Ontario Opens Three New Permanent Residence Pathways

Ontario has introduced three new routes to permanent residence as the province begins the first phase of a major rebuild of its immigration program.

The changes, posted on June 26, 2026, create the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. The stream includes three pathways: one for workers in TEER 0 to 3 jobs, one for workers in TEER 4 and 5 jobs, and one for self-employed physicians.

The pathways took effect immediately. However, applicants cannot be considered until the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, or OINP, reopens its Expression of Interest system. The province said the new EOI system “is anticipated to open later in the summer.”

New Routes for Workers

The TEER 0 to 3 pathway is aimed at foreign nationals with full-time, permanent job offers from eligible Ontario employers in higher-skilled occupations. These jobs usually require post-secondary education, training, or professional experience.

Applicants must meet language requirements in English or French, unless they qualify as recent Ontario graduates. They must also meet licensing rules for regulated jobs or show they have the required education and work experience.

Candidates generally need a post-secondary degree or diploma from a program of at least one year. Foreign credentials may count if supported by a valid Educational Credential Assessment. Work experience can include at least two years of cumulative full-time experience in the same or related occupation within the past five years, or recent work with the same Ontario employer offering the job.

Pathway for Lower-Skilled Jobs

The TEER 4 and 5 pathway is designed for jobs that usually need a high school diploma or short on-the-job training.

To qualify, applicants must have a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer that pays at least the median wage for that occupation. They must also have at least nine months of cumulative work experience in the same job with the same employer during the past two years.

Applicants need a secondary school diploma or equivalent and at least Canadian Language Benchmark 4 in English or French.

Physicians Included

Ontario has also created a pathway for self-employed physicians. To qualify, a physician must be licensed and in good standing in Ontario, hold a valid certificate of registration as an independent, academic, or provisional practitioner, and be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

Employer Rules Apply

Employers must have a place of business in Ontario, operate for at least three years, and meet revenue and staffing thresholds.

In the Greater Toronto Area, employers need at least $1 million in gross annual revenue and five full-time Canadian citizen or permanent resident employees at the job location. Outside the GTA, lower revenue and staffing rules may apply.

The job offer must be full-time, permanent, necessary for the business, mostly performed in Ontario, and paid at the required wage level.

What Comes Next

Applicants with pending files under old OINP pathways will continue to be assessed under the rules in place when their applications were received.

Ontario is also expected to launch three more streams later: priority healthcare, entrepreneur, and exceptional talent. No launch date has been announced.

The new pathways follow Ontario’s May 30, 2026, retirement of its previous permanent residence streams.