Ontario has kicked off September 2025 on an immigrant hiring spree, carrying out successive draws through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). On September 2 and September 3, the province issued the invites to over 4,500 applicants, targeting all manner of workers, scholars, and persons holding high-demand jobs.
Also Read Ontario Holds Back-to-Back PNP Draws, Inviting Over 4,500 Candidates
A Record-Breaking Round on September 2
The first draw in the month, which took place on September 2, was among the most prominent draw rounds for the year for the province of Ontario. In total, 2,643 candidates received their invitations in three categories of the Employer Job Offer.
- Foreign Worker Stream – 1,305 invitations, cutoff at 41 points
- International Student Stream – 1,105 invitations, cut-off at 58 points
- In-Demand Skills Stream – 233 invitations, cut-off at 33 points
This stream focused particularly on health practitioners and early childhood educators, the professions that have been the priority for the province. Doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health, and early childhood educators were some of the categories of jobs the government went after. Aside from that, home care providers and support services also fell under the In-Demand Skills category.
September 3 Draw: Momentum Carried On
Just 24 hours later, Ontario held another invitation round, this time focusing only on the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker and International Student streams. A combined 1,893 invitations were issued.
- Foreign Worker Stream – 1,134 invites, minimum score 42
- International Student Stream – 759 invitations, minimum score 63
Profiles generated between July 2, 2025, and September 3, 2025, were taken into consideration. In comparison with the September 2 drawings, the thresholds set were somewhat higher, indicating a competitive pool for selection.
Why the New Employer Portal Matters
Since July 2025, OINP has required employers to submit job offers directly through a new online portal before candidates can be considered. This change ensures that only applicants with verified employer-backed positions are invited, improving program integrity and aligning nominations with Ontario’s most pressing workforce needs.
Such applicants who had generated their EOIs before the opening of the portal were required to resubmit through their employer to remain qualified.
What’s Ahead for the Immigrants?
All the shortlisted applicants are free to apply for provincial nomination. After being nominated, they can proceed to apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). To many, the two-step process provides an entry point for permanent settlement in the province of Ontario.
Ontario’s Immigrant Drive
With successive large draws, Ontario has again demonstrated its dependence on overseas talent to fill key areas, including health care, child care, and critical services. Posting over 4,500 invitations in two successive days indicates earnest intent to cap labour gaps while providing thousands of overseas nationals and graduates with an option for permanent residence in Canada’s most populated province.
