Today, the OINP held a session with the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC) for RCICs, giving more context on the program redesign and where the program is heading.
Frankly, there was little new on the overall direction, and I have already covered most of it in earlier articles on Doria’s Watch. A few details that affect eligibility and scoring are still being clarified, and I will share them once I have a clear answer.
1. Invitations are still coming this year
The OINP said it has not yet used up this year’s nomination allocation and expects to issue invitations and complete nominations before year-end. No dates or selection criteria have been announced.
- Meet the eligibility requirements first. Your EOI score only matters once you do. If you plan to apply under the new Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) stream, you must already meet the eligibility criteria when you register your EOI. That means confirming your work experience, education and language results, as well as the employer and job offer requirements.
- Pay close attention to how the job offer position is defined. It means the same position your employer is offering you: the same occupation, the same employer and the same work location. Two jobs under the same NOC code can still be different positions. If you have changed roles or work locations, or your employer’s legal entity has changed, that experience may well not meet the requirement. For more detail, see my Doria’s Watch articles on the job offer position and work experience requirements and EOI scoring.
- The Employer Portal is still fairly rigid. While you are in the pool waiting for an invitation, if the wage needs to be updated or the NOC corrected, the employer has to withdraw the submitted job offer and create a new one. The linked EOI is withdrawn as well, and you will need to re-register using the new Job Offer ID. Confirm the wage, duties, NOC and work location with your employer before the offer is submitted, so you do not have to start over.
- Make sure every factor you claim in your EOI can be backed up. Your EOI must match your language test results and your Notice of Assessment (NOA) exactly. There is no room for estimates.
- Keep your expectations about invitation scores realistic. The new policy puts more weight on economic impact, so a higher hourly wage and Canadian income reported on your tax returns will raise your EOI score. Based on the priorities discussed today, however, the OINP will still use occupation, region and French-language ability to decide who is invited.
2. Watch for regional and French-language targeting
REDI participating communities
- The EOI already awards different points by region: 15 points for Northern Ontario; 10 for Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Southwestern Ontario; 5 for the GTA outside Toronto; and 0 for Toronto. The Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative adds another layer of selection on top of this. The participating communities for 2026–2027 are Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury, Kenora District, Nipissing District, Rainy River District, Renfrew County and Thunder Bay.
- For applicants who study and work in these remote communities, the OWP stream gives employers an effective way to keep their staff.
French: add your results to your EOI once you reach CLB 5 or higher
- At the session, the OINP again said it will keep focusing on French-language targeted invitations. Under the current rules, you receive 10 points for bilingualism if you score at least CLB 6 in all four abilities in both English and French. Even if your French is not yet at CLB 7 (the level needed for Express Entry French-language draws), add any valid test results you already have to your EOI so the system can identify you.
- Looking back at past rounds, on April 8, 2026 the OINP issued invitations to Francophone candidates that required only CLB 5 or higher in French. Opportunities like this can come and go quickly.
3. Realistic expectations for Phase 2
- For the Phase 2 Healthcare Priority and Entrepreneur streams, the OINP only said it expects to move ahead in 2027. The new minister is also being briefed on the program, so the launch timing remains uncertain.
- The proposed Healthcare Priority stream is aimed at eligible regulated health professionals and is planned to have no job offer requirement. Which occupations, registration and licence classes will qualify, and what other criteria will apply, have not yet been announced. For health professionals, having an Ontario licence and registration in place will certainly be an advantage in 2027.
- Exceptional Talent is expected to come in a later phase, with no date set. Based on the examples given at the session, such as research contributions, major awards, international recognition and breakthrough innovation, I expect the bar to be very high.
November is almost here, and I expect the OINP to make a move soon. I hope you receive an invitation and that everything goes smoothly! 🍀
This article reflects the session information and official rules as of October 29, 2026, and is not legal advice for any individual case.