On September 3, 2025, Ontario, Canada's most populous province, once again extended an invitation to immigration candidates through its Provincial Nominee Program (OINP). In the latest round of draws, a total of 1,893 eligible applicants received invitations for provincial nomination, marking a significant step towards obtaining permanent residency in Canada. The focus of these draws was on individuals already within Canada who hold job offers in specific, in-demand occupations within Ontario.
Two Employer Job Offer Streams Focus on High-Potential In-Canada Talent
The OINP conducted two draws in total, both falling under its "Employer Job Offer" category:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
- Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream.
In the "Foreign Worker" stream, the OINP issued invitations to 1,134 candidates who met or exceeded a minimum score of 42. The "International Student" stream saw 759 applicants invited with a minimum score of 63. Both draws considered profiles created between July 2, 2025, and September 3, 2025.
77 Priority Occupations Covering Diverse Talent Needs
A key highlight of these draws was their targeted nature. All invited candidates must possess a job offer in one of 77 specified National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. This comprehensive list of occupations extends beyond commercial service sectors like human resources, procurement, finance, and administrative management, to widely include fields such as engineering, construction, computer science, healthcare, social services, education, media arts, as well as postal services, logistics, construction trades, skilled trades, and agriculture.
High-skilled management positions, including Human Resources Managers, Purchasing Managers, Engineering Managers, Computer and Information Systems Managers, and Managers in Health Care, were all on the list. In professional and technical fields, medical professionals such as Physicists, Architects, Computer Engineers, Pharmacists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Dental Assistants were highly sought after. Additionally, editors, journalists, and producers in the media industry, along with various skilled trades workers and construction supervisors, were included in this round of invitations, demonstrating the diverse needs of Ontario's labor market.
New Policy Effects Emerge, Employer-Led Approach Becomes the New Trend
It is important to note that these draws occurred after significant changes to Ontario's immigration application process. Effective July 2, 2025, the OINP reformed its Employer Job Offer streams by launching a new online employer portal. This reform shifted the application model from "applicant-led" to "employer-led." This means that employers must now initiate the application by submitting job offer details directly through the new portal before a candidate can register an Expression of Interest (EOI).
These recent draws exclusively considered candidates whose employers submitted job offers through the new portal. For applicants who created EOIs before July 2, the OINP explicitly stated that they must work with their employers to resubmit their profiles using the portal to be considered. This change aims to improve the efficiency and matching quality of applications, ensuring that nominated job offers are genuine, valid, and align with Ontario's economic development needs.
Frequent Recent Draws, Immigration Allocation Adjustments Draw Attention
Since the beginning of September, OINP's draw activities have been frequent and substantial. On September 2 alone, the OINP conducted three draws, issuing 2,643 invitations to foreign nationals with job offers in priority health occupations. This brings the total number of invitations issued by the OINP in the first week of September to a remarkable 4,536.
However, in terms of immigration allocations, Ontario is also facing adjustments. The OINP had previously announced that its provincial nomination allocation for 2025 has been reduced to 10,750, a significant decrease from 21,500 in 2024. Against the backdrop of a tighter allocation, such frequent draws and a large number of invitations underscore Ontario's urgent need for and priority consideration of critical sectors and in-demand talent, even with limited resources.
Invited candidates must submit a complete application for provincial nomination to the OINP within the specified timeframe. Upon successful provincial nomination, they become eligible to apply to the federal government for permanent resident status. These draws undoubtedly bring hope to many international students and foreign workers striving in Ontario and inject new vitality into the province's economic development.
