Ontario released new details on February 6, 2026, via its official OINP updates webpage, confirming that the federal government has allocated 14,119 provincial nominations to Ontario for 2026. These nominations will be distributed across Ontario’s eight provincial immigration streams. As of publication, Ontario has not announced any priority sectors or occupations, and it has not provided a per-stream allocation for the year.

1) How Ontario’s 2026 allocation compares to prior years

Ontario’s 14,119 nominations in 2026 represent an increase of about 31% compared to the 10,750 nominations Ontario received in 2025.

The change is tied to the federal government’s larger PR admissions target under PNPs, which increased from 55,000 in the prior year to 91,500 in 2026. With more PR admissions spaces available, provinces and territories have generally been positioned to receive higher nomination allocations than those initially set at the start of 2025.

Several jurisdictions have already reported higher allocations for 2026, including:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Ontario stands out in one respect: unlike some other provinces and territories, Ontario did not receive an increase to its provincial nomination allocation during 2025, remaining at its initial 10,750 nominations throughout the year.

While Ontario’s allocation has increased in 2026, it remains significantly lower than the province’s 2024 level of 21,500 nominations. Based on those figures, Ontario has recovered about 67% of its 2024 nomination capacity.

2) Recent changes to the OINP

Ontario drew attention throughout 2025 and into early 2026 for multiple changes affecting eligibility, intake mechanics, and compliance controls across its immigration program.

Expanded eligibility for certain self-employed physicians

In January 2026, Ontario broadened eligibility under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream to include certain self-employed internationally trained physicians who hold provisional certificates from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, along with an OHIP billing number. The change is intended to make the PR pathway more accessible for qualifying physicians.

Earlier, in February 2025, Ontario adjusted eligibility rules for self-employed physicians more broadly, allowing them to count periods of self-employment (without a job offer) toward eligibility under three streams.

Suspension of the Express Entry Skilled Trades stream

In November 2025, Ontario called for the immediate suspension of its Express Entry Skilled Trades stream and returned all pending applications after identifying “systemic compliance and enforcement concerns relating to the stream.”

Expanded authority to return or suspend applications prior to nomination

New regulations implemented in July 2025 allowed Ontario to return applications prior to issuing a provincial nomination, with refunded application fees.

By the end of October 2025, Ontario expanded the factors that could lead to an application being suspended or returned before a nomination is issued, adding 13 new factors (and removing one). Examples cited include:

• The province’s ability to provide adequate housing and health services;
• An applicant’s language proficiency, education, or work status; and
• Anticipated provincial labour market needs.

Launch of a new electronic Employer Portal

Also in July 2025, Ontario changed intake for its Employer: Job Offer streams, shifting from an applicant-led process to an employer-led process through a new electronic Employer Portal. Under this model, individuals can no longer apply directly to the OINP through these streams; instead, employers initiate the process.

Reduced education requirements for early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202)

As of July 2025, Ontario adjusted education requirements for early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202), removing the requirement to hold a Canadian bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) to qualify under:

• The Human Capital Priorities stream; and
• The French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream.

Potential in-person interviews

Ontario also stated in its July changes that it may require in-person interviews for both applicants and employers as a measure to address concerns related to the credibility and authenticity of certain applications.

3) Proposed stream consolidation in 2026 and beyond

Ontario has proposed a significant consolidation of OINP pathways as part of a broader program redesign.

Under a planned two-phase overhaul, Ontario would first merge its three Employer Job Offer streams into one stream with multiple tracks. In a later phase, most existing streams would be eliminated and replaced with three new pathways focused on:

• Healthcare workers
• Entrepreneurs
• Exceptional talent

The changes were proposed in late 2025 and are expected to roll out in 2026 and beyond, pending final regulatory approval.

Closing Note

Ontario’s higher 2026 nomination allocation reflects a broader federal expansion of PNP-linked PR admissions. Even so, Ontario’s allocation remains below its 2024 peak, and the program continues to evolve through tighter compliance controls, reworked intake processes, and a potential restructuring of streams. For prospective applicants, 2026 is shaping up as both a year of increased capacity and continued policy transition—making it important to monitor priority sector announcements, stream-level allocations, and implementation timelines as they are released.