Ontario Master’s and PhD graduates selected for provincial immigration for first time since 2024

On March 18, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued invitations to apply (ITAs) under its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams for the first time in over a year.

The province invited more than 1,100 international student graduates with Canadian work experience in targeted occupations. This is the first time the province has issued invitations to apply (ITAs) under these streams since September 2024.

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In total, the OINP issued 1,243 ITAs across six draws on the same day, targeting both international students and foreign workers with experience in specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.

Ontario considered profiles created between July 2, 2025, and March 16, 2026. All profiles had to be attested by March 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

These draws mark Ontario’s third round of invitations in 2026, following earlier draws held in February.

Draw details: Master's Graduate and PhD Graduate streams

The OINP issued a combined 1,107 ITAs through its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams. Candidates were required to be residing in Canada with a valid work or study permit.

These were targeted draws, so candidates with experience in specific occupations were prioritized.

The minimum score thresholds and number of invitations varied by stream:

Stream	Minimum score	Invitations issued	Notes
Master’s Graduate Stream	30	582	Targeted draw for candidates with Canadian experience in specific NOC codes
PhD Graduate Stream	49	525	Targeted draw for candidates with Canadian experience in specific NOC codes

These draws are notable as they represent the first invitations issued under these streams since 2024. The last draw held under both the Masters and PhD Graduate Stream was on September 17, 2024.

Occupations targeted: Master’s Graduate stream

Administrative officers — NOC 13100
Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training — NOC 40020
Architecture and science managers — NOC 20011
Architects — NOC 21200
Audio and video recording technicians — NOC 52113
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists — NOC 31112
Banking, credit and other investment managers — NOC 10021
Broadcast technicians — NOC 52112
Computer and information systems managers — NOC 20012
Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) — NOC 21311
Conference and event planners — NOC 12103
Construction managers — NOC 70010
Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations — NOC 72010
Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades — NOC 72020
Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers — NOC 72014
Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades — NOC 72012
Dietitians and nutritionists — NOC 31121
Ecclesiastical occupations — NOC 41302
Editors — NOC 51110
Employment insurance and revenue officers — NOC 12104
Engineering managers — NOC 20010
Executive assistants — NOC 12100
Facility operation and maintenance managers — NOC 70012
Film and video camera operators — NOC 52110
Forestry professionals — NOC 21111
General maintenance workers and building superintendents — NOC 73201
Health information management occupations — NOC 12111
Home building and renovation managers — NOC 70011
Human resources managers — NOC 10011
Human resources professionals — NOC 11200
Human resources and recruitment officers — NOC 12101
Information systems specialists — NOC 21222
Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers — NOC 10020
Journalists — NOC 51113
Landscape architects — NOC 21201
Legislators — NOC 00010
Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts — NOC 50011
Managers in health care — NOC 30010
Managers in social, community and correctional services — NOC 40030
Medical administrative assistants — NOC 13112
Medical laboratory assistants — NOC 33101
Musicians and singers — NOC 51122
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates — NOC 33102
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors — NOC 31300
Occupational therapists — NOC 31203
Other administrative services managers — NOC 10019
Other assisting occupations in support of health services — NOC 33109
Other medical technologists and technicians — NOC 32129
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment — NOC 32109
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) — NOC 73112
Pharmacists — NOC 31120
Physicists and astronomers — NOC 21100
Physiotherapists — NOC 31202
Procurement and purchasing agents and officers — NOC 12102
Purchasing managers — NOC 10012
Receptionists — NOC 14101
Records management technicians — NOC 12112
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses — NOC 31301
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists — NOC 32103
Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities — NOC 00015
Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services — NOC 00012
Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations — NOC 13
Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers — NOC 12011
Supervisors, forest products processing — NOC 92014
Supervisors, general office and administrative support workers — NOC 12010
Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations — NOC 72025
Supervisors, mineral and metal processing — NOC 92010
Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities — NOC 92011
Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing — NOC 92013
Supervisors, railway transport operations — NOC 72023
Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling coordination occupations — NOC 12013
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies — NOC 41301

Occupations targeted: PhD Graduate stream

Administrative assistants — NOC 13110
Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training — NOC 40020
Architecture and science managers — NOC 20011
Banking, credit and other investment managers — NOC 10021
Biologists and related scientists — NOC 21110
Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants — NOC 41402
Chemists — NOC 21101
Civil engineering technologists and technicians — NOC 22300
Civil engineers — NOC 21300
College and other vocational instructors — NOC 41210
Computer and information systems managers — NOC 20012
Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) — NOC 21311
Computer systems developers and programmers — NOC 21230
Couriers and messengers — NOC 74102
Cybersecurity specialists — NOC 21220
Data scientists — NOC 21211
Database analysts and data administrators — NOC 21223
Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts — NOC 41401
Editors — NOC 51110
Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers — NOC 41405
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians — NOC 22310
Electrical and electronics engineers — NOC 21310
Financial and investment analysts — NOC 11101
Geoscientists and oceanographers — NOC 21102
Graphic designers and illustrators — NOC 52120
Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers — NOC 41404
Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations — NOC 44101
Human resources professionals — NOC 11200
Information systems specialists — NOC 21222
Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries — NOC 21210
Mechanical engineers — NOC 21301
Metallurgical and materials engineers — NOC 21322
Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers — NOC 41400
Other instructors — NOC 43109
Other professional engineers, n.e.c. — NOC 21399
Other professional occupations in physical sciences — NOC 21109
Other professional occupations in social science — NOC 41409
Physicists and astronomers — NOC 21100
Post-secondary teaching and research assistants — NOC 41201
Professional occupations in business management consulting — NOC 11201
Public and environmental health and safety professionals — NOC 21120
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses — NOC 31301
Social and community service workers — NOC 42201
Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers — NOC 41403
Software developers and programmers — NOC 21232
Software engineers and designers — NOC 21231
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine — NOC 31100
Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology — NOC 22214
University professors and lecturers — NOC 41200
Urban and land use planners — NOC 21202
Web designers — NOC 21233

Draw details: Employer Job Offer streams

In addition to international student streams, Ontario issued 136 ITAs through its Employer Job Offer streams.

Of these, 39 invitations were issued under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot, which works within the existing job offer streams. To have qualified, candidates needed to have a job offer in Lanark, Leeds, or Grenville and be residing in Canada with valid status.

Breakdown of invitations:

Stream	Minimum score	Invitations issued	Notes
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills	30	11	Targeted REDI draw
Employer Job Offer: International Student	61	17	Targeted REDI draw
Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker	47	11	Targeted REDI draw

Occupations targeted: In-Demand Skills stream

Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers — NOC 94201
Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations — NOC 44101
Labourers in food and beverage processing — NOC 95106
Machine operators, mineral and metal processing — NOC 94100
Plastics processing machine operators — NOC 94111
Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing — NOC 94140

Occupations targeted: International Student stream

Construction managers — NOC 70010
Early childhood educators and assistants — NOC 42202
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors — NOC 72100
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates — NOC 33102
Pest controllers and fumigators — NOC 73202
Social and community service workers — NOC 42201

Occupations targeted: Foreign Worker stream

Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians — NOC 32104
Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers — NOC 72410
Financial auditors and accountants — NOC 11100
Gas fitters — NOC 72302
Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians — NOC 22302
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates — NOC 33102