Ontario PNP (OINP): How to Plan Ahead in 2025?

By Anne Lui, founder and principal consultant of Hopeway Immigration

The Ontario PNP–officially known as The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)—is one of the most popular pathways to obtaining permanent residency in Canada. This is because Ontario is the province with the highest population in Canada, and it also contributes the largest share of the country’s GDP. So, it is not surprising that the federal government allocates the highest number of provincial nomination quotas to Ontario, which remains a top destination for foreign students, skilled workers, and families.

However, ever since the Canadian government decided to tighten its immigration policies, the availability of PR pathways and allocations at both the federal and provincial levels has taken a nosedive. 2025 is a transition year, where many PNP streams across Canada have either closed or become dormant. This guide intends to provide the most current information about the OINP in 2025, including the actual number of active streams, latest invitation numbers, and strategic recommendations for applicants.

1. The Changes of OINP in 2025

Although OINP comprises 9 streams officially, a closer look shows that the reality is very different :

• Entrepreneur Stream Permanently Closed (November 2024)

In November 2024, Ontario permanently closed the OINP Entrepreneur Stream, without offering a public explanation. This has left the Ontario PNP without any business immigration pathway, showing a shift in the province’s priority toward skilled workers who already have job offers in the province.

• Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream suspended (November 2025)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) suspended its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream all of a sudden in November 2025, citing systematic misrepresentation.

Submitted applications under this program will be returned, and the application fees will be refunded. No new applications will be accepted under this stream.

2. Only 3 OINP Streams Are Active Year-to-Date

While all the remaining OINP streams still exist on paper, only 3 of them have issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in 2025:

So, in reality, the Employer Job Offer streams are currently the only functioning OINP pathways in 2025. All other streams—including the Master’s Graduate, PhD Graduate, and Express Entry-linked Human Capital Priorities streams—have not conducted any draws in 2025 in light of the PR quota restrictions.

3. Job is King–Employer Job Offer Streams Dominate!

Ontario leaning towards workers already in province 

The provincial nomination quotas this year have been slashed by 50% across all provinces in Canada. Under these circumstances, it is not difficult to understand why every province focuses on retaining foreign skilled workers who are already employed in the local province. Ontario has also made the move to assign almost all of its nomination capacity to candidates with employment offers from Ontario-based employers.

Key takeaway is:

Those interested in OINP in 2025 should focus on getting a qualified job in Ontario and put all bets on an Employer Job Offer stream, at least until additional provincial quotas are released or relaxed later in 2026.

4. Regional & Remote Communities are prioritized

Applicants working in communities outside the Greater Toronto Area have been in luck. In 2025,  OINP made quite a few draws targeting candidates working outside the GTA, including Lambton, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, and Northern Ontario communities such as Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie. This demonstrates Ontario’s determination to redistribute the population and labour away from the clustered GTA.

Key takeaway Under the federal government’s direction to encourage immigration to rural areas, it is likely that this regional-targeting trend will continue through 2026. So, plan your relocation, especially if your score is not amongst the highest.

5. How to apply for the Employer Job Offer Streams 

The Employer Job Offer category is the core of OINP in 2025. These streams operate through the OINP Expression of Interest (EOI) system and require an Ontario employer to kick-start the process.

Step 1 — Get Your Employer’s Support

To apply under the Employer Job Offer Stream, your Ontario-based employer must register in the OINP Employer Portal and submit your job offer details. This step cannot be done by the applicant.

The employer is required to input information such as:

• Revenue
• Staff count
• Business activities
• Compliance history
• Ability to meet wage requirements

Key takeaway Without full cooperation from the employer, you cannot begin an OINP Employer Job Offer application.

Step 2 — You Register an Expression of Interest (EOI)

Your employer should give you a job offer ID for you to register an EOI within 30 calendar days. Information you need to input includes:

• Your occupation
• Work experience
• Wage offered
• Education
• Language scores (if any)
• Location of employment
• Canadian work or study history

Step 3 — Points-Based Ranking (Scoring Grid Matters)

EOIs are ranked by a score calculated based on the following weighted factors:

Highest impact factors (high weight):

✔ Job offer wage
✔ Earning history
✔ Skill level of the job (TEER code)
✔ Location of employment (outside GTA yields more points)
✔ Canadian work experience

Medium impact factors:

✔ Language ability
✔ Education level and field of study (considered for International Graduates Stream only)
✔ Canadian study experience

Smaller impact factors:

✔ NOC regional labour demand
✔ High-demand sector alignment

Key takeaway In 2025, location became even more important due to rural/regional priorities.

Step 4 — Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Ontario conducts periodic draws from the EOI pool.
With quotas compressed, only the strongest EOIs receive ITAs.

Step 5 — Submit Your OINP Application

If you are invited, both you and your employer have to submit before the deadline:

• 14 calendar days for employers
• 17 calendar days for applicants

Key takeaway Get as many required documents ready as possible while you are waiting for an ITA, or you will risk missing the deadlines!

Step 6 — Receive Nomination & Apply for PR

Once you receive a nomination, you should submit your PR application to IRCC under the PNP Class within 6 months. You may also apply for an optional work permit with a work permit support letter from the provincial government.

6. Other OINP Streams remain dormant in 2025

While these streams are still part of the OINP program, no invitations were issued in 2025:

• Masters Graduate Stream
• PhD Graduate Stream
• Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream
• French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
• Skilled Trades Stream
  

But with a 66% increase in IRCC’s PR spots allocated to the Provincial Nominee Program in 2026, we still hold a high hope that some of these streams will become active again sometime next year.

7. Final Thoughts: How Applicants Should Plan Ahead in 2025

Those who are planning to immigrate to Ontario, remember:

✔ The Employer Job Offer streams are the only active OINP pathways for now, and this may continue at least for a while

✔ Employer cooperation is essential — without it, you cannot apply.

✔ Getting a job outside the GTA may offer a much-needed scoring advantage.

✔ Submission deadlines are tight — early preparation is key.

✔ Other OINP streams may stay dormant until PNP’s PR quotas increase in 2026.

8. How Hopeway Immigration Can Help

At Hopeway Immigration, we assess your eligibility across all provinces. After this, we design a strategy that maximizes your chances of obtaining permanent residence in Canada. Do you feel lost among the hundreds of provincial nominee programs and streams available, and would like professional advice? Connect with us, a trusted immigration consultant based in North York and Richmond Hill, Ontario. Book a Consultation with us today!

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