Ontario PNP Confirms Significant Cut to 2025 Allocation

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) announced on its webpage that its provincial nomination allocation for 2025 has been cut to 10,750, a 50% reduction from the 21,500 nominations the province issued in 2024. The OINP also advised clients that processing times for its provincial immigration streams will be longer than usual due to this reduced allocation.

The OINP stated that it will continue to select skilled immigrants who can help address Ontario’s “most critical labour shortages” while reviewing submitted applications within "new program constraints." As of the time of writing, all OINP streams are currently open.

Federal Policy Adjustments Behind the Allocation Cut

Ontario's allocation cut is not an isolated case; almost every other Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in Canada faces a similar situation. These changes stem from the federal government's decision, announced in October 2024 with the "2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan," to halve the total immigrant landings allocation to all PNPs. The landings target for PNPs in 2025 is 55,000, a sharp decrease from the 110,000 cumulative landings allocated in 2024.

While the federal government cut overall immigration levels by around 20%, the PNP allocation was cut by 50%. Most provinces have opted to scale back their provincial immigration in response. However, Newfoundland and Labrador's PNP successfully negotiated with the federal government to increase its allocation back to 2024 levels, in exchange for agreeing to accept an increased number of humanitarian immigrants over the next two years.

Notably, before this allocation cut was confirmed, the OINP's draw activity in 2025 had been relatively quiet. To date, only a single draw was held on January 15 under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream, targeting only four candidates who were part of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.

Ontario Resumes Large-Scale Draws Amidst Allocation Cuts

Shortly after confirming the news of the allocation cut, and after a pause of over four months, Ontario resumed its Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) draws on June 3. On that day, the OINP held a total of 10 separate draws, issuing 3,719 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination.

All these draws considered profiles created between June 3, 2024, and June 3, 2025, under the OINP’s Employer Job Offer streams: the Foreign Worker stream, the International Student stream, and the In-Demand Skills stream.

Details of Draws by Stream:

1. Foreign Worker Stream

This stream is for foreign workers with a job offer in a skilled occupation (TEER Category 0, 1, 2, or 3). Three draws were conducted on June 3:

• Targeted: Northern Ontario: Minimum Score 56, 391 ITAs issued. For candidates with a job offer in Northern Ontario (specified Census Divisions), currently residing in Canada with a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Targeted: Regional Economic Development Through Immigration (REDI) Pilot: Minimum Score 32, 411 ITAs issued. For candidates in the Expression of Interest system pool who may qualify for the REDI pilot (covering specified communities like Lanark County, Sarnia-Lambton), currently residing in Canada.
• Targeted: Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) (NOC 41321): Minimum Score 45, 5 ITAs issued.

2. In-Demand Skills Stream

This stream is for foreign workers with job offers in specific in-demand occupations such as agriculture and construction. Three draws were conducted on June 3:

• Targeted: Northern Ontario: Minimum Score 32, 89 ITAs issued. Requirements similar to the Foreign Worker Northern Ontario draw.
• Targeted: REDI Pilot: Minimum Score 23, 69 ITAs issued. Requirements similar to the Foreign Worker REDI Pilot draw.
• Targeted: Health occupations (NOC 44101: Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations): Minimum Score 34, 214 ITAs issued.

3. International Student Stream

This stream provides a pathway to permanent residence for international students with a job offer in a skilled occupation (TEER Category 0, 1, 2, or 3), requiring a credential from an eligible Canadian institution. Work experience is not mandatory. Four draws were conducted on June 3:

• Targeted: Health occupations: Minimum Score 68, 1,350 ITAs issued. For candidates with a job offer in specified health NOC codes (e.g., NOC 31101 Specialists in surgery, NOC 31301 Registered nurses, NOC 33102 Nurse aides), currently residing in Canada.
• Targeted: Eastern Ontario: Minimum Score 85, 334 ITAs issued. For candidates with a job offer in Eastern Ontario (specified Census Divisions like Ottawa, Leeds and Grenville), currently residing in Canada with a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Targeted: Northern Ontario: Minimum Score 54, 493 ITAs issued. Requirements similar to the Foreign Worker Northern Ontario draw.
• Targeted: REDI Pilot: Minimum Score 60, 363 ITAs issued. Requirements similar to the Foreign Worker REDI Pilot draw.

Response Strategy and Outlook

These large-scale draws, occurring shortly after the OINP confirmed its significantly reduced 2025 nomination allocation, demonstrate Ontario's proactive strategy to manage its limited resources by prioritizing labour needs in specific regions and sectors. By targeting Northern Ontario, REDI pilot communities, and critical health occupations, Ontario aims to maximize the PNP's impact on economic development despite tighter allocations.

However, as the OINP has warned, the reduced allocation will undoubtedly lead to longer application processing times. Prospective OINP applicants should stay informed of official updates and be prepared for longer waits. Furthermore, the federal government's immigration policy adjustments, particularly the strict control over PNP allocations, will continue to have a profound impact on provincial immigration strategies.