Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWP) TEER 0–3: Eligibility and Requirements
Ontario has redesigned the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program and introduced the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, commonly referred to as the OWP Stream.
The redesign replaces Ontario’s previous eight immigration streams with a more unified, employer-driven system. One of the principal pathways under the new program is the Ontario Workforce Priority: TEER 0–3 category, intended for internationally trained workers with skilled job offers in Ontario.
This category covers occupations classified under Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, or TEER, levels 0, 1, 2 and 3 of the National Occupational Classification.
The new rules came into force on June 25, 2026. Ontario has indicated that the Expression of Interest system for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is expected to open later in the summer of 2026. Until the system reopens and Ontario begins issuing invitations, candidates cannot submit applications under the new category.
This guide explains the current eligibility requirements for applicants, Ontario employers and approved employment positions under the TEER 0–3 category.
Check out our full Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWP) Application Guide
What Is the Ontario Workforce Priority TEER 0–3 Category?
The Ontario Workforce Priority TEER 0–3 category is an employer-supported pathway to provincial nomination for foreign nationals who have a qualifying job offer from an eligible Ontario employer.
The job must be in an occupation classified under one of the following NOC TEER categories:
TEER 0: Management occupations
TEER 1: Occupations that usually require a university degree
TEER 2: Occupations that usually require a college diploma, apprenticeship training of two or more years, or supervisory experience
TEER 3: Occupations that usually require a college diploma, apprenticeship training of less than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training
The category may therefore cover a wide range of management, professional, technical, healthcare, skilled trade and supervisory occupations.
It is important to understand that being employed in a TEER 0–3 occupation does not automatically make a person eligible. Both the applicant and the Ontario employer must satisfy the applicable OINP requirements, and the employment position must first be approved by Ontario.
Who May Benefit from the TEER 0–3 Pathway?
The new category may be relevant to:
Skilled foreign workers currently employed by an Ontario business
Foreign workers with qualifying experience outside Ontario
Recent graduates of eligible Ontario post-secondary institutions
Internationally trained professionals transitioning into related occupations
Licensed professionals working in regulated Ontario occupations
Skilled tradespeople and workers in designated production or natural-resource occupations
Healthcare workers moving into certain related support occupations
The category is particularly employer-driven. In most cases, an applicant will need the cooperation of an eligible employer that is prepared to register the job offer and complete the employer side of the OINP process.
An Invitation to Apply Is Required
Candidates cannot apply directly to the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream simply because they meet the general eligibility criteria.
An applicant must first:
Have an eligible Ontario job offer registered through the employer process.
Register an Expression of Interest once the new system opens.
Be selected by Ontario.
Receive an Invitation to Apply.
Submit a complete nomination application within the deadline established by the OINP.
Ontario may rank Expressions of Interest using factors such as the applicant’s occupation, work experience, education, language ability, job location, wage and other labour-market considerations.
Applicants must be able to prove every material fact used to obtain their invitation. This may include employment history, education, language results, licensing, job-offer information and Ontario work experience.
Receiving an invitation based on inaccurate or unsupported information can result in refusal, even where the applicant otherwise appears qualified.
Applicant Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
Most applicants under the Ontario Workforce Priority TEER 0–3 category will need:
An Invitation to Apply from Ontario
An approved Ontario employment position
A full-time job offer of an indeterminate duration
A job in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation
The required licence or professional authorization, where applicable
Qualifying work experience or a licensing-based exemption
Qualifying education or an applicable exemption
English or French language proficiency, unless exempt as a recent Ontario graduate
No prohibited ownership interest in the employer’s business
A genuine intention to live in Ontario
Applicants applying from inside Canada must also hold valid temporary resident status.
Qualifying Ontario Job Offer
A valid job offer is central to the TEER 0–3 category.
The position must:
Be with an eligible Ontario employer
Be located primarily in Ontario, subject to limited transportation-sector exceptions
Be full-time
Have an indeterminate duration
Be urgently necessary to the employer’s business
Fall within NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
Meet the applicable wage requirement
Be approved by the OINP before the applicant can be nominated
Under the regulation, full-time employment generally means at least 30 paid hours per week and at least 1,560 paid hours over a 12-month period.
A temporary, seasonal, contract-based or fixed-end-date position will generally not satisfy the requirement that the employment be of an indeterminate duration.
Wage Requirements for the Job Offer
In most cases, the offered wage must meet or exceed the median wage for the occupation in the region where the applicant will work, based on the Government of Canada Job Bank at the time of application.
Where the applicant is already working for the employer, the offered wage must also be at least equal to the wage the employer currently pays the applicant.
A special wage rule applies to recent Ontario graduates under the TEER 0–3 pathway. Their position may qualify if it meets or exceeds the applicable low-wage level for the occupation and region rather than the median wage.
Where regional wage information is unavailable, Ontario may rely on historical regional data or national occupational wage information.
Because Job Bank wages can change, employers should verify the applicable wage shortly before submitting the employment-position application.
Work Experience Requirements
Unless an exemption applies, an applicant must satisfy one of three work experience options.
Option 1: Six Months with the Ontario Employer
An applicant may qualify by completing at least six consecutive months of paid, full-time work experience in Ontario in the same position as the job offer.
The experience must have been:
Obtained during the 12 months before applying
Gained while the applicant was lawfully residing and working in Ontario
Completed with the employer supporting the OINP application
In the same position connected to the approved job offer
Paid and full-time
This option is likely to be especially important for employers seeking to retain foreign workers who are already contributing to the business.
Option 2: Three Months for Recent Ontario Graduates
A recent Ontario graduate may satisfy the work requirement with at least three consecutive months of paid, full-time Ontario work experience in the job-offer position.
The experience must have been obtained:
During the 12 months before applying
While lawfully residing and working in Ontario
With the employer supporting the application
In the same position as the approved job offer
For the purpose of the new regulation, a recent Ontario graduate is generally someone who obtained an eligible Ontario credential during the previous three years.
Qualifying credentials include:
A degree or diploma that normally requires at least two years of full-time study
A master’s degree
A doctoral degree
An Ontario college graduate certificate
The credential must have been issued by an eligible Ontario institution.
Option 3: Two Years of Occupational Work Experience
An applicant may also qualify through at least two years of cumulative paid, full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of qualifying paid part-time experience, obtained during the five years before applying.
In most cases, the experience must be in the same NOC occupation as the Ontario job offer.
Unlike the six-month and three-month options, this experience does not necessarily have to be with the Ontario employer. It may potentially include qualifying experience obtained elsewhere, provided it can be properly documented and corresponds with the occupation.
Related-Occupation Work Experience Exceptions
Ontario has introduced specific exceptions for certain internationally trained professionals whose previous experience is related to, but not identical to, their Ontario job offer.
Engineering Professionals and Technicians
An applicant with previous experience in a NOC occupation under Sub-Major Group 213, Professional Occupations in Engineering, may use that experience for an Ontario job offer under Sub-Major Group 223, Technical Occupations Related to Engineering.
This may help internationally trained engineers who are currently working in engineering technician or technologist positions in Ontario.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Assistants
Experience under NOC 31120 – Pharmacists may be accepted for an Ontario job offer under NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants.
This may benefit internationally educated pharmacists who have transitioned into a pharmacy assistant position while completing licensing or professional-recognition requirements.
Nurses and Healthcare Support Positions
Experience under either of the following occupations may be accepted for a job offer under NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates:
NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
These exceptions recognize that internationally trained healthcare professionals may temporarily work in related support positions while completing Ontario registration or licensing requirements.
Education Requirements
Most TEER 0–3 applicants must demonstrate that they have completed at least one qualifying post-secondary credential.
The applicant may provide:
A post-secondary degree or diploma from an eligible Canadian institution that required at least one year of full-time study; or
An equivalent foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment.
An ECA for foreign education must:
Be issued by a designated assessment organization
Confirm that the foreign credential is authentic
Confirm its Canadian equivalency
Be less than five years old when the OINP application is submitted
Applicants should ensure that their ECA will remain valid throughout the expected application period.
Licensing Exemption
Where Ontario or federal law requires a licence, registration or other authorization to perform the activities of the offered position, the applicant must already have obtained the required authorization.
The regulation also creates an important exemption for licensed applicants.
Where a licence or authorization is legally required for the job and the applicant has obtained it, the standard work experience and education requirements may not apply.
This can be particularly relevant to applicants in regulated healthcare, engineering, transportation, technical and skilled-trade occupations.
The exemption does not mean that every professional certificate or voluntary industry credential removes the experience and education requirements. The authorization must be legally required to perform the employment activities associated with the approved position.
Special Education Rule for Nurse Aides and Patient Service Associates
Applicants with an approved job offer under NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates may benefit from a special education rule.
Instead of satisfying the regular post-secondary degree or diploma requirement, the applicant may qualify with an Ontario college certificate from an eligible Canadian institution, provided the program required at least one year of full-time study.
This provision may be relevant to personal support workers, nurse aides, orderlies and similar healthcare-support professionals.
Language Requirements
Most applicants who are not recent Ontario graduates must demonstrate English or French ability at Canadian Language Benchmark 6 in all four language abilities:
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
The language test must:
Be administered by an approved testing organization
Show the required result in each individual language ability
Have been completed within the two years before the OINP application
A high overall score will not compensate for a score below the required benchmark in one language ability.
Recent Ontario graduates are treated differently under the current regulation. The CLB requirement applies to applicants who are not recent Ontario graduates, meaning qualifying recent graduates may be exempt from submitting language-test results under this provision.
Occupations with a CLB 5 Requirement
A lower language threshold generally applies to specified occupational groups, including certain:
Technical trades
General trades
Natural-resource occupations
Agricultural production occupations
Central control and process occupations
Cooks
Butchers
Bakers
Chefs
Applicants in the designated groups who are not recent Ontario graduates must generally demonstrate at least CLB 5 in all four language abilities rather than CLB 6.
These occupations are also subject to modified education requirements.
Modified Rules for Trades and Other Designated Occupations
Ontario has established alternate requirements for job offers in the following groups:
Major Group 72 – Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers, excluding Sub-Major Group 726
Major Group 73 – General trades
Major Group 82 – Supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
Major Group 83 – Occupations in natural resources and related production
Major Group 93 – Central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, subject to the regulatory exclusions
Minor Group 6320 – Cooks, butchers and bakers
Unit Group 62200 – Chefs
Applicants in these occupations may satisfy the education requirement with:
A Canadian secondary school diploma or credential; or
An equivalent foreign credential supported by a valid ECA
They generally require CLB 5 rather than CLB 6, unless they qualify as recent Ontario graduates.
The licensing exemption may also apply where the applicant has obtained a legally required occupational licence or authorization.
Special Rules for Truck and Transit Drivers
Modified work experience rules apply to applicants with job offers under:
NOC 73300 – Transport truck drivers
NOC 73301 – Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
These applicants must generally satisfy the six-month Ontario work experience option.
The broader two-year occupational experience option does not apply, and the three-month recent-graduate option is not listed as an alternative for these occupations.
The applicant must therefore have completed at least six consecutive months of paid, full-time Ontario work experience in the same position during the preceding 12 months.
The employer must also hold a valid Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration certificate and have an Excellent or Satisfactory safety rating where required by the regulation.
Restrictions on Ownership of the Employer
The applicant and their family members generally cannot hold, or previously have held, equity in the employer’s business, whether directly or indirectly.
A limited exception may apply where:
The equity was received as part of the applicant’s compensation as an employee; and
The total equity held by the applicant and their family members is less than 10% of the business.
This requirement is intended to ensure that the job offer represents a genuine arm’s-length employment arrangement rather than an application supported through a business substantially owned by the applicant or their family.
Ontario Employer Requirements
The employer must independently qualify to participate in the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.
Business Operating History
The business must have existed and operated actively for at least three years before submitting the employment-position application.
Place of Business in Ontario
The employer must maintain a physical place of business in Ontario, and the anticipated employment activities must generally occur primarily in Ontario.
Minimum Number of Employees
At the location where the applicant will work or report to work, the employer must have:
At least five full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents if the location is in the Greater Toronto Area; or
At least three full-time employees who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents if the location is outside the Greater Toronto Area
Gross Annual Revenue
The required employer revenue depends on where the applicant will work or report to work.
Greater Toronto Area
The employer must generally have at least $1,000,000 in gross annual revenue during its most recently completed fiscal year.
The Greater Toronto Area includes Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel and York.
Designated Urban and Regional Areas Outside the GTA
An employer generally requires at least $500,000 in gross annual revenue during its most recently completed fiscal year where the applicant will work or report to work in one of the designated census divisions, including:
Ottawa
Waterloo
Hamilton
Simcoe
Middlesex
Niagara
Essex
Wellington
Greater Sudbury
Frontenac
Brant
Peterborough
Hastings
Thunder Bay
Other Ontario Communities
Where the position is located outside the GTA and outside the designated $500,000 regions, the business must generally have at least $250,000 in gross annual revenue in each of its two most recently completed fiscal years.
This lower threshold is intended to make the program more accessible to qualifying employers in smaller, rural and northern Ontario communities.
Additional Employer and Position Requirements
The employer and employment position must also satisfy several integrity and labour-market requirements.
The position must be genuinely necessary to the employer’s operations. The employer cannot have outstanding orders under Ontario’s employment standards or occupational health and safety legislation.
Approving the position must not negatively affect the settlement of a labour dispute or the employment of someone involved in a labour dispute.
Ontario may also require the employer to demonstrate that it made reasonable but unsuccessful efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident before offering the position to the foreign national. This recruitment requirement may be imposed where the program director considers it necessary.
What Happened to the Previous OINP Streams?
As part of the 2026 OINP redesign, Ontario closed the following streams:
Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
Employer Job Offer: International Student
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
Master’s Graduate
PhD Graduate
Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
Express Entry Skilled Trades
No further invitations will be issued under these former streams.
Expressions of Interest and job offers registered under the old system that did not result in an invitation are being withdrawn. Once the new system opens, eligible employers will need to submit a new job offer and employment-position application before the applicant registers a new Expression of Interest.
Applications already submitted following an invitation under a former stream will continue to be assessed under the requirements that applied when the application was submitted.
Documents Applicants Should Start Preparing
Although complete application instructions may be updated when the new EOI system opens, prospective applicants should consider preparing:
Passport and immigration-status documents
Current work permit, where applicable
Ontario job-offer documentation
Detailed employer reference letters
Employment contracts and job descriptions
Pay statements and tax documents
Records proving lawful Ontario employment
Educational credentials
Educational Credential Assessment, where required
Approved language-test results
Professional licences or registrations
Evidence supporting recent Ontario graduate status
Documents showing an intention to reside in Ontario
Documents should consistently support the applicant’s NOC code, employment duties, work dates, hours, wages and employer information.
Common Eligibility Issues
Potential problems under the TEER 0–3 pathway may include:
Selecting an incorrect NOC occupation
A job offer that is temporary or has a fixed end date
Wages below the applicable Job Bank threshold
Insufficient consecutive Ontario work experience
Experience in a related occupation that is not covered by an exception
An expired ECA or language test
Missing professional licensing
Employer revenue or employee-count deficiencies
Unclear evidence that the position is genuinely necessary
Inconsistent information between the EOI and supporting documents
Undisclosed ownership interests in the employer’s business
Because an invitation does not guarantee approval, eligibility should be assessed before an Expression of Interest is submitted.
Is the Ontario Workforce Priority TEER 0–3 Category Open?
The regulations establishing the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream came into force on June 25, 2026.
However, as of July 21, 2026, Ontario has stated that the new Expression of Interest system is anticipated to open later in the summer. Candidates must wait for the EOI system to reopen before registering under the new stream.
Applicants and employers can use this period to review eligibility, confirm the correct NOC code, examine wage requirements and begin gathering supporting documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Ontario job offer for the TEER 0–3 category?
Yes. An applicant must have a qualifying job offer for an employment position approved by Ontario. The separate self-employed physician category is the OWP pathway that may allow eligible physicians to qualify without a traditional job offer.
Does any TEER 0–3 occupation qualify?
The category is broadly available to occupations classified under TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. However, the job offer, employer and applicant must still meet all applicable requirements. Ontario may also conduct targeted invitation rounds based on occupation, location or labour-market priorities.
Do I need to be working in Ontario already?
Not necessarily. The two-year occupational experience option may allow some applicants to qualify based on previous experience in the same NOC occupation.
However, applicants relying on the six-month or recent-graduate three-month option must have obtained that experience while lawfully residing and working in Ontario in the same position with the supporting employer.
Truck drivers and transit operators are generally required to use the six-month Ontario work experience option.
Can overseas work experience count?
Potentially. Overseas experience may count toward the two-year cumulative work experience requirement if it was paid, properly documented, obtained during the five years before applying and completed in the same qualifying NOC occupation or an expressly permitted related occupation.
Do recent Ontario graduates need two years of work experience?
No. A qualifying recent Ontario graduate may satisfy the work experience requirement with three consecutive months of paid, full-time Ontario experience in the job-offer position during the previous 12 months.
Do recent Ontario graduates need a language test?
The current regulation imposes the language requirement on applicants who are not recent Ontario graduates. Qualifying recent Ontario graduates therefore appear to be exempt under this provision.
Applicants should still review the final program instructions when the EOI system opens, as operational guidance may clarify document and invitation requirements.
Does an Ontario licence replace work experience and education?
It may. Where a licence or authorization is legally required to perform the activities of the offered position and the applicant has obtained it, the normal work experience and education requirements may not apply.
A voluntary certificate or non-mandatory professional designation will not necessarily qualify for this exemption.
Is this an Express Entry stream?
The Ontario Workforce Priority TEER 0–3 category is established as an employer-driven Ontario nomination category. The current regulations do not describe it as one of Ontario’s former Express Entry streams.
Applicants should not assume that the process or eligibility rules will be identical to the former Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker or Express Entry Skilled Trades streams.
How Altec Global Can Help
The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream introduces new requirements for both candidates and employers. Determining eligibility may involve reviewing the applicant’s NOC classification, job duties, wage, work history, education, language results, licensing status and the employer’s business qualifications.
Altec Global can assist with:
Assessing eligibility under the TEER 0–3 category
Identifying the appropriate NOC occupation
Reviewing Ontario and overseas work experience
Assessing recent Ontario graduate eligibility
Reviewing employer revenue and employee requirements
Evaluating the job offer and regional wage threshold
Preparing the employer and applicant documentation
Registering the Expression of Interest when the system opens
Responding to OINP document requests or procedural concerns
Preparing the provincial nomination application
EB-5 Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is new, and further operational instructions may be released as Ontario completes the next phase of its OINP redesign. Applicants and employers should obtain advice based on the requirements in effect at the time they register or apply.
Our Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWP) Application Guide
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration requirements, invitation criteria and program procedures may change.