Last Updated On 8 April 2026, 5:28 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
On April 8, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program issued a massive 1,828 invitations to apply across four separate targeted draws.
Ontario has unleashed its biggest OINP draw day in April 2026 so far, and the numbers are staggering.
This single day of activity dwarfs the 759 mining sector invitations that Ontario issued at the beginning of the month.
The four draws targeted healthcare workers, Francophone candidates, physicians, and candidates under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot program.
Healthcare and early childhood education occupations received the lion’s share with 1,635 invitations alone.
Francophone candidates across all three Employer Job Offer streams received 146 invitations.
The REDI pilot for the Lanark, Leeds, and Grenville regions accounted for 32 invitations.
A small but significant draw targeting physicians sent 15 invitations to specialists and family doctors.
These draws demonstrate Ontario’s strategic approach to filling critical gaps in its healthcare system, supporting Francophone communities, attracting doctors, and boosting economic development in smaller regions.
Here is everything you need to know about each of the four draws issued on April 8, 2026.
Table of Contents
Complete Summary of All Four OINP Draws on April 8, 2026
The following table provides a snapshot of every draw that took place on April 8, 2026 including the number of invitations, the streams involved, and the minimum score requirements.
| Draw Category | Stream | Invitations | Min Score | Target |
| Healthcare & ECE | Foreign Worker | 1,635 (combined) | 20 | Nurses, nurse aides, ECEs |
| Healthcare & ECE | International Student | (included above) | 46 | Nurses, nurse aides, ECEs |
| Francophone | Foreign Worker | 146 (combined) | 35 | 46 NOC codes |
| Francophone | International Student | (included above) | 63 | 29 NOC codes |
| Francophone | In Demand Skills | (included above) | 25 | 11 NOC codes |
| REDI Pilot | Foreign Worker | 32 (combined) | 46 | Lanark, Leeds & Grenville |
| REDI Pilot | International Student | (included above) | 57 | Lanark, Leeds & Grenville |
| REDI Pilot | In Demand Skills | (included above) | 33 | Lanark, Leeds & Grenville |
| Physicians | Foreign Worker | 15 | 43 | Doctors and specialists |
The combined total of 1,828 invitations makes April 8, 2026 one of the most productive single days in recent OINP history.
Ontario is clearly accelerating its nomination activity this month and showing no signs of slowing down.
Foreign Worker Stream NOC Codes for Healthcare and ECE Draw
The following table lists the six eligible NOC codes under the Foreign Worker stream for the healthcare and early childhood education draw.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants |
The inclusion of nursing coordinators and supervisors alongside registered nurses and nurse practitioners shows that Ontario is recruiting healthcare professionals at every level of the nursing hierarchy.
Licensed practical nurses and nurse aides were also included, which covers the frontline care workers who are most urgently needed in hospitals and long-term care facilities across the province.
Early childhood educators and assistants were grouped into this draw, reflecting Ontario’s ongoing efforts to expand childcare capacity under the federal-provincial childcare agreement.
International Student Stream NOC Codes for Healthcare and ECE Draw
The International Student stream included five eligible NOC codes, which is one fewer than the Foreign Worker stream.
The following table lists all eligible occupations.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants |
The only difference between the two streams is that the Foreign Worker stream also included NOC 31302 for nurse practitioners.
This means that nurse practitioners were only eligible under the Foreign Worker stream and not the International Student stream for this particular draw.
All other healthcare and early childhood education occupations were common to both streams.
Francophone Draw Foreign Worker Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The Foreign Worker stream for the Francophone draw had the largest list of eligible occupations at 46 NOC codes.
This is one of the broadest occupation lists seen in any recent OINP targeted draw.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 00015 | Senior managers in construction, transportation, production and utilities |
| 10019 | Other administrative services managers |
| 10029 | Other business services managers |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts |
| 11103 | Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers |
| 11201 | Professional occupations in business management consulting |
| 11202 | Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations |
| 12013 | Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling coordination occupations |
| 12100 | Executive assistants |
| 12102 | Procurement and purchasing agents and officers |
| 12200 | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers |
| 12201 | Insurance adjusters and claims examiners |
| 13100 | Administrative officers |
| 13101 | Property administrators |
| 13110 | Administrative assistants |
| 13201 | Production and transportation logistics coordinators |
| 21221 | Business system specialists |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers |
| 22210 | Architectural technologists and technicians |
| 22212 | Drafting technologists and technicians |
| 22221 | User support technicians |
| 22300 | Civil engineering technologists and technicians |
| 22311 | Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 40021 | School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education |
| 41201 | Post-secondary teaching and research assistants |
| 41221 | Elementary school and kindergarten teachers |
| 41302 | Ecclesiastical occupations |
| 41404 | Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
| 42200 | Paralegal and related occupations |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants |
| 52120 | Graphic designers and illustrators |
| 72014 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers |
| 72106 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 72311 | Cabinetmakers |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 72410 | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers |
| 72411 | Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators |
| 72421 | Appliance servicers and repairers |
| 92012 | Supervisors, food and beverage processing |
| 93100 | Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing |
The sheer breadth of this list shows that Ontario values Francophone workers across virtually every sector of its economy.
From senior managers and financial professionals to skilled tradespeople and healthcare workers, French-speaking candidates with a valid job offer in any of these 46 occupations were eligible for an invitation.
The technology sector is well represented with software engineers, software developers, information systems specialists, and business system specialists all included.
Education professionals, including elementary school teachers, school principals, and post-secondary teaching assistants, were also on the list.
Skilled trades like welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, automotive service technicians, and cabinetmakers round out the occupations on the Foreign Worker side.
Francophone Draw International Student Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The International Student stream for the Francophone draw included 29 eligible NOC codes with a minimum score of 63.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 00013 | Senior managers in health, education, social and community services and membership organizations |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts |
| 11102 | Financial advisors |
| 11201 | Professional occupations in business management consulting |
| 11202 | Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations |
| 12013 | Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling coordination occupations |
| 12200 | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers |
| 12201 | Insurance adjusters and claims examiners |
| 13100 | Administrative officers |
| 13110 | Administrative assistants |
| 13201 | Production and transportation logistics coordinators |
| 21211 | Data scientists |
| 21221 | Business system specialists |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers |
| 21233 | Web designers |
| 21300 | Civil engineers |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers |
| 22214 | Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology |
| 22221 | User support technicians |
| 22303 | Construction estimators |
| 33109 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
| 41321 | Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants |
| 51114 | Translators, terminologists and interpreters |
| 52113 | Audio and video recording technicians |
| 70010 | Construction managers |
| 70020 | Managers in transportation |
| 73301 | Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators |
Several unique occupations appear in the International Student stream that were not part of the Foreign Worker stream.
Data scientists, civil engineers, construction managers, translators and interpreters, and bus drivers were all exclusive to the International Student stream.
Financial advisors, construction estimators, and audio and video recording technicians also appeared only under the International Student stream.
This differentiation shows that Ontario designs each stream to match specific workforce pipeline realities and employer needs.
Francophone Draw In-Demand Skills Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The In-Demand Skills stream had the lowest score requirement at 25 points and included 11 eligible NOC codes.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 14400 | Shippers and receivers |
| 44101 | Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations |
| 74205 | Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers |
| 75110 | Construction trades helpers and labourers |
| 75119 | Other trades helpers and labourers |
| 85103 | Nursery and greenhouse labourers |
| 94132 | Industrial sewing machine operators |
| 94141 | Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers |
| 94143 | Testers and graders, food and beverage processing |
| 95101 | Labourers in metal fabrication |
| 95106 | Labourers in food and beverage processing |
These occupations are primarily in manufacturing, food processing, construction, and agricultural support roles.
Home support workers, industrial sewing machine operators, industrial butchers, and nursery labourers are among the roles targeted under this stream.
The low score threshold of 25 indicates that Ontario has an acute need for French-speaking workers in these essential but hard-to-fill positions.
REDI Pilot Foreign Worker Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The following occupations were eligible under the REDI pilot Foreign Worker stream.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 10029 | Other business services managers |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 72422 | Electrical mechanics |
| 72423 | Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics |
The REDI Foreign Worker stream targeted a mix of business management, healthcare, and skilled trades occupations.
Electrical mechanics and motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle mechanics are unique inclusions that reflect the specific employer needs in Lanark and Leeds and Grenville.
REDI Pilot International Student Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The following occupations were eligible under the REDI pilot International Student stream.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 22114 | Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants |
Healthcare occupations dominate the International Student stream for the REDI pilot.
Licensed practical nurses, nurse aides, social workers, and early childhood educators are all included, reflecting the critical demand for these services in rural and semirural communities.
Landscape and horticulture technicians also appear, which aligns with the agricultural character of these Eastern Ontario regions.
REDI Pilot In-Demand Skills Stream Eligible NOC Codes
The In-Demand Skills stream for the REDI pilot targeted four occupations.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 44101 | Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations |
| 94100 | Machine operators, mineral and metal processing |
| 94111 | Plastics processing machine operators |
| 95106 | Labourers in food and beverage processing |
Home support workers, machine operators, plastics processing operators, and food processing labourers were the eligible roles.
These are essential positions in smaller communities where employers often face the greatest difficulty finding qualified workers.
Physician’s Draw targeted 3 NOC Codes
The physician targeted draw was the smallest of the four draws on April 8, 2026 but it carries enormous significance.
A total of 15 invitations to apply were issued under the Employer Job Offer Foreign Worker stream to doctors and medical specialists.
The minimum score requirement was 43 points.
Only three NOC codes were eligible for this draw.
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
Ontario’s decision to issue a separate targeted draw specifically for physicians underscores the severity of the doctor shortage across the province.
Millions of Ontarians currently do not have a family doctor and wait times for specialist appointments continue to grow.
By creating a dedicated pathway for internationally trained physicians, Ontario is signalling that recruiting foreign doctors is a top provincial priority.
Candidates should refer to the January 5 OINP program update for more details on eligibility requirements specific to the physician draw.
Application Process and Deadlines for April 8, 2026 Invitations
All candidates who received an invitation to apply on April 8, 2026 must follow the same application process regardless of which draw they were invited under.
The following table outlines the steps and deadlines.
| Step | Action Required |
| Step 1 | Review the Employer Job Offer stream page to confirm you meet all the requirements and gather your mandatory documents before beginning the application. |
| Step 2 | Your employer must review the employer guide and submit their portion of the application within 14 calendar days from the date the invitation was issued. |
| Step 3 | Log in to the OINP e-Filing Portal and click the newly created file number with the prefix JOXX. You must submit your application and payment within 17 calendar days from the invitation date. |
The 14 day employer deadline and 17 day candidate deadline are firm and cannot be extended under any circumstances.
Candidates should contact their employers immediately upon receiving the invitation to ensure both parties are aware of the timelines.
Failing to submit within the deadline will result in the invitation expiring and the application file being closed.
What the April 8, 2026 OINP Draws Mean for Ontario Immigration
The scale and diversity of the April 8 draws reveal a province that is aggressively using its immigration nomination powers to solve its most pressing workforce challenges.
Healthcare remains the dominant priority, with 1,635 invitations representing nearly 90 percent of the total issued on this day.
The historically low score of 20 for the Foreign Worker healthcare stream tells the story of a province desperate for nurses and care workers.
The Francophone draw with its 81 unique NOC codes across three streams shows Ontario’s commitment to bilingualism and its obligation to support French language communities.
The REDI pilot continues Ontario’s strategy of distributing immigration benefits beyond Toronto, Ottawa, and other large cities.
The physician draw, while small at just 15 invitations, addresses one of the most visible and politically sensitive issues in Ontario’s healthcare system.
Combined with the 759 mining sector invitations from April 1, Ontario has now issued a total of 2,587 OINP invitations in the first eight days of April 2026 alone.
This pace suggests that April 2026 could be one of the busiest months in OINP history.
Candidates across all sectors should keep their profiles updated and monitor the OINP Program Updates page for future draw announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why was the minimum score for the healthcare Foreign Worker stream set at just 20 points on April 8, 2026?
The extremely low score threshold of 20 points reflects the critical severity of Ontario’s healthcare staffing crisis. Hospitals, long-term care homes, and community care facilities across the province have been operating with chronic nursing shortages for years. By setting the bar this low, Ontario is casting the widest possible net to attract every eligible foreign healthcare worker currently residing in Canada with a valid work permit and a qualifying job offer.
Can a Francophone candidate who received an invitation under the In Demand Skills stream also apply under the Foreign Worker stream if they meet both sets of requirements?
No, each invitation to apply is issued for a specific stream. If you received an invitation under the In Demand Skills stream, you can only apply under that particular stream for this draw. However, if you believe you qualify for a different stream, you can maintain your OINP profile and wait for a future draw where you may receive an invitation under a different stream. You cannot hold or use multiple invitations from the same draw simultaneously.
Are candidates from outside Lanark and Leeds and Grenville eligible for the REDI pilot draw if they are willing to relocate?
The REDI pilot requires candidates to have a genuine job offer from an employer located specifically in Lanark or Leeds and Grenville. Simply being willing to relocate is not sufficient. You must already have a confirmed job offer from a qualifying employer in one of these two regions. The purpose of the REDI pilot is to match immigrants with employers in these smaller communities who have documented labour shortages that cannot be filled locally.
How does a provincial nomination through the OINP affect a candidate’s Express Entry score?
Receiving a provincial nomination from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program adds 600 points to a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System score in the federal Express Entry system. This 600 point boost virtually guarantees that the candidate will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in a subsequent Express Entry draw. The provincial nomination is one of the most powerful tools available to candidates who want to secure permanent residency in Canada.
Will Ontario issue more targeted healthcare draws in April 2026 or was the April 8 draw a one-time event?
While the OINP does not publish a fixed schedule of future draws, the pattern of recent months strongly suggests that Ontario will continue issuing targeted healthcare draws on a regular basis. The April 8 draw is consistent with Ontario’s established strategy of running frequent healthcare-focused draws to address its persistent nursing and care worker shortages. Candidates working in healthcare occupations who did not receive an invitation in this round should keep their profiles active and updated for potential future draws.
Fact Checked: All information in this article has been verified against the official Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program website as of April 8, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal immigration advice. Candidates should consult with a licensed immigration professional or visit the official OINP website for personalized guidance on their specific situation.
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