Welcome to Legal and Immigration Services

Announced changes by Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) on June 26, 2026 to the province's provincial nominee program streams has resulted in an amalgamation of the previous streams to one - the Workforce Priority Stream. The following changes to eligibility requirements are now separated into 2 TEER levels:

TEER 0 to 3 minimum requirements for a Job Offer to be registered by the employer

• 6 months consecutive work experience in the last 12 months in the job (NOC/TEER) being offered by the employer
• minimum English or French language test results of CLB 6 in all 4 categories 
• minimum post-secondary degree/diploma or equivalent from another country (accompanied by a formal Educational Credential Assessment)

TEER 4 or 5 minimum requirements for a Job Offer to be registered by the employer

• 9 months consecutive work experience in the last 12 months in the job (NOC/TEER) being offered by the employer
• minimum English or French language test results of CLB 4 in all 4 categories
• minimum secondary/high school diploma or equivalent from another country (accompanied by a formal Educational Credential Assessment)

In both TEER levels, the job being offered must meet the following for the employer to register a Job Offer under the Workforce Priority Stream with OINP

• Job Offer must be for a full-time permanent position
• meet the required wage level based on location of the job offer
• if already working in the job being offered, must remain employed in the named job being offer until nominated and throughout the post-nomination period until PR is granted or refused

More information and an in-depth explanation of the eligibility requirements can be found on the OINP Workforce Priority Stream site.

On February 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), announced the 2026 priority categories under the Express Entry system. This allows Canada to invite candidates with the skills and experience needed to fill critical labour gaps in key sectors and occupations.

In addition to a new category for foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience (NOC/TEER 31102, 31101, 31100), Canada will introduce new categories for

•          researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience (NOC/TEER 41200, 412001)

•          candidates with work experience in transport occupations, including pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors (NOC/TEER 72600, 72410, 72404, 22313)

•          highly skilled foreign military applicants recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces in key roles such as military doctors, nurses and pilots (NOC/TEER 43204, 42102, 40042).

IRCC will continue holding invitation rounds to select candidates with strong French skills and those with work experience in the following categories that were in place in 2025:

•          health care and social services, such as nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors (37 NOC/TEERs)

•          trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists (25 NOC/TEERs)

More information on the Express Entry categories announcement can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2026/02/canada-prioritizes-top-talent-in-2026-immigration-express-entry-categories.html

Released as part of Canada's 2026 Budget Plan on November 5, 2025, the new Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years provides some significant changes to the Canadian immigration landscape. The highlights are:

• 380,000 permanent residents to be landed each year for 2026 to 2028
• Up to 33,000 work permit holders to gain permanent residency between 2026 to 2027
• Temporary resident targets have been reduced by 43% from 2025 to 385,000
• International students targets have also been reduced by 49% from 2025 to 155,000
• Temporary foreign worker targets to be reduced by 37% from 2025 to 230,000

This new Levels Plan will maintain permanent resident numbers steady while reducing the number of temporary residents entering for the next three years ending 2028. Additionally, a new pathway will be created to help transition in-Canada work permit holders to permanent residents. 

For more information and a more in-depth summary of the announced Levels Plan can be found here: 

Supplementary Information for the 2026 to 2028 Immigration Level Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html 

Canada's Immigration Levels: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels.html