Ontario Raises Earnings Points Ceiling, Awarding 10 Points to Candidates Earning $80,000 or More
A new top bracket for earnings
Ontario said on Oct. 7 that the OINP has adjusted the OWPS ranking system by adding a higher earnings bracket to the "Canadian work experience: earnings history" factor. According to a notice posted on the provincial website, the change was implemented on Oct. 5, and affected candidate profiles have been rescored automatically, with no action required from applicants.
Before the change, the highest bracket was $70,000 or more, worth 8 points. Candidates earning $80,000 or more now form a separate bracket worth 10 points, while those earning $70,000 to $79,999 continue to receive 8 points. All other brackets are unchanged. Earnings are determined by the annual income shown on a CRA Notice of Assessment issued within the past five years.
The earnings factor is now scored as follows:
| Annual earnings (CAD) | Points before | Points after |
|---|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 8 | 10 |
| $70,000 to $79,999 | 8 | 8 |
| $50,000 to $69,999 | 6 | 6 |
| $30,000 to $49,999 | 4 | 4 |
| Less than $30,000 | 0 | 0 |
Key points of the change:
- The maximum score for the earnings history factor rises from 8 to 10 points.
- Only candidates earning $80,000 or more are affected; points for all other brackets are unchanged.
- The change took effect on Oct. 5, was announced on Oct. 7, and applies automatically to existing profiles.
Why the score matters
The OWPS ranks candidates through an Expression of Interest (EOI) system with a maximum of 130 points, and higher-scoring candidates are prioritized for invitations to apply for provincial nomination. Once nominated by Ontario, candidates apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence (PR). Nominees under the high-skilled pathway and the self-employed physician pathway may choose to apply through the Enhanced Provincial Nominee Program via Express Entry, which adds 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and may lead to faster processing.
The earnings factor has changed considerably since the overhaul. The former OINP awarded earnings points only to applicants who earned $40,000 or more in the previous tax year. The new system scores earnings in tiers based on income over the past five years, and the latest change widens the gap between top earners and other candidates further. Before this adjustment, the Ontario work experience and earnings history factors together could account for up to 26 points, a significant share of the overall grid.
The only open nomination pathway
As of the time of writing, the OWPS is the only way for foreign nationals to pursue an Ontario nomination for permanent residence. The stream has three pathways: higher-skilled workers in TEER 0 to 3 occupations, workers in TEER 4 and 5 occupations, and self-employed physicians registered to practise in Ontario and eligible to bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). For job offer pathways, the EOI profile must be initiated by the Ontario employer.
Key milestones in Ontario's overhaul:
- December 2025: Ontario announced an overhaul of how it selects foreign nationals for provincial immigration.
- May 30, 2026: The OINP revoked all its previous provincial permanent residence pathways.
- June 26, 2026: The OWPS was officially launched.
- July 20, 2026: The OWPS candidate ranking system was unveiled.
- Aug. 4, 2026: The OWPS opened intake to eligible Ontario employers, workers and self-employed physicians.
- Oct. 5, 2026: The new $80,000 earnings bracket took effect; it was announced on Oct. 7.
The last invitation round under the former system was held on April 30, 2026. According to third-party trackers, no invitation round had been held under the OWPS as of Oct. 5. Ontario received a 2026 allocation of 14,119 nomination spaces and issued 13,663 invitations to apply under the former streams in the first half of the year.
Phase two still pending
The launch of the OWPS marks the first phase of the overhaul. Ontario plans to add three more streams in the second phase:
- Priority Healthcare Stream: for healthcare workers in in-demand occupations, and not expected to require a job offer.
- Entrepreneur Stream: for owner-operators of Ontario businesses, either as founders or successors.
- Exceptional Talent Stream: for foreign nationals with exceptional achievements in fields such as academia, science, technology, and the creative or performing arts.
As of the time of writing, Ontario has not announced a launch date for the second phase.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
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10/13/2026
