Ontario Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream (Closed)
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) previously offered the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream to foreign workers with eligible Ontario job offers in occupations facing labour shortages. The stream was permanently closed on June 25, 2026 as Ontario transitioned to a redesigned immigration program with new pathways and updated eligibility requirements. New Expressions of Interest and applications are no longer accepted under this stream, while applications already in progress continue to be processed under the former program rules. Workers who may previously have qualified through the In-Demand Skills Stream should now review the current OINP pathways available for candidates with Ontario employment.
In-Demand Skills Stream Closure
The former In-Demand Skills Stream was discontinued during Ontario’s 2026 OINP redesign. Regulatory changes removing the former streams took effect on June 25, 2026. The stream is no longer open to new candidates or employers submitting applications under the former framework.
As a result:
- new Expressions of Interest cannot be registered under the former stream;
- Ontario will no longer issue invitations through the In-Demand Skills Stream;
- new applications cannot be started under this pathway; and
- applications already submitted before the closure continue to be processed under the stream and requirements that applied when they were filed.
The redesigned OINP introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, which includes pathways for individuals with job offers across all NOC TEER categories. Candidates who previously relied on the In-Demand Skills Stream should therefore review the new program requirements rather than the former occupation list.
Existing Expressions of Interest and job offers under the former streams that had not resulted in an invitation were withdrawn. Candidates who may qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream must follow the new stream’s registration and eligibility requirements.
Applicants who submitted a valid application under the former In-Demand Skills Stream following an invitation do not need to convert that application to the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. Their application continues to be assessed under the eligibility requirements that applied when it was submitted.
As of September 2026, the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is the only new stream launched under the redesigned OINP, with further program changes expected to be announced. It is now open, and eligible candidates with qualifying Ontario employment may register an Expression of Interest under the new program framework.
How the In-Demand Skills Stream Worked
Before its closure, the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream was intended for foreign workers with a full-time and permanent job offer in an eligible occupation in Ontario. It was particularly relevant to occupations that did not always fall within the higher-skilled categories targeted by other economic immigration programs.
The former In-Demand Skills Stream required applicants to meet specific requirements related to their Ontario job offer, work experience, education, language ability, legal status and intention to live in Ontario. The employer also had to satisfy separate OINP eligibility requirements.
- Job Offer: Applicants needed a full-time, permanent job offer from an eligible Ontario employer in an occupation accepted under the In-Demand Skills Stream. The position had to be based in Ontario and generally had to pay at least the median wage for that occupation in the region where the applicant would work.
- Ontario Work Experience: Applicants were required to have at least nine months of cumulative, paid work experience in Ontario in the same occupation as the job offer. The experience had to be gained within the three years before applying and could be full-time or an equivalent amount of part-time work.
- Language: Applicants needed a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 in English or French in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
- Education: Applicants needed at least a Canadian secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign credential. Foreign education generally required an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to show that it was equivalent to Canadian secondary education.
- Eligible Occupations: The stream was limited to occupations specifically identified as eligible by Ontario. A job did not qualify simply because it was classified as TEER 4 or 5 or was experiencing a labour shortage; it had to meet the occupation and NOC requirements applicable to the stream. Ontario also targeted particular occupations in some invitation rounds.
- Employer Requirements: The employer generally had to have been actively operating in Ontario for at least three years and have business premises in the province. Employers also had to meet minimum revenue and staffing requirements: generally at least $1 million in annual revenue and five Canadian citizen or permanent resident employees for GTA locations, or $500,000 and three employees outside the GTA.
The stream operated through the OINP Expression of Interest system. Candidates created an EOI profile and could receive an invitation based on their score, occupation, location, or other criteria Ontario chose to target in a particular draw.
Ontario continued to hold targeted In-Demand Skills draws before the closure. For example, on April 23, 2026, invitations were issued to candidates in Eastern, Northern, Southwestern and Central Ontario, while an April 15 draw targeted agriculture-related and other priority occupations.
