Ontario invites Master’s and PhD graduates for nomination, i.e., the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has conducted another selection round under its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams. This is the second time in 2026 that invitations have been issued under these categories.
On April 22, the province invited more than 900 international graduates who are currently living in Canada. These candidates must hold a valid work or study permit to qualify for this round.
This draw was held shortly after the April 15 selection round, which focused on candidates working in priority sectors and agriculture-related jobs.
Draw Details And Key Numbers
A total of 918 invitations to apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates who completed either a master’s or PhD degree from an Ontario university.
Most of the invitations, around 73.4%, were given through the Master’s Graduate Stream.
The details of the draw are as follows:
| Stream | Invitations Issued | Cutoff Score |
| Master’s Graduate Stream | 674 | 61 |
| PhD Graduate Stream | 244 | 56 |
To be eligible for this round, candidates needed to create their profile between April 22, 2025, and April 20, 2026, before 11:59 p.m.
Unlike the previous draw held on March 18, this round did not require candidates to have work experience under any specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
Higher Scores Show More Competition
The cutoff scores in this draw were higher than those seen in the March 18 round.
- Master’s Graduate Stream: 30 (March 18) vs 61 (April 22)
- PhD Graduate Stream: 49 (March 18) vs 56 (April 22)
This increase in scores suggests that competition has become stronger. More candidates with higher scores may have entered the pool after the earlier draw.
This is only the second time these streams have issued invitations after being paused for more than one year. Before March 18, the last draw for these streams took place on September 17, 2024.
What Happens After Receiving An Invitation?
After receiving an ITA, candidates must log into the OINP e-Filing Portal. They need to select the file number created for their application, which begins with “NMAS” or “NPHD,” depending on the stream.
Candidates have 14 calendar days from the date of receiving the invitation to submit a complete application.
There is also a time limit linked to the degree. Candidates must apply within two years of completing their master’s or PhD program. Moreover, this period is counted from the date mentioned on the degree, not from the date of invitation.
If the degree was completed more than two years ago, the candidate should decline the invitation.
Once a provincial nomination is received, candidates can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.
Changes Coming To Ontario’s Immigration System
Ontario is planning major changes to its immigration program.
Moreover, recent updates to the Ontario Immigration Act show that the province plans to remove the current categories (streams). These include:
- Foreign worker category
- International student with a job offer category
- In-demand skills category
- Master’s Graduate category
- PhD Graduate category
- Human Capital Priorities category
- French-speaking skilled worker category
- Skilled trades category
- Entrepreneur category
These changes are expected to take effect on May 30, 2026.
Moreover, in place of the current system, Ontario plans to introduce four new pathways:
- A combined Employer: Job Offer stream
- A priority healthcare stream
- An entrepreneur stream
- An exceptional talent stream
More details about how these new pathways will work are expected to be announced soon.
MakeHomeCanada, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at [email protected].
