New OINP scoring rules

Ontario has unveiled the official scoring system for its new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWPS), marking a major step in the province's overhaul of its immigration program. The new framework ranks eligible candidates using a points-based Expression of Interest (EOI) system, with the highest-scoring applicants receiving invitations to apply for a provincial nomination that can lead to Canadian permanent residence.

Candidates can earn points across multiple categories, including the location of their job in Ontario, occupation type and skill level, hourly wage, Ontario work experience, previous Canadian income, education, Canadian credentials, language proficiency, bilingual ability, and temporary resident status. Northern Ontario receives the highest regional score, while applicants with advanced education, strong English or French language skills, and higher-paying job offers can also improve their rankings. Self-employed physicians are assessed using a modified scoring model tailored to their profession.

The new stream includes three pathways:

TEER 0–3 occupations for higher-skilled workers.
TEER 4–5 occupations for lower-skilled workers.
A dedicated pathway for eligible self-employed physicians.

Applicants must first create an active EOI profile in Ontario's online system. For job-offer pathways, employers must initiate the EOI. After receiving an invitation, successful candidates submit a provincial nomination application before applying to the federal government for permanent residence.

Although Ontario has finalized the scoring criteria, the online EOI system remains temporarily closed and is expected to reopen later this summer. Once reopened, the province is expected to begin issuing invitations under the redesigned program.

The OWPS is the first fully implemented stream in Ontario's broader immigration redesign, which replaced the province's previous nomination pathways earlier this year. Additional streams for healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and exceptional talent are planned but have not yet received launch dates. Existing applications submitted under the former OINP streams will continue to be processed under the rules that applied when they were filed.