Ontario launches new pathway for foreign workers to gain permanent residence
Ontario has introduced a new Workforce Priority Stream, offering foreign workers additional opportunities to obtain permanent residence through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. The initiative features pathways for higher-skilled workers, lower-skilled workers, and self-employed physicians. Applicants must have a qualifying job offer from an eligible Ontario employer to participate. The stream is part of a broader overhaul of Ontario’s immigration programs.
What we know
- Ontario’s Workforce Priority Stream was launched on June 26, 2026, but candidates could only enter the selection pool after the online portal opened this week.
- Eligible foreign nationals can register an Expression of Interest through Ontario’s e-Filing Portal, effective August 4, 2026.
- Candidates with active EOIs will be ranked using a points-based system introduced on July 20, 2026, with invitations to apply issued through periodic draws.
- The Workforce Priority Stream is the first immigration pathway introduced after all previous streams were closed on May 30, 2026.
- Additional pathways, including a Priority Healthcare Worker Stream, Entrepreneur Stream, and Exceptional Talent Stream, will be introduced during the second phase of the program’s modernisation.
