Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Points: How Does Express Entry Fit In?

Ontario introduced the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream in 2026, replacing several previous Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) streams.

One of the biggest changes is that eligible candidates register an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receive an OINP score based on factors such as their employment, work experience, wage, education, language ability and location of employment.

But there is another important feature of the new program: some candidates can choose to receive their provincial nomination through Express Entry.

So how does the OINP score work, and where does Express Entry fit in?

 

 

How Does the New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Work?

For applicants with a qualifying job offer, the process generally begins with the Ontario employer.

The employer submits the job offer information through the OINP Employer Portal. The applicant can then register an Expression of Interest under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.

Once the EOI is registered, Ontario assigns the candidate a score.

Ontario can conduct invitation rounds and invite selected candidates to submit a full application for provincial nomination.

Importantly, your OINP EOI score is not the same as your Express Entry CRS score.

They are two separate scoring systems used for different purposes.

 

How Are Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Points Calculated?

Ontario’s new Workforce Priority Stream uses its own EOI scoring system.

Depending on your circumstances, points may be available for factors including:

• Hourly wage
• Ontario work experience
• Canadian earnings history
• Legal status in Canada
• Level of education
• Knowledge of Canada’s official languages
• Location of employment in Ontario
• Other applicable employment and labour-market factors

For example, Ontario currently awards higher points for certain wage levels and for applicants with longer periods of Ontario work experience.

Regionalization is also important. A job located outside Toronto can receive additional points, with different points available depending on the Ontario region.

This means two applicants with similar education and language ability could have very different OINP scores depending on their employment history, wage and where their job is located.

 

Where Does Express Entry Come In?

This is where the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream becomes particularly interesting.

If you are applying based on a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, you can indicate that you would like to be nominated through the federal Express Entry system.

To use this option, you must also qualify for one of the federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry and maintain a valid Express Entry profile throughout the applicable OINP process.

This means that qualifying for the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream does not automatically mean you qualify for Express Entry. The eligibility requirements for both systems must be considered.

 

Option 1: Ontario Workforce Priority Stream + Express Entry

If you choose the Express Entry nomination option and Ontario approves your OINP application, Ontario enters your provincial nomination into the federal Express Entry system.

You then receive a notification through your IRCC account and have 30 days to accept or refuse the nomination.

If you accept the nomination, you receive:

+600 CRS points

These 600 points are added to your federal Express Entry CRS score.

For example:

CRS score before nomination: 490

Provincial nomination: +600

New CRS score: 1,090

After receiving an Invitation to Apply from IRCC, you can submit your permanent residence application through the Express Entry system.

The important distinction is:

OINP EOI points → Ontario selection

600 CRS points → Express Entry ranking

They are not the same points and they serve different purposes.

 

Option 2: Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Without Express Entry

Express Entry is not the only way to proceed after an Ontario nomination.

An applicant may instead receive an Ontario nomination and subsequently apply for permanent residence through the non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program process.

The general pathway is:

Ontario Employer → OINP EOI → Invitation → OINP Application → Provincial Nomination → Federal PR Application

Under this route, the applicant does not receive the 600 additional Express Entry CRS points because the permanent residence application is not being processed through Express Entry.

IRCC still makes the final decision on the permanent residence application.

 

So Which Points Actually Matter?

It depends on what stage of the process you are looking at.

Your Ontario Workforce Priority Stream EOI score is relevant to Ontario’s selection process. Ontario uses the EOI system to rank candidates and determine whom it may invite to submit an OINP application.

Your CRS score, on the other hand, belongs to the federal Express Entry system.

If you are eligible to receive your Ontario nomination through Express Entry, the two systems can eventually connect:

Workforce Priority EOI Score
↓
OINP Invitation to Apply
↓
OINP Application
↓
Ontario Nomination
↓
+600 Express Entry CRS Points
↓
Express Entry Invitation to Apply
↓
Permanent Residence Application

If you proceed outside Express Entry, the Ontario selection and nomination steps still occur, but your permanent residence application proceeds through the non-Express Entry PNP process instead.

 

Who Can Choose the Express Entry Option?

The Express Entry nomination option under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream is relevant to applicants applying based on a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, including eligible job-offer applicants and self-employed physicians.

To be nominated through Express Entry, you must also meet the minimum eligibility requirements of a federal Express Entry program and maintain a valid Express Entry profile.

Candidates should therefore consider both their OINP eligibility and their Express Entry eligibility when deciding how they may proceed.

 

 

Bringing It to Northia

Ontario’s new Workforce Priority Stream has changed how candidates should assess their chances of provincial nomination.

It is no longer enough to look only at your Express Entry CRS score.

Your wage, Ontario work experience, Canadian earnings history, legal status, education, language ability and the location of your employment can all affect your position under Ontario’s new EOI scoring system.

For candidates in TEER 0–3 occupations, there is an additional consideration: whether you are eligible to have an approved Ontario nomination connected to Express Entry.

At Northia Immigration, we can review your Ontario Workforce Priority Stream eligibility, calculate your potential EOI score and assess whether you may also qualify to proceed through Express Entry.

A good immigration strategy starts with understanding not only how many points you have, but which scoring system those points belong to and how they affect your pathway to permanent residence.

Need some help? We’re here to guide you.

Book a consultation with Northia Immigration.