Ontario issues over 2,000 invitations to foreign workers, international students, and in-demand workers in latest regional draws

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held 12 targeted draws on April 23, 2026, issuing a combined total of 2,102 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates with job offers across four regions of the province.

The draws were held through the province's Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills streams.

To have been invited, candidates must have declared that they currently reside in Canada with a valid work or study permit.

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For these draws, eligible profiles must have been created and attested to by April 21, 2026, at 11:59 pm, and no earlier than July 2, 2025.

Foreign Worker stream

Under the Foreign Worker stream, the minimum score required to receive an invitation varied by region:

Region	Invitations issued	Minimum score
Eastern Ontario	63	318
Northern Ontario	60	57
Southwestern Ontario	60	194
Central Ontario (excluding GTA)	60	128

Targeted occupations vary widely across all four regions.

International Student stream

Under the International Student stream, the minimum score required and number of invitations issued were as follows:

Region	Invitations issued	Minimum score
Eastern Ontario	173	87
Northern Ontario	167	87
Southwestern Ontario	173	84
Central Ontario	173	85

Eligible occupations under the International Student stream were broader than those in the Foreign Worker stream, encompassing roles in healthcare, social services, trades, and administrative occupations, among others.

In-Demand Skills stream

All four regional In-Demand Skills streams shared a minimum score of 34. The number of invitations issued by region was:

Regions	Invitations issued
Eastern Ontario	48
Northern Ontario	79
Southwestern Ontario	430
Central Ontario (excluding GTA)	162

The eligible NOC codes varied by region.

Note: OINP lists the minimum score for the Northern Ontario region as 35 in another source.

This marks the OINP's fifth set of invitation rounds in April, following draws held earlier in the month on April 1, April 8, April 15, and April 22.

Regional breakdown

The OINP issued ITAs across four regions of Ontario: Eastern Ontario, Northern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario, and Central Ontario (excluding the GTA).

Central Ontario (excluding GTA) includes the following Census Divisions: Dufferin, Grey, Simcoe, Waterloo, and Wellington

Southwestern Ontario accounted for the largest share of invitations in this set of draws, with 797 ITAs issued across its three streams, while Northern Ontario received the fewest, with 303 total invitations.

Next steps for invited candidates

Candidates who received an ITA must log in to the OINP e-Filing Portal and click the newly created file number with the prefix "JOXX".

Applications and payment must be submitted within 17 calendar days from the date of invitation. Employers of invited candidates must review the employer guide and submit their portion of the application within 14 calendar days.

After receiving a provincial nomination from Ontario, successful nominees can then apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR).

What's ahead for the OINP

These draws come as Ontario prepares for a significant overhaul of its immigration streams next month.

Legal changes to the Ontario Immigration Act are set to take effect on May 30, 2026, which will revoke all existing categories of applicants eligible for a certificate of nomination — including the Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills categories used in these draws.

Ontario has proposed replacing the current streams with a consolidated Employer Job Offer stream and three new pathways, but the OINP has not yet confirmed when replacement streams will launch or how existing candidates will be transitioned.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams