How does the OINP Employer Job Offer stream work?
OINP's former Employer Job Offer (EJO) streams, which let foreign nationals with a qualifying Ontario job offer apply for a provincial nomination, closed to new applications on May 30, 2026. Job-offer-based nominations are now made through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream's TEER 4-5 pathway, which operates outside Express Entry, or the TEER 0-3 pathway for higher-skill offers.
The EJO category had sub-streams targeting different occupation types — foreign workers in skilled professions and skilled trades holding a permanent, full-time offer in an eligible NOC occupation. Employer conditions of the kind OINP applied then — registration in Ontario, good standing under Ontario's employment and labour laws, and minimum wage and hours on the offer — remain the shape of what a job-offer pathway asks for, but confirm the current Workforce Priority requirements rather than relying on the old ones.
Unlike some other provinces, Ontario's EJO streams generally required a pre-existing Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or a valid LMIA-exempt work permit in connection with the offer. The LMIA is a federal process through which the employer demonstrates that no qualified Canadian worker was available for the role.
Those streams did not use a draw or Expression of Interest pool — eligible applicants submitted directly when OINP opened intake. The Workforce Priority stream introduces an Expression of Interest system, so check how intake works now before planning around the old model.
Key takeaways
- OINP's EJO streams closed May 30, 2026; job-offer nominations now run through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
- Occupations must fall within eligible NOC categories under the stream's rules.
- An LMIA or LMIA-exempt work permit is typically required in connection with the job offer.
- Intake windows are controlled by OINP — nomination pathways are not always open.