Provincial Nominee Program Update — August 10, 2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
As of March 30, 2026, provinces and territories now have sole responsibility for assessing two key factors in PNP applications: a candidate's ability to become economically established and their intent to reside in the nominating province. A valid provincial nomination certificate is now treated as sufficient proof these assessments were completed.
Ontario launched a brand-new 'Ontario Workforce Priority Stream' on June 26, 2026, which covers job offers across all NOC TEER categories and includes a pathway for self-employed physicians. The expression of interest (EOI) portal for this stream opened on August 4, 2026.
IRCC's federal role in PNP applications has been narrowed — it no longer re-evaluates economic establishment or residency intent, reducing overlap with provincial assessments.
What You Should Do
- If you hold a valid provincial nomination certificate issued on or after March 30, 2026, confirm with your province that your economic establishment and residency intent assessments are documented in your nomination — IRCC will rely on this certificate and will not re-assess these factors independently.
- If you are in Ontario and have a job offer in any NOC TEER category (0–5) or are a self-employed physician, register an Expression of Interest in the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream now that the EOI portal is open. Review eligibility criteria at ontario.ca/page/2026-ontario-immigrant-nominee-program-updates before submitting.
- If you were already in the OINP pipeline before June 26, 2026, check ontario.ca for how Phase 1 of the OINP redesign may affect your existing application or stream eligibility, as regulatory changes to Ontario Regulation 422/17 are now in effect.
- BC PNP applicants should monitor the BC PNP News page at welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/about-the-bc-provincial-nominee-program/news for any parallel updates to BC streams following the March 30, 2026 federal regulatory changes.
Sources
Topics Covered
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: Ontario has redesigned its PNP with a new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream that accepts job offers across all NOC TEER categories, with the EOI portal opening August 4, 2026. This is a significant expansion of Ontario's nominee pathways compared to previous streams.
PNP Federal-Provincial Authority Transfer: Effective March 30, 2026, provinces and territories now solely assess a PNP applicant's ability to become economically established and their intent to reside in the nominating province, with a valid nomination certificate serving as conclusive proof for IRCC. IRCC's role has been narrowed to reduce federal-provincial overlap.
More Provincial Nominee Program Updates
Provincial Nominee Program Update — August 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program Update — August 3, 2026
Aug 3, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program Update — July 30, 2026
Jul 30, 2026
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