Ontario has launched its 2026 immigration intake with a strong start. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held six targeted draws on February 2, 2026, issuing a total of 1,825 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination.
These selections were conducted through Ontario’s Employer: Job Offer streams and focused on physicians, health care workers, early childhood educators and assistants, and candidates under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot. This marks the first OINP draw of the year, setting the tone for Ontario’s labour-market-driven immigration priorities in 2026.
Draw Overview
For all six draws held on February 2, Ontario considered candidate profiles created between July 2, 2025, and January 28, 2026.
Breakdown of OINP Invitations Issued
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
- Physicians: 129 invitations (minimum score: 33)
- REDI candidates: 14 invitations (minimum score: 44)
- Health occupations & early childhood educators: 634 invitations (minimum score: 36)
- Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream
- REDI candidates: 26 invitations (minimum score: 69)
- Health occupations & early childhood educators: 1,015 invitations (minimum score: 56)
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream
- REDI candidates: 7 invitations (minimum score: 34)
Occupations Targeted
Ontario specifically prioritized occupations under:
- Physician NOCs
- Health care roles
- Early childhood educators and assistants
- Select occupations supporting regional economic growth through the REDI pilot
What Is the REDI Pilot?
The Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot is an OINP initiative aimed at helping smaller, rural, and northern Ontario communities attract skilled workers when local labour shortages cannot be filled domestically.
REDI operates within existing Employer Job Offer streams, not as a separate immigration pathway. To qualify, candidates must:
- Meet all requirements of an Employer Job Offer stream, and
- Hold a full-time job offer located in one of the designated REDI regions:
- Lanark County
- Leeds and Grenville
- Sarnia-Lambton
- Thunder Bay
There are no additional REDI-specific application steps, and eligible candidates may be selected through targeted draws.
What Invited Candidates Must Do Next
Candidates who received an ITA must submit a complete application to the OINP within 60 days, meeting all program requirements.
Once nominated by Ontario, successful applicants can then apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR) through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Why This Matters
Ontario’s first draws of 2026 clearly highlight the province’s continued focus on:
- Addressing critical labour shortages in health care and child care
- Supporting regional and rural economic development
- Strengthening employer-driven immigration pathways
For foreign workers and international students with Ontario job offers, especially in priority occupations and REDI regions, these draws signal strong opportunities for provincial nomination early in 2026 🇨🇦