Ontario OINP Can Now Return Applications Starting July 2025

Ontario’s immigration program, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), will soon work differently. From July 1, 2025, Ontario’s government will have more control over who gets nominated. They can now return some applications before giving a nomination.

This new power comes from the Working for Workers Seven Act. It aims to make the OINP focus more on the province’s current job market needs.

What’s new with OINP?

Starting July 2025, here are the main changes to the OINP:

• The program can send back applications before deciding on nomination.
  
• Employers and foreign applicants must attend in-person interviews. Help will be available if needed.
  
• Education requirements for early childhood educators have been lowered in two key immigration streams.
  
• Ontario launched a new online Employer Portal for job offer applications, moving to a more employer-led system.
  
• The province can open or close nomination streams based on labour market needs.
  

If applicants want to apply now, they must work with their employers to submit a new Expression of Interest (EOI) through the new portal. All old EOIs are canceled.

Returned applications and refunds

If the OINP returns an application, they will notify the applicant or their representative. The full application fee will be refunded. Applications may be returned due to:

• Limited nomination spots available,
  
• Focus on urgent labour market priorities,
  
• Concerns about program integrity.
  

Ontario wants to accept only high-quality applications that fit its labour needs best.

Lower education bar for early childhood educators

Applicants under the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) and French-Speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) streams can now apply with lower education if they are early childhood educators. Usually, these streams require a bachelor’s degree or higher. But if they are registered members of the College of Early Childhood Educators, they don’t need to meet that education level. This change aims to help more educators get nominated.

Why these changes?

Ontario’s immigration nominations were cut by half by the federal government. This cut is part of Canada’s effort to address housing and affordability issues.

Ontario was the last province to announce its new nomination limit. Because of fewer spots, Ontario paused all immigrant selections until June 3, 2025.

This cut has forced provinces to be pickier with applicants. They now choose candidates who meet specific labour market and economic goals.

For example, British Columbia’s program paused almost all immigration streams. It focuses only on entrepreneurs and some skilled workers with high economic impact.

Ontario follows a similar path, aiming to use its limited nominations for workers who meet urgent job needs.