What is the OINP Masters Graduate stream and who qualifies?

OINP's former Masters Graduate stream was designed for graduates who completed a Master's degree at an eligible Ontario university and required an active federal Express Entry profile. That stream closed to new applications on May 30, 2026 — graduates now need to look to the Ontario Workforce Priority stream instead.

Under the former stream, you had to have graduated from a Master's program (not a second-entry or professional Master's such as MBA or law unless specified) at a publicly funded Ontario university, within a specified time window, and to meet minimum language requirements and a cap on post-graduation Canadian work experience. The Ontario Workforce Priority stream's own detailed criteria for graduates have not been published — confirm current requirements before relying on these figures.

Unlike the former Employer Job Offer streams, the Masters Graduate stream did not require a job offer — it was designed to capture graduates already in the Canadian labour market or about to enter it. The current Workforce Priority stream's approach to graduates has not yet been confirmed in the same detail.

Draws for the former stream were periodic, with OINP controlling frequency and cut-off criteria; the Workforce Priority stream's own Expression of Interest process is still being rolled out. Since it is linked to Express Entry, a nomination adds 600 CRS points to your profile, leading to an Invitation to Apply from IRCC.