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🇨🇦 2026 OINP Redesign • Historical In-Demand Skills • Current TEER 4-5

OINP In-Demand Skills Stream 2026: Former Stream Closed, Current TEER 4-5 Route Explained

The former OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream closed on May 30, 2026. This guide preserves its historical eligibility and 2026 draw data while explaining the current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 pathway for new applicants.

1. OINP In-Demand Skills Stream 2026 Status: Former Stream Closed

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program's Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream was a base provincial nomination pathway for foreign workers in selected intermediate and labour-market occupations. Ontario used an Expression of Interest system to rank candidates and issue invitations, with targeted selections throughout 2026. However, Ontario's June 2026 redesign removed the former eight OINP streams, including Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills. The stream therefore cannot be treated as an open pathway for new applicants after May 30, 2026. Existing applications received under the former framework continue to be assessed according to the eligibility requirements in place when the application was submitted. New applicants with qualifying Ontario job offers should instead examine the Workforce Priority Stream.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • CURRENT STATUS: The former Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream is closed as of May 30, 2026.
  • Ontario closed the former EOI system for new registrations and says no further invitations will be issued under the former streams.
  • Historical 2026 In-Demand Skills draws remain useful for understanding previous selection patterns and cutoff scores.
  • The current Workforce Priority Stream contains a separate TEER 4-5 pathway that now covers eligible job offers in TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations.
  • The current TEER 4-5 pathway is not simply the old In-Demand Skills Stream under a new name; its eligibility, employer, wage and EOI rules differ.
  • Existing applications remain subject to the rules that applied when they were filed.
Required Action Checklist:
  • ✓Identify whether you have an existing application submitted under the former stream.
  • ✓If you are a new applicant, review the current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 pathway.
  • ✓Do not use historical In-Demand Skills cutoffs as current Workforce Priority cutoffs.
  • ✓Verify your NOC 2021 code and TEER category.
  • ✓Check Ontario's current EOI and portal status before starting a new application.

2. Historical In-Demand Skills Eligibility: 9-Month Ontario Experience and Other Requirements

Under the former In-Demand Skills Stream, candidates generally needed at least nine months of cumulative paid full-time work experience in Ontario in the eligible occupation during the previous three years. The stream was targeted at specified occupations rather than every TEER 4 or TEER 5 position. Candidates also needed an eligible permanent, full-time Ontario job offer, at least Canadian-equivalent secondary education, CLB 4 language ability, legal status where applicable, settlement funds or an exemption under the former rules, and an eligible employer. These requirements are now historical for new applicants because the stream is closed.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • The nine-month rule was an Ontario work-experience requirement for the former stream, not a universal requirement for every current Ontario TEER 4-5 applicant.
  • The experience had to be cumulative, paid and full-time under the former program definition.
  • The former stream was occupation-targeted; a TEER 4 or TEER 5 NOC was not automatically eligible merely because of its TEER classification.
  • Language at CLB 4 was one of the former stream's defining lower-threshold requirements.
  • Education equivalent to Canadian secondary school was generally required.
Former RequirementHistorical Rule2026 Status
Work experienceAt least 9 months cumulative paid full-time work experience acquired in Ontario in the eligible occupation within the previous 3 years.Historical only.
Job offerPermanent, full-time Ontario job offer in an occupation allowed by the stream.Historical only.
OccupationOnly occupations included under the former In-Demand Skills occupation rules were eligible.Historical occupation list.
LanguageMinimum CLB 4 in English or French.Historical rule.
EducationCanadian secondary school or equivalent.Historical rule.
EmployerRequired to satisfy OINP employer requirements, including business history, revenue, staffing and premises criteria.Historical rule; current Workforce Priority employer rules now apply to new applications.
EOICandidate registered an EOI and needed an invitation before filing the provincial application.EOI system for former streams is closed.

3. Historical 2026 In-Demand Skills NOCs and Targeted Draws

Ontario issued several targeted In-Demand Skills invitations during 2026 before closing the former stream. The targeted occupations changed from draw to draw and included agriculture, construction, caregiving, manufacturing, public works, logistics, health-related support occupations, mining and regional-priority occupations. The original page's occupation list was incomplete and contained an important TEER error: NOC 73300 Transport truck drivers is a TEER 3 occupation under NOC 2021 and should not be presented as a TEER 4 occupation. Ontario's 2026 draw notices should therefore be used as the authoritative historical record rather than a static list labelled as a current eligible-occupation list.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • NOC 73300 Transport truck drivers is TEER 3, not TEER 4. The original page's 'TEER 3/4' classification was incorrect.
  • NOC 73300 did appear in OINP selection activity in 2026, but it should not be described as a core TEER 4/5 In-Demand Skills occupation.
  • NOC 44101 was repeatedly targeted and is one of the most important historical examples for the former stream.
  • NOC 75110 was repeatedly targeted in construction-related selections.
  • Agriculture-related selections in April 2026 included NOCs 84120, 85100, 85103 and food-processing occupations.
  • The occupation list changed between draws, so historical draw eligibility should always be tied to the exact draw date.
NOC 2021OccupationTEER2026 Historical Selection Example
14400Shippers and receivers4Targeted In-Demand Skills selections in 2026
44101Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations4Repeated targeted 2026 selections
75110Construction trades helpers and labourers5Repeated targeted 2026 selections
84120Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators4Agriculture-targeted April 2026 selection
85100Livestock labourers5Agriculture-targeted April 2026 selection
85103Nursery and greenhouse labourers5Agriculture-targeted April 2026 selection
94105Metalworking and forging machine operators4Priority occupation selection in 2026
94111Plastics processing machine operators4Repeated priority selection in 2026
94140Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing4Agriculture/food processing targeted selection
95101Labourers in metal fabrication52026 targeted selection
95106Labourers in food and beverage processing52026 targeted selection
94201Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers42026 targeted priority selection

4. Historical 2026 OINP In-Demand Skills Cutoffs and Draw History

There was no single In-Demand Skills cutoff for 2026. Ontario used multiple targeted draws with different score thresholds, occupation lists, regions and candidate-pool creation dates. Examples include an April 15, 2026 draw with a 36-point threshold for other priority occupations and an April 23, 2026 regional selection with a 34-point threshold for candidates in several non-GTA regions. The same April 2026 update also recorded a 35-point agriculture-related selection. These figures are historical draw thresholds and must not be represented as current Workforce Priority minimum scores.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • Historical 2026 In-Demand Skills scores varied by occupation, region and targeted labour-market attribute.
  • The April 23 regional invitations used a 34-point threshold for the Eastern, Northern, Southwestern and Central Ontario excluding GTA selections.
  • The April 15 targeted selection included a 35-point threshold for agriculture-related occupations and a separate 25-point threshold for listed In-Demand Skills occupations.
  • A cutoff is not a universal pass mark; it applies only to candidates included in the specific draw and profile pool.
  • Historical EOI scores should not be used as a direct predictor of a future Workforce Priority draw.
DateHistorical SelectionScoreImportant Detail
April 23, 2026Eastern Ontario34+48 invitations in the published In-Demand Skills selection
April 23, 2026Northern Ontario34+79 invitations
April 23, 2026Southwestern Ontario34+430 invitations
April 23, 2026Central Ontario excluding GTA34+162 invitations
April 15, 2026Agriculture-related and other priority occupations35+ agriculture / 25+ selected In-Demand Skills occupationsTargeted selections used different occupation groups and thresholds
April 15, 2026Other priority occupations36+1,024 invitations in the published targeted draw
April 8, 2026Francophone candidates25+Targeted selection
April 8, 2026Regional Economic Development through Immigration33+Targeted selection
April 1, 2026Priority occupations in mining34+Targeted selection

5. Current 2026 Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 Pathway

The current Ontario Workforce Priority Stream includes a specific TEER 4-5 category for foreign workers with qualifying Ontario job offers. Unlike the former In-Demand Skills Stream, the current framework is not restricted to a fixed occupation list published as a permanent list. The job offer can be in a NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation, subject to the program's other eligibility and employer rules. For a TEER 4-5 job offer, the applicant generally needs at least nine months of cumulative paid full-time work experience in the job-offer employment position during the previous two years, CLB 4 language ability in all four abilities, Canadian secondary school or equivalent education, legal status in Canada where applicable, a valid licence where required, and genuine intention to live and work in Ontario.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • The nine-month concept survives in the current TEER 4-5 pathway, but the experience must be in the job-offer employment position within the previous two years.
  • The current pathway is not an exact copy of the former In-Demand Skills program.
  • The current TEER 4-5 pathway does not use the old static occupation list as the sole eligibility test.
  • CLB 4 remains an important low language threshold for TEER 4-5 candidates.
  • A Canadian secondary-school credential or equivalent is the normal education benchmark.
  • Candidates must meet the current employer requirements and obtain an invitation through the Workforce Priority EOI system.
Current TEER 4-5 Requirement2026 Rule
Job offerQualifying full-time and permanent Ontario job offer.
OccupationNOC TEER 4 or TEER 5.
Work experienceAt least 9 months cumulative paid full-time experience in the job-offer employment position within the previous 2 years.
LanguageCLB 4 in English or French across all four abilities.
EducationAt least Canadian secondary-school education or equivalent, subject to program-specific requirements.
Licence / authorizationMust hold the required licence or authorization where the position is regulated.
Legal statusApplicant must satisfy the current status requirements in Canada where applicable.
Ontario intentionApplicant must genuinely intend to live and work in Ontario.

6. Current Employer, Wage, EOI and Application Deadlines

The current Workforce Priority process is employer-led. The employer must first register and submit the job offer through Ontario's Employer Portal. The candidate then receives a job-offer ID and has 30 calendar days to register an EOI. If Ontario issues an invitation, the employer has 14 calendar days to submit its approval-of-employment-position application and the candidate has 17 calendar days from the invitation to submit the nomination application and payment, after the employer has filed its application. Current wage requirements generally use the median Job Bank wage for the occupation and region. A lower low-wage level is available as a specific exception for recent Ontario graduates in TEER 0-3; that exception does not generally apply to TEER 4-5 applicants.

RequirementCurrent 2026 Rule
Employer processEmployer submits the job offer through the OINP Employer Portal before the candidate registers an EOI.
EOI deadlineCandidate must register the EOI within 30 calendar days after the employer submits the job offer.
InvitationOntario may conduct general or targeted selections and invite the highest-ranking candidates.
Employer applicationEmployer must submit employment-position approval application within 14 calendar days after invitation.
Applicant applicationCandidate must submit nomination application and pay within 17 calendar days after invitation, and only after the employer submits its application.
WageGenerally at least the median Job Bank wage for the occupation and region on the application date.
Employer operationEmployer must generally have been actively operating for at least 3 years and satisfy Ontario's business premises, compliance, revenue and staffing requirements.
EOI rankingCurrent scoring can consider wage, Ontario work experience, Canadian earnings, legal status, education, official-language ability and regional location.
Required Action Checklist:
  • ✓Employer submits the current job offer through the Employer Portal.
  • ✓Candidate uses the job-offer ID to register the EOI within 30 calendar days.
  • ✓Candidate keeps evidence for every EOI factor claimed.
  • ✓If invited, employer applies within 14 calendar days.
  • ✓Candidate submits the nomination application within 17 calendar days after invitation and after employer submission.
  • ✓Verify the Job Bank wage applicable to the occupation and region on the relevant application date.
  • ✓Confirm that the employer satisfies the current revenue and employee thresholds for its location.

7. Nomination, Express Entry and Permanent Residence for TEER 4-5 Candidates

The current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 pathway is generally a base provincial nomination pathway because TEER 4 and TEER 5 occupations do not normally qualify for the federal Express Entry skilled-worker programs solely by virtue of the Ontario nomination. A successful nominee applies to IRCC for permanent residence through the applicable non-Express Entry provincial nominee process. The provincial nomination does not itself guarantee permanent residence. IRCC independently assesses the federal permanent-residence application, including admissibility and completeness. The +600 CRS nomination bonus is relevant to eligible enhanced nominations in Express Entry, but a TEER 4-5 Workforce Priority nomination does not automatically create Express Entry eligibility.

Key Framework Highlights:
  • A TEER 4-5 provincial nomination is not an automatic Express Entry nomination.
  • The provincial nomination and federal permanent-residence application are separate decisions.
  • A nominee must continue to satisfy nomination conditions and accurately disclose material changes.
  • A BOWP is not automatic merely because Ontario issued a nomination.
  • Section 6 mobility rights become relevant to permanent residents, but they do not permit a knowingly false provincial settlement intention at the application stage.
StageTEER 4-5 Applicant
Ontario nominationOntario decides whether the applicant satisfies the Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 requirements and the employer's position is approved.
Nomination certificateOntario issues nomination documentation if the application is approved.
Federal PRApplicant applies to IRCC through the applicable non-Express Entry PNP process.
CRSNo automatic +600 CRS benefit merely from receiving a TEER 4-5 base nomination.
Federal decisionIRCC makes the final permanent-residence decision and assesses federal admissibility.
Work permitA provincial work-permit support route or separate federal permit may be available depending on circumstances; a Bridging Open Work Permit requires separate IRCC eligibility.
SettlementApplicant must genuinely intend to live and work in Ontario when applying under the provincial program.

Frequently Asked Questions (6 Verified Answers)

No. Ontario closed the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream as part of the June 2026 OINP redesign. The former EOI system is closed to new registrations and no further invitations will be issued under the former streams. Existing applications are assessed under the rules that applied when they were submitted.

The former stream generally required at least 9 months of cumulative paid full-time work experience in Ontario in the eligible occupation during the previous 3 years. That is a historical rule for the closed stream. The current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 pathway instead requires at least 9 months of cumulative paid full-time experience in the job-offer employment position within the previous 2 years.

The former In-Demand Skills Stream required at least CLB 4 in English or French across the applicable language abilities. The current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 pathway also uses CLB 4 as its minimum language threshold, subject to the current program rules.

No. NOC 73300 Transport truck drivers is TEER 3 under NOC 2021, so the original page's 'TEER 3/4' description was incorrect. The occupation did appear in OINP selection activity in 2026, but it should not be presented as a TEER 4 occupation or as part of the current Workforce Priority TEER 4-5 category.

The current TEER 4-5 rule requires at least 9 months of cumulative paid full-time experience in the job-offer employment position within the previous 2 years. The requirement is therefore tied to the offered employment position rather than the former In-Demand Skills formulation about nine months of Ontario experience in the eligible occupation. Applicants should verify their exact experience against the current Ontario regulation and document checklist.

The employer first submits the job offer through the Ontario Employer Portal. The candidate then has 30 calendar days to register the EOI. If invited, the employer has 14 calendar days to submit its employment-position approval application. The applicant must submit the nomination application and payment within 17 calendar days of the invitation, and cannot submit until after the employer submits its application.

Official Provincial Government References & Portals

In-Demand Skills Metrics

Former In-Demand Skills Stream
Closed May 30, 2026
Current TEER 4-5 Route
Workforce Priority
Current TEER 4-5 Experience
9 Months
Current EOI Registration Window
30 Days

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