical sonographers
- Respiratory therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Dental hygienists
- Dental assistants
- Family physicians
- Specialist physicians
- Social workers
- Social and community service workers
Education Careers Ontario Is Expanding
Ontario has directed approximately 7,900 new postsecondary seats toward education programs, principally those producing teachers and educators to address classroom staffing shortages.
Secondary school teachers carry strong employment prospects in Ontario, with a median salary of approximately $100,000 according to the province’s career data.
Early childhood educators have appeared in multiple OINP draws during 2026, reflecting the province’s ongoing need for qualified professionals in licensed childcare centres and early learning programs.
The federal government has also retained education occupations as an Express Entry category for 2026, covering secondary and elementary teachers, early childhood educators and assistants, instructors of persons with disabilities and teacher assistants.
Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant program provides additional financial support for students who commit to working in underserved regions of the province after graduating from eligible education, nursing or paramedic programs.
Ontario In-Demand And Priority Education Occupations
- Secondary school teachers
- Elementary and kindergarten teachers
- Early childhood educators and assistants
- Educational assistants
- Instructors of persons with disabilities
- University professors and lecturers
- College and vocational instructors
- Postsecondary teaching and research assistants
- Educational counsellors
- Career development practitioners and counsellors
Skilled Trades Ontario Continues To Prioritize
Approximately 3,800 seats in Ontario’s expansion are allocated to skilled trades programs, although the province has not released a complete trade-by-trade breakdown of how those seats will be distributed.
Ontario’s career database lists carpenters, electricians, millwrights, welders, plumbers, heavy-equipment operators and automotive service technicians among its in-demand occupations.
Plumbers, welders, heavy-equipment operators and industrial mechanics all appear on federal and provincial lists of priority trade occupations that are eligible for targeted immigration draws.
The province has invested in apprenticeship programs and Red Seal certification pathways to train more domestic workers for trade occupations where retirements and an aging workforce have created persistent shortages.
The province’s investment in EV battery plants, nuclear energy facilities and green technology manufacturing in regions such as Windsor, Durham and Darlington is driving specific demand for millwrights, instrumentation technicians and power systems electricians.
Ontario In-Demand And Priority Skilled Trade Occupations
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- Electricians
- Industrial electricians
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
- Welders
- Heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics
- Heavy-equipment operators
- Automotive service technicians
- Truck and bus mechanics
- Machinists
- Tool and die makers
- Industrial instrumentation technicians
- Sheet-metal workers
- Steamfitters and pipefitters
- Sprinkler and fire-protection installers
- Crane operators
- Construction estimators
- Construction inspectors
Ontario In-Demand Careers With Salaries And Outlooks
The figures below use Ontario government median salary data and federal Job Bank wage information for 2025-2027 across Ontario.
Actual compensation varies by occupation, experience, region and employer.
| Career | Sector | Approx. Annual Pay | Job Bank Outlook |
| Registered Nurses | Health Care | $87,400 | Very Good |
| Information Systems Specialists | STEM | $97,800 | Moderate |
| Paramedical Occupations | Health Care | $87,700 | Good |
| Registered Practical Nurses | Health Care | $64,500 | Good |
| Social Workers | Health Care / Social Services | $80,400 | Moderate |
| Software Engineers / Designers | STEM | $100,000+ | Very Limited |
| Cybersecurity Specialists | STEM | $107,000 | Limited |
| Secondary School Teachers | Education | $100,000 | Moderate |
| Early Childhood Educators | Education | $45,800 | Good |
| Electricians | Skilled Trades | $66,600 | Moderate |
| Carpenters | Skilled Trades | $66,600 | Moderate |
| Home Support Workers | Health Care | $45,800 | Good |
Workers in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa typically command higher wages than those in smaller centres, though the cost of living in those cities also runs significantly higher.
A career appearing in Ontario’s in-demand database does not always mean the federal Job Bank rates its near-term outlook as strong, because the two sources measure different things and cover different timeframes.
Why Ontario’s Investment Matters For Career Planning
Ontario’s decision to direct billions of dollars and tens of thousands of postsecondary seats toward specific sectors sends a clear signal about where the province expects employment growth over the next several years.
Students deciding what to study now have a government-backed indication of which fields Ontario considers important enough to fund at scale.
The announcement also arrives at a time when Ontario’s postsecondary sector is recovering from the financial impact of federal international student visa caps that reduced enrolment and forced program cuts at multiple institutions.
The $6.4-billion postsecondary funding package, which includes changes to the domestic tuition framework beginning fall 2026, represents the province’s effort to stabilize institutions while reorienting programming toward labour market demands.
Employers across Ontario have consistently reported that labour shortages remain a barrier to growth, particularly in health care, construction, technology and skilled trades.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has described skills shortages as one of the most pressing issues its member businesses face daily.
What This Means For Newcomers And Immigration Candidates
Ontario’s in-demand career list overlaps significantly with the occupations targeted by both federal and provincial immigration programs.
The redesigned OINP now operates the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, with pathways covering job offers across all TEER categories as well as eligible self-employed physicians.
Ontario retains flexibility to target particular occupations or labour market needs when issuing invitations, but appearing in the province’s Explore In-Demand Careers database does not by itself guarantee an invitation or provide an automatic immigration advantage.
Before the OINP redesign took effect, Ontario issued targeted invitations during 2026 for health care and early childhood education, skilled trades, physicians, mining-related occupations and other priority groups, and the province’s 2026 nomination allocation of 14,119 spots represents a 31% increase over 2025.
At the federal level, Express Entry’s category-based selection includes health care, STEM, trades, education and transport occupations through dedicated categories that can offer lower CRS cutoffs than general rounds.
For international students who are subject to the federal PGWP field-of-study requirement, many programs in health care and social services, STEM, education, trades and other shortage-linked fields have eligible CIP codes.
Eligibility depends on the specific program and CIP code, and graduates of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs are exempt from the field-of-study requirement.
The PGWP-to-permanent-residence pathway may align graduates with occupation-based immigration pathways after they gain qualifying work experience.
Newcomers who are already working in Ontario should check whether their current occupation appears on the province’s in-demand list, as alignment with these occupations can strengthen federal Express Entry profiles when occupation-specific draws are held.
Ontario is not speculating about which careers will matter over the next several years.
The province has committed $1.7 billion to expanding postsecondary capacity in the specific sectors where its own labour market data shows persistent demand, and it has backed that commitment with more than 70,000 funded seats.
When a government directs that level of funding toward STEM, health care, education and skilled trades, it communicates something concrete about where the economy is heading and where career opportunities will be strongest.
For anyone choosing a field of study, evaluating a career change or planning an immigration strategy around Ontario’s labour market, the province’s own data removes much of the guesswork that typically surrounds career planning.
The occupations listed in this article are not projections or opinions.
They are careers that Ontario has identified as in demand, measured against real employment data and now supported by the largest postsecondary seat expansion the province has undertaken in more than a decade.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I enroll in one of the 40,000 new seats right now?
Ontario has confirmed that some seats will be available for student enrollment as early as fall 2026, but individual program availability depends on each institution’s allocation, which the province is still announcing on a rolling basis.
Students should contact their preferred college or university directly to ask whether newly funded spaces have been confirmed for specific programs.
Keep in mind that admission requirements, prerequisite courses and application deadlines vary by institution and program type.
Do the 40,200 STEM seats all come from the September 10 announcement?
No, the sector-level figures of 40,200 STEM seats, 16,100 health care seats and so on refer to the entire 70,000+ seat expansion under Ontario’s $1.7-billion Priority Growth Fund.
The 40,000 seats announced on September 10, 2026, are the second allocation within that broader investment.
The first 30,000 seats were announced in May 2026, and individual institutional breakdowns within the new 40,000 are still being released.
Will studying in one of these in-demand fields help with permanent residence in Canada?
Studying in a field aligned with Ontario’s in-demand sectors can strengthen your permanent residence prospects through multiple pathways.
Graduates with work experience in targeted occupations may qualify for provincial nomination through the OINP, and those same occupations are often included in the federal Express Entry category-based selection.
For international students subject to the PGWP field-of-study requirement, many in-demand programs have eligible CIP codes, though graduates of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs are exempt from this requirement.
Are these careers only relevant for domestic students, or do they apply to international students too?
Ontario’s in-demand career data applies to the broader labour market regardless of a worker’s immigration status.
International students benefit from choosing programs in these fields because Ontario directed 96% of its 2026 Provincial Attestation Letter allocations to publicly assisted colleges and universities and prioritized programs connected to high-demand sectors.
Graduating from a program in one of these fields may align graduates with occupation-based immigration pathways after they gain qualifying work experience.
How often does Ontario update its list of in-demand careers?
Ontario’s Explore In-Demand Careers database is maintained as a living resource that reflects current labour market conditions, including wages, job posting volumes, education pathways and regional demand patterns.
The data draws from the National Occupational Classification system and provincial labour market forecasts that are reviewed on a regular cycle.
Specific occupations can be added or removed as employment conditions shift, which is why checking the province’s official career tool directly provides the most current information.
Fact-Checked: All seat allocation figures, sector breakdowns, salary data, institutional funding amounts, Job Bank outlooks and government quotes in this article have been verified against the official Ontario Newsroom release dated September 10, 2026, the Ontario government’s Explore In-Demand Careers database, the federal Job Bank’s 2025-2027 occupation outlook reports, the 2026 OINP updates page, and reporting from The Globe and Mail and Ontario Construction News as of September 18, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute career counselling, educational advice or immigration advice.
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