On August 28, 2025, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted its latest round of targeted invitations through its Expression of Interest (EOI) system, with a total of 468 immigration candidates receiving an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. According to official information, all invited candidates had created their profiles between July 2, 2025, and August 28, 2025.
This round consisted of five separate draws, precisely targeting specific regions and occupations that are significant to Ontario's economic development.
1. Targeted Invitations for Northern Ontario
To attract talent to Northern Ontario, the OINP issued 330 invitations to candidates who had secured a job offer in the region. These were divided into two streams:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream
- Number of invitations issued: 94
- Minimum score: 53
- Employer Job Offer: International Student stream
- Number of invitations issued: 236
- Minimum score: 66
In addition to meeting the score requirements, all invited candidates must hold a valid job offer in Northern Ontario (which includes census divisions such as Muskoka, Haliburton, Nipissing, Sudbury, etc.) and must be residing in Canada at the time of application. The range of targeted occupations for this draw was extensive, covering dozens of National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes from management, finance, IT, and engineering to healthcare and skilled trades, aiming to bring diverse professional talent to the northern region.
2. Invitations under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) Pilot
Another portion of the invitations targeted the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot program. This program is designed to help specific communities attract and retain skilled workers. A total of 175 invitations were issued to candidates qualifying for this pilot, distributed across three streams:
- Foreign Worker stream
- Number of invitations issued: 94
- Minimum score: 45
- International Student stream
- Number of invitations issued: 56
- Minimum score: 68
- In-Demand Skills stream
- Number of invitations issued: 25
- Minimum score: 34
It is understood that the job offers for these candidates are located in the Ontario communities of Lambton, Lanark, and Leeds and Grenville.
Notably, the list of targeted occupations differed between the streams. For instance, candidates in the In-Demand Skills stream needed a job offer in NOC codes such as home support workers, construction trade helpers, farm workers, and certain machine operators. Meanwhile, the Foreign Worker and International Student streams targeted a different set of occupations, including administrative managers, accounting technicians, software engineers, registered nurses, carpenters, and automotive service technicians.
The REDI is a one-year pilot initiative set to conclude on December 31, 2025, providing a pathway to permanent residence for candidates with job offers in designated communities.
Important Notice: OINP's EOI System Shifts to an Employer-Driven Model
The OINP has emphasized that as of July 2, 2025, the application process for all Employer Job Offer streams has undergone a significant change. The process has now shifted from a previous "applicant-led" model to an "employer-driven" one.
This means that employers must first submit an application for job approval through Ontario's Employer Portal and then successfully register an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the candidate. Only candidates who have completed this step are eligible to be selected in current and future draws. For candidates who submitted an EOI before July 2, they will need to coordinate with their employers to re-initiate the process through the new system. This change introduces new requirements for all applicants and their employers wishing to immigrate to Ontario through the employer job offer streams.
