Ontario announces its 2026 immigration nomination allocation: 14,119 nomination slots, a 31% increase compared to 2025
The province of Ontario has officially announced the number of nominations for permanent residency in 2026 through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). According to information posted on the provincial government's OINP update page on February 6, 2026, Ontario has been allocated a total of 14,119 nominations by the federal government this year, to be considered for candidates across eight different provincial immigration streams.
This marks the first time in a year that Ontario has seen a significant increase in nominations, creating more opportunities for foreign workers, international students, and businesses seeking to settle and recruit in the province.
What is OINP and what is the role of the provincial nomination criteria?
The OINP is Ontario's Provincial Nominee Program, which allows the province to select candidates who meet local economic and labor needs to nominate to the federal government for Canadian permanent residency (PR). Being nominated by the province gives an applicant a significant advantage in the PR application process, especially given the high competition in federal programs.
Each year, the number of OINP applications that can be approved is limited by the nomination quota allocated by the federal government. Therefore, an increase or decrease in the quota directly affects an applicant's chances of being invited to apply and being granted PR.
The OINP target for 2026 is expected to increase significantly compared to 2025.
With 14,119 nominations in 2026, Ontario represents an increase of approximately 31% compared to 2025, when the province was allocated only 10,750 places for the entire year. This is a significant increase, especially considering that Ontario's quota for 2025 was not adjusted upwards, unlike many other provinces.
The main reason stems from the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship Center (IRCC) significantly increasing the quota for permanent residency through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The total number of PR slots available through the PNP nationwide has increased from 55,000 in 2025 to 91,500 in 2026. As the PR "room" increases, provinces have the opportunity to receive more nominations to meet their workforce needs.
Compared to previous years: Ontario has not yet fully recovered.
Despite an increase compared to 2025, the OINP target for 2026 is still significantly lower than Ontario's highest ever allocation. Specifically, in 2024, Ontario was allocated 21,500 nominations. Compared to that number, the 14,119 nominations for 2026 represent only about 67%.
This indicates that Ontario has only partially recovered from the period of stricter quotas. The number of applications selected will remain competitive, especially in skilled worker and job offer categories.
Ontario has not yet announced its priority occupations for 2026.
To date, OINP has not yet published a list of priority occupations, key sectors, or specific quota allocations for each immigration stream. This means that applicants cannot yet determine precisely which occupations will be prioritized in upcoming application draws.
In previous years, Ontario typically released this information gradually throughout the year, based on labor market needs, housing pressure, healthcare, and the province's capacity to provide public services.
Key changes to OINP in 2025 – early 2026
Recently, OINP has continuously adjusted its policies to control the quality of applications and direct immigration flows more closely to actual needs.
One notable change is the expansion of eligibility for physicians trained overseas but practicing independently in Ontario. From January 2026, certain self-employed physicians with provisional certifications from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and an OHIP payment code may be eligible under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream. This provides a clearer path forward for physicians who previously faced significant barriers to obtaining permanent residency.
In addition, Ontario has also drawn attention by completely suspending the Express Entry Skilled Trades stream in November 2025, and returning all pending applications. The reason given is systemic issues related to compliance and fraud control.
OINP has been granted additional powers to return and temporarily suspend applications.
Starting in mid-2025, Ontario will begin implementing new regulations allowing for the return of applications before nomination is granted and for refunds. By the end of the year, the range of reasons for returning or suspending applications will be significantly expanded to include factors such as housing availability, healthcare services, language proficiency, the applicant's education, and the province's projected labor market needs.
These changes demonstrate that Ontario is prioritizing quality and long-term inclusion, rather than simply evaluating applications based on scores or work experience.
Changes to the Employer Job Offer process and requiring in-person interviews.
Starting in July 2025, Ontario will officially shift Employer Job Offer categories to a model where businesses initiate applications through the electronic Employer Portal. Applicants will no longer submit applications in person as before, but must be sponsored by a business and proactively complete the process.
In addition, OINP also offers the possibility of requesting in-person interviews with both candidates and employers to verify the authenticity of applications, especially in cases where there are signs of risk.
Proposed major reforms to OINP from 2026 onwards.
Ontario is currently proposing a comprehensive two-phase restructuring plan for the OINP. In the first phase, the province plans to merge the three existing Employer Job Offer streams into a single stream with multiple sub-streams. In the second phase, most of the existing streams could be eliminated and replaced with three new immigration groups, focusing on healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and exceptional talents.
If approved, these changes would significantly impact Ontario immigration application strategies in the coming years.
General comments
Ontario's increase in nomination quotas for 2026 is positive news, but it doesn't mean settling in Ontario will become easier. With quotas still lower than during peak periods and policies becoming increasingly stringent, applicants need to thoroughly understand each category, prepare a long-term strategy, and closely monitor policy changes to avoid the risk of application rejection or missing out on opportunities.
