Immigrate to Ontario: OINP Streams, Jobs, Cities and Settling In

Ontario is Canada's largest province by population and its biggest economy. It is the most common destination for new permanent residents. People choose it for several reasons:

• Jobs across many sectors: finance, technology, health care, manufacturing, construction, government and education.
• Large, diverse communities: the Toronto area has well-established communities from almost every country, with shops, places of worship and services in many languages.
• Education: Ontario has many public universities and colleges, so international students often start here.
• Choice of lifestyle: big-city living in Toronto, a government town in Ottawa, mid-sized cities like London and Kitchener-Waterloo, or smaller Northern communities with lower housing costs.

The main drawback is cost. Housing in the Toronto area is among the most expensive in Canada, and competition for jobs and rentals is strong. Many newcomers now look at cities outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and the OINP's scoring rewards jobs outside Toronto.

Ontario's 2026 Provincial Nominee Program allocation is 14,119 nominations, the largest of any province. This follows a federal increase of about 31% in provincial allocations for 2026 (as reported in March 2026). Each nomination covers a principal applicant; spouses and children come with them.

In 2026, Ontario also rebuilt the OINP from the ground up. Ontario repealed its 8 legacy streams effective June 25, 2026, when it introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. The EOI portal for the new stream opened on August 4, 2026. Ontario calls this Phase 1. Phase 2 is expected to add Priority Healthcare, Entrepreneur and Exceptional Talent streams, but no rules or dates were published as of September 2026. Full timeline: 2026 OINP overhaul.

If you applied under a closed stream after receiving an invitation, Ontario says your application is still assessed under the old rules. EOIs without an invitation are being withdrawn.

You have three main routes:

1. OINP with a job offer. Your employer submits a job offer in the OINP Employer Portal. You register an expression of interest (EOI) in the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, and if invited you apply within 17 days. The provincial fee is $1,500 outside the GTA or $2,000 inside it (as of September 2026). With a nomination, you apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.
2. Federal Express Entry. You do not need Ontario's approval. If you are invited and land as a permanent resident, you can live in Ontario. Check your score with the CRS calculator.
3. Federal pilots and other programs. The Rural Community Immigration Pilot includes North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay. The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot includes Sudbury, Timmins and Superior East. Family sponsorship is also possible.

Many people first come on a temporary permit, such as an LMIA work permit, a study permit followed by a PGWP, and then apply for permanent residence. Employers can read PNP employer streams. For how PNPs compare with Express Entry, see Express Entry vs PNP.

Ontario's own choices show where it sees the greatest need. In early 2026, the OINP ran targeted invitation rounds for health care occupations, early childhood educators, agriculture, mining and francophone candidates. The new stream's points system gives the most occupation points to health jobs, then to trades.

Fields with steady demand include:

• Health care: nurses, personal support workers and nurse aides, pharmacists, physicians
• Skilled trades and construction: electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters, heavy equipment operators
• Early childhood education
• Technology and engineering, especially in Toronto, Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo
• Manufacturing and transportation, including truck drivers
• Agriculture and food processing in rural areas

Demand changes quickly. Check the Canada Job Bank outlook for your occupation and region before you move.

Ontario's public health plan is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). There is no waiting period for OHIP. If you are eligible, you are covered right away once your application is approved.

To qualify, you generally must be a permanent resident, citizen or an eligible temporary resident, make Ontario your home, and be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days after you start living in the province. Apply in person at ServiceOntario with your immigration documents and proof that you live in Ontario. OHIP does not cover most prescription drugs, dental care or eye care for adults, so many people rely on workplace benefits or private insurance.

You can drive in Ontario with a valid license from another province, state or country for 60 days after you move. After that, you need an Ontario license.

• Exchange countries: if your full license is from another Canadian province or territory, a US state, or one of the countries Ontario lists (including Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Ukraine, among others), you can usually exchange it for a full Ontario license.
• Other countries: you enter Ontario's graduated licensing system. You must pass a vision test, knowledge test and G2 road test, then wait at least 12 months before the G road test. Since July 1, 2026, you can get credit for up to one year of driving experience with a valid foreign license and an official authentication letter from the issuing government.

Licenses not in English or French need an approved translation. Check ServiceOntario's license exchange page before you apply.

Settlement services

Free settlement services for permanent residents are funded by IRCC and run by local agencies across Ontario. They help with job searches, English or French classes, housing, schools and paperwork. Settlement.Org, run by Ontario's council of immigrant-serving agencies, lists services by city. Many agencies also offer pre-arrival services online before you land.

Professional licensing

If your job is regulated, such as nursing, medicine, engineering, teaching, law, accounting or many trades, you need a license from the Ontario regulator before you can work in it. Start early: assessments, exams and bridging programs can take months or years. Ontario's Office of the Fairness Commissioner oversees whether regulators treat internationally trained applicants fairly. Since the Working for Workers Act, 2021, Ontario law has barred many regulated professions from requiring Canadian work experience for a license. Many licensed jobs also count toward the OINP: a required license can replace the work experience requirement in the Workforce Priority stream.