OINP Phase 1 Redesign 2026: What Actually Changed (and What Didn't)

If someone is telling you they can get you into the OINP right now, they’re not telling you the truth. As of June 26, 2026, the portal is closed. No new Expressions of Interest can be submitted. There are no draws. There is no waitlist and no back channel. There’s nothing to file into.

That’s the short version. Here’s the longer, more useful one.

What Ontario Actually Did

On June 26, 2026, Ontario launched Phase 1 of a three-phase redesign of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The province eliminated eight streams effective that day and replaced them with a single new stream, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.

The streams that closed:

• Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker

• Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills

• Employer Job Offer: International Student

• Masters Graduate

• PhD Graduate

• All three Express Entry-linked streams

Anyone who had an Expression of Interest sitting in one of these old streams will have it withdrawn over the coming weeks, with direct notice to affected applicants. If you already received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and submitted your application before June 26, your file continues under the old rules. That part has not changed.

What has changed is that there is currently no door to walk through for a new application. The EOI system is closed to new registrations, full stop.

The New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream

The replacement stream has two pathways.

TEER 0-3. Skilled workers with a full-time, permanent job offer, plus one of the following: six months already worked with that employer, two years of cumulative experience in the NOC, or a relevant licence. Most occupations require CLB 6 in English or French (CLB 5 for some occupations), and all applicants need a post-secondary credential.

TEER 4-5. Workers in a TEER 4 or 5 occupation with a full-time, permanent job offer and nine months of cumulative experience with that employer within the last two years. This pathway requires CLB 4 and a Canadian secondary school credential or equivalent.

There is a narrow exception for self-employed physicians, who can qualify without a job offer if they hold a valid CPSO certificate and OHIP billing eligibility.

Ontario has said the EOI system for this new stream is expected to open "later this summer." No date has been confirmed, and the more cautious reading is that Ontario waits until it can roll out the remaining two phases of the redesign before reopening intake at all. That could mean any time before mid-September, or later.

Why the Numbers Matter More Than the Timeline

Even once the portal reopens, there is a supply problem sitting underneath it.

Ontario was allotted 14,119 nomination spots under the 2026 federal levels plan. As of April 30, 2026, 13,278 ITAs had already been issued for the year. That leaves roughly 841 spots for the remainder of 2026. Not every ITA converts into a nomination, but the math is still the math: there is very little room left in this year's allocation.

Practically, that means any new draws under the redesigned program are largely setting up 2027 outcomes, not 2026 ones. If your plan depends on an OINP nomination this calendar year, that plan needs revisiting.

There is also a geographic pattern worth naming. Ontario has spent roughly the last 18 months prioritizing regional economic development, and very few recent draws have touched the Greater Toronto Area. If your strategy is built around a GTA-based job offer, expect a longer runway to an ITA and build your timeline accordingly.

What This Means If You're Planning Around the OINP

• Do not pay anyone claiming they can submit an EOI, secure a spot in a queue, or get you priority access right now. There’s no mechanism for that to exist while the portal is closed. An exploratory consultation may, however, be of value.

• If your work permit is set to expire soon, plan for it to carry you through at least July 2027. Even after an eventual ITA and a submitted application, nomination processing takes time.

• If you're relying on a GTA-based job offer, build in extra time and don't assume the same draw pattern that existed before June 2026 will hold going forward.

• Watch for the EOI reopening announcement rather than trying to get ahead of it. There is currently no early access, no informal list, and no way to reserve a place.

OINP timelines are shifting again. If you want to know how this affects your specific plan, book a consultation, or sign up for the newsletter to get the reopening date as soon as it's announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the OINP still accepting applications? No. As of June 26, 2026, the OINP portal is closed to new Expressions of Interest under the redesigned system. Applicants who received an ITA before that date and submitted an application continue to be processed under the previous rules.

What happened to my existing OINP Expression of Interest? If your EOI was filed under one of the eight streams that closed on June 26, 2026 (including the Employer Job Offer streams, Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate, and the Express Entry-linked streams), it will be withdrawn over the coming weeks. Ontario has said affected applicants will be notified directly.

When will the OINP reopen for new applications? Ontario has indicated "later this summer," without a confirmed date. Given that this is only Phase 1 of a three-phase redesign, it is plausible the province waits until the remaining phases are ready before reopening intake, which could push the timeline later.

What is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream? It is the new stream replacing the eight streams closed under Phase 1. It has two pathways: TEER 0-3 (requiring a permanent job offer, relevant experience or licensure, CLB 6 for most occupations, and a post-secondary credential) and TEER 4-5 (requiring a permanent job offer, nine months of cumulative experience with that employer, CLB 4, and a Canadian secondary credential or equivalent).

Can a self-employed person qualify under the new stream? Only in one specific case identified in phase 1: self-employed physicians who hold a valid CPSO certificate and OHIP billing eligibility can qualify without a job offer.

How many OINP nomination spots are left for 2026? Ontario's 2026 federal allocation is 14,119 nomination spots. As of April 30, 2026, 13,278 ITAs had already been issued, leaving roughly 841 spots for the rest of the year. New draws under the redesigned stream will largely apply toward 2027 outcomes.

Does the OINP redesign favour applicants outside the GTA? Recent draw patterns suggest so. Ontario has focused on regional economic development for roughly 18 months, and few recent draws have included the GTA. Applicants building a strategy around Toronto should plan for a longer timeline to an ITA.

General information only, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult an RCIC licensed by the CICC or a lawyer licensed with a provincial law society.