Provincial Nominee Program Update — September 7, 2026
Monday, September 7, 2026
Nova Scotia launched a one-time expansion of its 2026 selection priorities, targeting candidates already living and working in Nova Scotia with work permits expiring in 2026 or earlier, who submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) on or before June 30, 2026.
Ontario opened its new Ontario Workforce Priority stream EOI portal on August 4, 2026, accepting candidates with job offers in all NOC TEER categories as well as self-employed physicians — a significant redesign of the OINP.
Both provinces are operating within constrained federal nomination allocations, meaning meeting eligibility alone does not guarantee selection; strategic labour market needs and program integrity are key deciding factors.
What You Should Do
- If you are living and working in Nova Scotia with a work permit expiring in 2026 or earlier and submitted a Nova Scotia Nominee Program EOI on or before June 30, 2026, check your EOI status immediately at liveinnovascotia.com — you may now be eligible under the one-time expanded selection.
- If you have a job offer in Ontario in any NOC TEER category (or are a self-employed physician), visit ontario.ca/page/2026-ontario-immigrant-nominee-program-updates to review the Ontario Workforce Priority stream eligibility criteria and submit an EOI through the newly opened portal.
- Review the updated OINP webpages (updated July 20, 2026) for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream eligibility details before submitting an EOI, as the stream was only recently launched and criteria may differ significantly from previous OINP streams.
Sources
Topics Covered
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: Ontario replaced previous OINP streams with a new Ontario Workforce Priority stream open to all NOC TEER categories and self-employed physicians, with EOIs now accepted as of August 4, 2026.
PNP Federal-Provincial Authority Transfer: Nova Scotia's one-time 2026 selection expansion reflects provinces making strategic, autonomous decisions about who to nominate within tight federal allocation limits, prioritizing workforce retention over new entrants.
More Provincial Nominee Program Updates
Provincial Nominee Program Update — September 3, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program Update — August 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program Update — August 27, 2026
Aug 27, 2026
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