Ontario announces its nomination allocation for 2026, i.e., the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has shared its nomination allocation for 2026, and the number of available spots is higher than last year.
For 2026, the federal government has given Ontario a total of 14,119 nominations to issue across its eight provincial immigration streams.
Ontario posted this update on its OINP updates webpage on February 6, 2026.
As of the time of writing, the province has not yet announced which sectors or occupations will be prioritized, or how many nominations will be assigned to each stream.
How Does The OINP’s 2026 Nomination Compare To Previous Levels?
Ontario’s 14,119 nominations for 2026 represent an increase of about 31% compared to the 10,750 nominations it received in 2025.
This increase is linked to higher permanent residence (PR) targets under the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) for 2026. The federal government raised the national PNP target from 55,000 in the previous year to 91,500 in 2026.
With more PR spaces available, many provinces and territories are expected to receive higher nomination numbers than they did at the start of 2025.
This trend is already visible in provinces and territories that have announced their allocations for 2026, including Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon.
Unlike many other regions, Ontario did not receive an increase to its nomination allocation in 2025 and remained at 10,750 throughout that year.
Although Ontario’s allocation has risen in 2026, it is still much lower than its 2024 level, when the province received 21,500 nominations.
As a result, the OINP has recovered only about 67% of the nomination spaces it had in 2024.
Recent Changes To The OINP
Ontario made several important changes to its provincial immigration program during 2025 and early 2026, including the following:
Eligibility Changes For Self-Employed Physicians:
In January 2026, the OINP expanded eligibility for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream to include certain self-employed internationally trained physicians. These physicians must hold provisional certificates from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and have an OHIP billing number. This change makes it easier for eligible doctors to apply for permanent residence.
Earlier, in February 2025, Ontario changed its rules for self-employed physicians more broadly. It allowed them to count periods of self-employment, without a job offer, under three immigration streams.
Suspension Of Its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream:
In November 2025, the OINP suspended its Skilled Trades stream under Express Entry. Moreover, the province returned all pending applications after identifying “systemic compliance and enforcement concerns” with the stream.
Expanded Authority To Return Or Suspend Applications:
In July 2025, Ontario introduced new rules allowing the program to return applications before issuing a nomination. Application fees are refunded in these cases.
By October 2025, the program expanded the list of reasons that could lead to an application being suspended or returned before nomination. Thirteen new factors were added, and one was removed. These included concerns about housing or health service capacity, an applicant’s language skills, education, work status, and expected labour market needs in the province.
Introduction Of New Electronic Employer Portal:
In July 2025, Ontario changed how applications are submitted under its Employer: Job Offer streams. The process shifted from being applicant-led to employer-led. This means individuals can no longer apply directly. Instead, employers must submit information first through the new online portal.
Reduced Eligibility Requirements For Early Childhood Educators And Assistants:
Also in July 2025, Ontario changed the education requirements for early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202). These workers no longer need a Canadian bachelor’s degree or equivalent to qualify under the:
- Human Capital Priorities Stream
- French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
Requirement Of In-Person Interviews Implemented:
The province also stated in July 2025 that it may require in-person interviews for both applicants and employers. This measure is intended to address concerns related to the accuracy and reliability of certain applications.
Upcoming Stream Consolidation
Ontario has also proposed a major restructuring of its immigration streams as part of a broader redesign of the OINP.
Under the planned two-phase approach, the province would first merge its three Employer Job Offer streams into a single stream with multiple tracks.
In a later phase, most current streams would be removed and replaced with three new pathways focused on:
- Healthcare workers
- Entrepreneurs
- Exceptional talent
These changes were proposed in late 2025 & are expected to be introduced in 2026 & beyond, once final regulatory approval is granted.
MakeHomeCanada, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at [email protected].
