Canada | Eligibility criteria released for new Ontario Workforce Priority stream

The Ministry of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development announced updates outlining eligibility criteria for the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream.

Key takeaways:

As BAL previously reported, phase one updates to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) were effective as of June 26, 2026. On July 20, 2026, the ministry updated the OINP website with a dedicated Ontario Workforce Priority stream webpage, outlining the full applicant requirements, employer requirements, scoring factors and steps to apply. An expression of interest system for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream is expected to launch later this summer.

Employer requirements

To qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, employers must:

• Be in business for at least three years prior to applying
• Have a business location in Ontario
• Have no outstanding orders under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 or the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Meet revenue requirements based on the job offer’s location
• Employ a minimum number of Canadian citizens or permanent resident full-time employees based on the job offer’s location
• Demonstrate effort made in recruiting a Canadian citizen or permanent resident prior to offering the position to a foreign national (only applicable if the applicant is currently living outside Canada or working outside Ontario)

Employers are encouraged to review the OINP employer guide for detailed requirements.

Scoring factors

Applicants will be assigned points based on several factors and will be required to submit supporting documents for each scoring factor claimed.

Scoring factors for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream include:

• Employment and labor market factors, such as occupational category, hourly wage, Ontario work experience and legal status in Canada
• Education factors, such as highest level of education and credentials
• Language factors, such as level of English or French proficiency
• Regionalization factors based on the work location in the job offer

Applicants and employers can review the full scoring factors, points allotted for each category and steps to apply on the Ontario Workforce Priority stream webpage.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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