On March 18, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted its third round of invitations of the year and completed six targeted draws on the same day, issuing a total of 1,243 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, 1,107 ITAs were issued through the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, marking the first invitations under these two streams since September 17, 2024. The draws mainly targeted international student graduates and foreign workers with Canadian work experience in specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupations. At the same time, Ontario also issued 136 ITAs through its Employer Job Offer streams. These invitations came as the province moves ahead with a major restructuring of its immigration system, with several current categories scheduled to be revoked on May 30, 2026, and replaced by a new framework.

On February 6, 2026, Ontario published its 2026 nomination allocation for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The federal government has granted Ontario 14,119 nominations for 2026, an increase of roughly 31% from the 10,750 nominations allocated in 2025. The rise aligns with Ottawa’s expanded permanent residence (PR) admissions target for Provincial Nominee Programs in 2026. However, Ontario’s 2026 allocation remains well below its 2024 level of 21,500 nominations. Ontario has not yet announced priority sectors or occupations for 2026, nor has it released a stream-by-stream breakdown of how nominations will be distributed across its eight immigration streams. The update comes as the province continues a series of policy changes and prepares for a proposed stream consolidation expected to unfold in 2026 and beyond, subject to final regulatory approval.

On February 2, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held its first selection round of the year, conducting six targeted draws and issuing a total of 1,825 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination. The draws were held through Ontario’s Employer Job Offer streams and focused on physicians, Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) candidates, health occupations, and early childhood educators and assistants. Across all six draws, Ontario considered candidate profiles created between July 2, 2025, and January 28, 2026.

Under the targeted selection policies of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the healthcare sector has solidified its position as a premier pathway for foreign workers and international students seeking Permanent Residence (PR). Recent policy analysis indicates that not all medical careers require lengthy university education; six specific occupations, requiring only two years or less of college training, are currently being prioritized by the government. Through category-based Express Entry draws, eligible candidates in these fields are receiving invitations to apply with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores significantly lower than those in general streams.

Ontario has recently made critical adjustments to its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) aimed at lowering barriers for internationally trained physicians. Effective January 1, 2026, self-employed physicians working under specific National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes are no longer required to provide an employer job offer or a letter from a provincial health authority when applying for the OINP "Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream." This move makes Ontario currently the only province in Canada with such a targeted physician immigration pathway that does not mandate a job offer. This update coincides with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announcing the addition of 5,000 extra Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) spaces outside of the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The federal government aims to admit 91,500 new permanent residents through the PNP by the end of 2026 to help alleviate labor shortages across the provinces.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released a statement on December 19, 2025, announcing an immediate pause on new applications for the Home Care Worker Pilots until further notice. The federal government explicitly stated that the programs will not reopen in March 2026 as originally planned, a decision that effectively cuts off a key immigration pathway that many prospective applicants had expected to utilize next year. This pause is part of the federal government's broader effort to recalibrate immigration quotas under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, aiming to prevent further growth in application backlogs, ensure existing cases are prioritized, and make the immigration system more responsive to actual labour market needs.

On December 11, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the first category-based Express Entry draw of the month, issuing 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the healthcare and social services sector. With a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 476, the draw highlights Canada’s continued focus on attracting skilled professionals in essential public service fields amid ongoing labour shortages.

The Ontario government has unveiled a major two-phase plan to redesign the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and reshape how the province selects candidates for permanent residence. Phase one proposes consolidating the three existing Employer Job Offer streams into a single integrated framework with two pathways based on occupation level. Phase two would eliminate all remaining existing streams and replace them with three new ones: a Priority Healthcare Stream, an Entrepreneur Stream, and an Exceptional Talent Stream. The government is currently consulting stakeholders and has not yet clarified how in-progress applications will be handled once the reforms take effect.

Ontario is preparing to introduce new permanent residence pathways under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), targeting newcomers in fields such as research, culinary arts, and entrepreneurship. Immigration Minister David Piccini announced on November 25 that the province intends to launch a new “talent stream” to recognize excellence in these sectors. With Bill 30 (the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025) receiving Royal Assent on November 27, the suspension of the Skilled Trades Stream, and expected increases in provincial nomination allocations for 2026, Ontario is restructuring its immigration program to support more targeted and flexible selection mechanisms.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has suspended its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream effective November 14, 2025, following a major program review that identified systemic misrepresentation and potential fraud. As part of the suspension, all in-progress applications will be returned with full refunds. The province states that the program’s current structure must be redesigned to ensure limited nomination spots benefit genuine candidates addressing Ontario’s skilled trades shortages. Affected applicants may submit a new Expression of Interest under another OINP stream if eligible.