Ontario Unveils A New PR Pathway Scoring System
Ontario has introduced the official scoring system for its new permanent residence pathways under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWPS). The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has now shared how eligible candidates will be ranked before receiving an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination.
The new scoring model is designed to help Ontario select candidates who can meet the province’s labour market needs. Applicants with higher scores will have a better chance of receiving an invitation through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Candidates invited under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream can later apply for Canadian permanent residence after receiving a provincial nomination.
Each eligible job offer candidate can receive a maximum of 130 points, based on several factors such as work location, occupation, work experience, education, language ability, income, and temporary resident status.
Work Region
Candidates can receive up to 15 points depending on where they will work in Ontario.
| Region | Points | Region’s Census Divisions |
| Northern Ontario | 15 | Muskoka, Haliburton, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Algoma, Thunder Bay, Rainy River and Kenora |
| Eastern Ontario | 10 | Frontenac, Hastings, Kawartha Lakes, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland, Ottawa, Peterborough, Prescott and Russell, Prince Edward, Renfrew, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry |
| Central Ontario (outside GTA) | 10 | Dufferin, Grey, Simcoe, Waterloo and Wellington |
| Southwestern Ontario | 10 | Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Essex, Haldimand-Norfolk, Hamilton, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Oxford and Perth |
| Outside Toronto, within GTA | 5 | Durham, Halton, Peel and York |
| Toronto | 0 | City of Toronto |
Ontario gives more points to candidates who will work outside Toronto, especially in Northern Ontario, where employers continue to face worker shortages.
Occupation Skill Level
Candidates can receive up to 9 points based on the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of their occupation.
| NOC TEER | Points | NOC TEER Definition |
| 0 | 9 | Management positions |
| 1 | 9 | Jobs typically requiring a university degree |
| 2 | 6 | Supervisory roles, or jobs typically requiring a college diploma or apprenticeship of at least 2 years |
| 3 | 6 | Jobs typically requiring a college diploma or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or requiring at least 6 months of on-the-job training |
| 4 | 0 | Jobs typically requiring a high school diploma, or several weeks of on-the-job training |
| 5 | 0 | Jobs typically requiring only short-term work demonstration |
Higher-skilled occupations receive more points under the new system.
Compensation
Candidates can earn up to 15 points based on the hourly wage offered by their employer.
| Hourly Wage | Points |
| ≥ $40 | 15 |
| $35–$39.99 | 12 |
| $30–$34.99 | 10 |
| $25–$29.99 | 8 |
| $20–$24.99 | 5 |
| <$20 | 0 |
A higher wage increases a candidate’s overall score.
Occupational Category
Candidates can receive up to 10 points depending on the broad occupational category of their job.
| Broad Occupational Category | Points | Broad Occupational Category Definition(s) |
| 3 | 10 | Health |
| 7 | 8 | Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations |
| 2 | 6 | Natural and applied sciences and related occupations |
| 0, 1, 4, 8, or 9 | 4 | Legislative and senior management; Business, finance and administration; Education, law and social, community and government services; Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations; Manufacturing and utilities |
| 5 or 6 | 2 | Art, culture, recreation and sport; Sales and service |
Healthcare occupations receive the highest score, followed by trades and science-related jobs.
Ontario Work Experience
Candidates already working in the offered position receive more points.
Candidates Working At Least Six Months In The Job Offer Position:
| Work Experience In Job Offer Position | Points |
| >24 months | 18 |
| 13–24 months | 15 |
| 6–12 months | 12 |
Other Candidates:
| Work Experience In Ontario | Points |
| >24 months | 12 |
| 13–24 months | 9 |
| 6–12 months | 6 |
| <6 months | 0 |
Candidates with longer work experience in Ontario receive higher scores because they have already gained experience in the provincial labour market.
Canadian Income Tax History
Ontario also considers a candidate’s income over the past five years.
| Highest Annual Income Within The Past Five Years | Points |
| ≥$70,000 | 8 |
| $50,000 – $69,999 | 6 |
| $30,000 – $49,999 | 4 |
| <$30,000 | 0 |
Income is based on the candidate’s Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Notice of Assessment.
Level Of Education
Candidates receive points according to their highest educational qualification.
| Highest Level Of Education | Points |
| Doctorate | 10 |
| Degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or optometry | 10 |
| Master’s degree | 8 |
| University certificate or diploma above the bachelor’s level | 6 |
| Bachelor’s degree or equivalent | 6 |
| Ontario College Graduate Certificate | 5 |
| University certificate or diploma below the bachelor’s level | 5 |
| College, CEGEP, or other non-university certificate or diploma | 5 |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma | 5 |
| Lower than college or trade certificate | 0 |
Higher education helps improve a candidate’s ranking under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.
Canadian Educational Credentials
Candidates who completed post-secondary education in Canada can earn additional points.
| Number Of Post-Secondary Canadian Credentials | Points |
| Two or more | 10 |
| One | 5 |
| None | 0 |
Note: To count, a credential must be from an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution and from a full-time program lasting at least one year.
Completing education in Canada can strengthen a candidate’s profile and improve the overall score.
Highest Official Language Proficiency
Candidates can receive up to 15 points based on their highest official language score.
| Minimum CLB Score Across All Four Language Abilities In English Or French | Points |
| ≥9 | 15 |
| 8 | 12 |
| 7 | 8 |
| 6 | 4 |
| ≤5 | 0 |
The language score must come from an approved immigration language test completed within the last two years.
Official Language Bilingualism
Ontario also rewards candidates who can communicate well in both English and French.
| Number Of Official Languages With Minimum Score Of CLB 6 Across All Four Abilities | Points |
| Both languages | 10 |
| One language | 5 |
Strong skills in both official languages can significantly improve a candidate’s score.
Temporary Resident Status
Candidates can also receive points based on their current status in Canada.
| Temporary Resident Status | Points |
| Work permit | 10 |
| Study permit | 5 |
| Neither | 0 |
Candidates without a work permit or study permit must still have valid immigration status to qualify for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.
Work Experience For Self-Employed Physicians
Ontario has created a separate scoring method for self-employed physicians. Instead of receiving points for hourly wages, these candidates are assessed based on the length of their medical practice in Ontario.
| Work Experience Of Cumulative Medical Practice In Ontario | Points |
| ≥24 months | 18 |
| 13–24 months | 15 |
| 6–12 months | 12 |
| <6 months | 0 |
This approach recognizes that many physicians work as self-employed professionals rather than employees. Their experience in Ontario is therefore considered instead of hourly pay.
The scoring criteria for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream were published on the official OINP website on July 20, 2026.
Along with the scoring details, Ontario also released lists of eligible Ontario and Canadian post-secondary institutions that applicants can use to claim education points under the new stream.
The province also published a separate document checklist for candidates applying through the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. This checklist explains the documents applicants must submit with their provincial nomination application.
How To Apply Through The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream?
Foreign nationals who want to obtain permanent residence through the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream must complete the following steps:
- Create an eligible profile in the OINP online EOI system.
- Be selected by the OINP and receive an invitation to apply for provincial nomination.
- Submit a complete application for provincial nomination to the OINP.
- Receive a provincial nomination from the OINP.
- Apply to the federal government for permanent residence as a provincial nominee.
- Receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) from the federal government and complete the permanent residence landing process.
To qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, candidates must be eligible under one of the following three pathways:
- TEER 0 – 3 pathway: higher-skilled occupations.
- TEER 4 – 5 pathway: lower-skilled occupations.
- Self-employed physicians: physicians eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).
Applicants must also have an active Expression of Interest (EOI) profile in Ontario’s online system. For candidates applying under the job offer pathways, the employer must begin the Expression of Interest before the candidate can enter the selection pool.
At present, Ontario’s online Expression of Interest system remains closed. However, the province has confirmed that it is expected to reopen later this summer.
Once the system reopens, Ontario is expected to begin conducting invitation rounds and selecting eligible candidates for provincial nomination under the new stream.
Ontario Continues Its Immigration Program Changes
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is currently the only newly introduced immigration stream for which the province has announced complete eligibility requirements during its 2026 immigration program update.
Ontario officially closed all of its previous provincial immigration pathways on May 30, 2026, replacing them with a new system designed to better match the province’s current labour market needs.
The province announced the full eligibility requirements for the three Ontario Workforce Priority Stream pathways on June 26, 2026.
Ontario has also confirmed that three additional provincial immigration streams will be introduced in the future:
- A Priority Healthcare stream
- An Entrepreneur stream
- An Exceptional Talent stream
At the time of writing, Ontario has not announced launch dates for any of these new streams.
The Priority Healthcare stream is expected to target workers in healthcare occupations and is not expected to require a job offer.
The Exceptional Talent stream will focus on individuals who have achieved outstanding success in areas such as academic research, scientific innovation, literature, creative arts, and performing arts.
Candidates who submitted provincial nomination applications under Ontario’s former immigration streams will continue to have their applications assessed using the eligibility rules that were in place when their applications were submitted.
Ontario first announced plans to redesign its provincial immigration system in December 2025. Since then, the province has gradually introduced new pathways and selection rules aimed at attracting workers who can help meet Ontario’s changing workforce needs.
Palina Immigration Consultancy, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at Palinaimmigration.com.
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