EDITOR’S NOTE — UPDATED JUNE 29, 2026
This article was originally drafted on May 13, 2026 to warn applicants ahead of the May 30 revocation deadline. The events it predicted have now occurred. On May 30, 2026, all nine OINP streams were revoked, and on June 26, 2026 Ontario launched the replacement framework under O. Reg. 422/17 — the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream with TEER 0-3, TEER 4-5, and Self-Employed Physician categories.
If you held an active EOI, ITA, or in-progress file before May 30, see our companion guide: OINP Then vs Now: Regulation 422/17 Side-by-Side. For the new revenue tiers your employer must meet, see OINP Employer Revenue Tiers Explained. The historical context below is preserved for the record.
URGENT: Ontario Is Closing All 9 OINP Streams on May 30 — What You Must Do Now
If you hold an active OINP Expression of Interest profile, have a pending application, recently received an Invitation to Apply, or were planning to apply under any Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program stream — your window is closing fast. Effective May 30, 2026, all nine existing OINP stream categories are permanently revoked under Ontario Regulation 47/26, which amends Ontario Regulation 421/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015. No new applications will be accepted under the current framework after that date. There are no explicit transitional provisions in the regulation. The time to act — and to get qualified advice — is right now, before May 30.
Don’t wait. If you have an active OINP file, an outstanding ITA, or an EOI profile with no nomination yet, get a professional assessment of your options before May 30. Book a paid consultation with Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB, at VGIS →
What Is Happening: O. Reg. 47/26 in Plain Language
Ontario Regulation 47/26 was made on March 12, 2026, filed March 16, 2026, and published in The Ontario Gazette on April 4, 2026. Section 1 of the regulation revokes sections 2 and 3 of O. Reg. 421/17 — the provisions that established the nine existing OINP stream categories. Section 8(2) fixes the operative date as May 30, 2026. The full text is available at the Ontario e-Laws website.
Beyond the stream revocations, O. Reg. 47/26 makes three structural changes that take effect immediately:
- Minister’s direction authority: The OINP Director must now consider ministerial direction when processing applications and setting draw criteria — a significant shift toward political oversight of the selection process.
- Mandatory employer registration: From May 30 onward, every employer wishing to support an OINP nomination must register with the OINP Director and submit a job offer through the official portal before a candidate can apply.
- Deemed delivery of refusal notices: Refusal and cancellation notices are now legally deemed served the first business day after Ontario emails them to your address on file. Review deadlines begin running from that deemed date — not from when you read the email.
Ontario has been issuing invitations at a record pace throughout April 2026, working to deploy its full 2026 nomination allocation of 14,119 before the revocation date, as confirmed by the OINP’s 2026 updates page and reported by Immigration News Canada.
All 9 Revoked OINP Streams — Complete List
The following nine stream categories are revoked in their entirety effective May 30, 2026. No new applications will be accepted after that date.
| # | Stream Name | Who It Served |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foreign Worker | Skilled workers outside Canada with a valid Ontario job offer |
| 2 | International Student with a Job Offer | International graduates with a qualifying job offer from an Ontario employer |
| 3 | In-Demand Skills | Workers in specified occupations with a regional Ontario job offer |
| 4 | Human Capital Priorities (HCP) | High-scoring Express Entry candidates in the federal pool — no job offer required |
| 5 | Skilled Trades | Tradespeople with an Ontario job offer in a qualifying skilled trade |
| 6 | Masters Graduate | International students who completed a Master’s degree at an Ontario institution |
| 7 | PhD Graduate | International students who completed a doctoral degree at an Ontario institution |
| 8 | Entrepreneur | Foreign nationals seeking to own and operate an Ontario business |
| 9 | Regional Immigration Pilot | Applicants with qualifying job offers in rural or smaller Ontario communities |
Source: O. Reg. 47/26, revoking ss. 2–3 of O. Reg. 421/17; OINP program page.
Why Ontario Is Doing This: Consolidation and TEER Alignment
The revocation of all nine streams is a deliberate structural redesign, not a suspension of the OINP. As detailed in the March 16, 2026 regulatory update, the goals are: (1) alignment with Ontario’s real-time labour market priorities using the federal TEER classification system; (2) consolidation — replacing three separate employer streams with one streamlined pathway; and (3) strengthened program integrity through mandatory employer registration, ministerial oversight, and tighter controls on misrepresentation. The authority to redesign the OINP by regulation was granted under the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025.
The Four Proposed Replacement Pathways
Critical caveat: These pathways are proposed. Final eligibility criteria and opening dates have NOT been published by Ontario as of May 13, 2026. None of these streams are currently open. All details below are preliminary and subject to change.
| Proposed Pathway | Proposed Target Population | Key Features (Proposed) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Employer Job Offer | Workers with a qualifying Ontario job offer | One stream, two pathways: TEER 0–3 (skilled/professional) and TEER 4–5 (trades/service). Replaces three legacy employer streams. | Proposed — not final |
| Priority Healthcare | Regulated healthcare professionals | Requires valid registration with a recognised Ontario regulatory body. A job offer may not be required. | Proposed — not final |
| Entrepreneur (New) | Immigrant entrepreneurs | For newcomers who have established and actively operate a business in Ontario, or who have purchased and are running an existing Ontario business. | Proposed — not final |
| Exceptional Talent | High-impact individuals | For applicants who can demonstrate significant economic or social contribution to Ontario outside traditional employment structures. | Proposed — not final |
Ontario has signalled a phased rollout: the Consolidated Employer Job Offer stream is expected first, with the Priority Healthcare, Entrepreneur, and Exceptional Talent streams following later in 2026. No confirmed opening dates have been announced. Sources: Nihang Law; Immigration News Canada.
Timeline and Transition Rules
Key Dates
- March 16, 2026: O. Reg. 47/26 filed; employer registration rules take effect.
- April 2026: Ontario issues thousands of invitations at record pace to exhaust its 14,119 nomination allocation.
- May 30, 2026: All 9 stream categories legally revoked. No new applications accepted under current streams.
- Later 2026 (proposed): Replacement pathways expected to open — starting with the Consolidated Employer Job Offer stream.
What the Regulation Does and Does Not Say
O. Reg. 47/26 contains no explicit transitional provisions. Canadian administrative law generally holds that a complete application submitted before a regulatory change is assessed under the rules in effect at time of submission — but that protection is based on general legal principles, not a specific guarantee in this regulation, as confirmed by Nihang Law. Ontario has also not confirmed whether existing EOI profiles will carry forward, require re-registration, or be withdrawn entirely.
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Refusal review deadlines — these are strict and cannot generally be extended:
- Inside Canada: 15 days from the refusal notice date (deemed sent by email)
- Outside Canada: 60 days from the refusal notice date (deemed sent by email)
What Each Group of Applicants Should Do
You hold an OINP nomination certificate
Submit your federal permanent residence application through IRCC immediately. Your nomination adds a 600-point CRS boost in Express Entry — do not let it expire. Confirm all supporting documents are current and your application is complete.
You submitted a complete application before May 30
Your file will most likely be assessed under the rules in effect at submission. Confirm with a qualified representative that the application was genuinely complete. Monitor your inbox for refusal notices — review deadlines run from deemed delivery, not from when you read the email.
You are in the EOI pool with no ITA
This is the most uncertain position. Do not assume your profile will carry over. Begin evaluating your eligibility for the proposed replacement pathways, Express Entry, other provincial PNPs, and alternative federal programs. Get professional advice now, not after May 30.
You were planning to apply after May 30
Do not submit under any of the nine current streams after May 30. Those streams will no longer legally exist. Wait for Ontario’s official announcement on the new replacement pathways and their eligibility rules before taking any action.
You received a refusal
Act immediately. Deadlines run from the date Ontario emailed you the notice — 15 days (inside Canada) or 60 days (outside Canada). A Judicial Review application to the Federal Court is available under s. 72 of IRPA. Contact a representative without delay.
Uncertain about your situation? Whether you have a pending file, an outstanding ITA, or an EOI profile with no nomination, a professional review now protects your options. Book your paid consultation with VGIS →
Impact on Express Entry Candidates
A provincial nomination — from the OINP or any other PNP — adds 600 points to your CRS score, effectively guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. The revocation of the OINP’s Human Capital Priorities stream directly eliminates one of the most accessible nomination pathways for Express Entry candidates without a job offer. The Masters and PhD Graduate streams, which also fed into Express Entry, are similarly closing — the final April draws saw dramatically rising score cutoffs as Ontario rushed to issue nominations before revocation.
Between May 30 and the opening of the replacement streams, there may be a period during which no OINP pathway is available to Express Entry candidates. However, IRCC will continue running federal draws — including category-based draws for French-language proficiency, healthcare, STEM, and trades — which are entirely unaffected by Ontario’s changes.
Other Pathways VGIS Recommends Evaluating Now
If your OINP pathway is disrupted, several alternatives merit serious consideration:
- Other provincial PNPs: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Atlantic provinces all have active streams for skilled workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs. A nomination from any province gives the same 600-point CRS boost.
- Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For candidates with at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada; no provincial nomination required.
- Express Entry — French-language draws: Candidates with strong French-language skills benefit from category-based draws with consistently lower CRS cutoffs.
- Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Designated employer-driven pathway for skilled workers and graduates settling in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, or Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP): Links skilled workers with smaller communities across Canada, including Thunder Bay, Timmins, and Sudbury in Northern Ontario — of particular relevance to candidates who had been targeting the OINP Regional Immigration Pilot.
How VG Immigration Services Can Help
Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB #R708308, is the principal consultant at VG Immigration Services Canada (VGIS) and brings extensive hands-on experience with all nine of the existing OINP streams — employer-based nominations, graduate streams, the HCP stream, and the Entrepreneur pathway. VGIS is actively monitoring every development related to the May 30 revocation and the rollout of Ontario’s replacement framework.
We offer:
- Application status reviews — confirm whether your existing file is complete and protected before May 30
- Transition strategy consultations — personalised advice on which replacement pathway or alternative route fits your specific profile
- Refusal review support — prompt assessment of your review options and tight deadlines if you receive a refusal during the transition
- Employer registration guidance — helping Ontario employers complete the new OINP mandatory registration requirement
- Cross-pathway assessment — comprehensive review of federal Express Entry, other PNPs, AIP, RNIP, and other options
Ready to get clarity on your path forward? Book a paid professional consultation with Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB, and receive a personalised action plan tailored to your situation. Book your consultation at vgis.ca →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still apply under a current OINP stream after May 30, 2026?
No. O. Reg. 47/26 revokes the legal basis for all nine stream categories effective May 30, 2026. The OINP will not accept new applications under any existing stream after that date. If you hold an outstanding ITA, submit your application before May 30.
What happens to my pending application?
Applications submitted and complete before May 30 are generally expected to be assessed under the rules in force at submission, based on Canadian administrative law principles. However, O. Reg. 47/26 includes no explicit transitional provisions, so this is based on general legal principles rather than a specific statutory guarantee. Confirm the status of your file with a qualified representative. As noted by Nihang Law, incomplete applications at the time of revocation may not receive the same protection.
Will my EOI profile carry over to the new pathways?
Unknown. Ontario has not confirmed whether existing EOI profiles will be migrated automatically, require re-registration, or be withdrawn. Do not assume your profile will carry forward. Monitor the 2026 OINP Updates page for official guidance, and consult a professional about your alternatives now.
When will the new OINP streams open?
No confirmed opening dates have been announced. The Consolidated Employer Job Offer stream is expected to launch first, with the Priority Healthcare, new Entrepreneur, and Exceptional Talent streams following later in 2026. As reported by Immigration News Canada, the current streams will not accept new applications after May 30 unless and until replacement pathways are officially announced with transitional rules. All updates will appear on the official OINP program page.
Do I need to start a new application under the new streams?
If your application was submitted and complete before May 30, your existing file should continue through the current adjudication process — you should not need to start over. If you are in an EOI pool without an ITA as of May 30, you will need to apply under the new replacement streams once they open, under new eligibility rules. Do not attempt to pre-emptively submit — the new streams are not yet open.
Should I consider other provinces?
Yes — seriously. Every province except Quebec and Nunavut has a PNP, and many are actively inviting applications. A nomination from any province delivers the same 600-point CRS boost as an OINP nomination. If your profile is strong but your OINP pathway is now disrupted, another province may represent your fastest route to permanent residence. VGIS can conduct a cross-provincial assessment to identify your best options.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. It reflects publicly available information as of May 13, 2026, and is subject to change as Ontario releases further guidance. Regulatory information is drawn from primary sources including O. Reg. 47/26, the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, and the 2026 OINP Updates page. Every immigration situation is unique. Nothing in this article creates a consultant-client relationship. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your circumstances. VG Immigration Services Canada is not responsible for decisions made on the basis of general information in this article. Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB #R708308, is regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).
© 2026 VG Immigration Services Canada | vgis.ca
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