OINP Adds 10 Points for $80K+ Earners in Ontario PR

Ontario has made it a little easier for high-earning foreign workers to get noticed in its provincial immigration system. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has added a new top income bracket to its scoring grid. Candidates earning at least $80,000 a year now receive 10 points, up from the 8 points that used to be the maximum for this factor.

The province announced the update on October 7, 2026. The change itself took effect two days earlier, on October 5, and it applies to profiles already in the pool without any action from candidates.

What changed?

The update affects the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream (OWPS), which is currently the only route into the OINP. Within the OWPS ranking system, one scoring factor looks at a candidate’s Canadian work experience, specifically their earnings history. Until now, anyone earning $70,000 or more landed in the highest bracket and got 8 points.

Ontario has now placed a new bracket above that one. People earning $80,000 or more get 10 points, while the $70,000 to $79,999 range stays at 8 points.

Here is how the earnings factor looks after the update:

Annual earnings	Points
$80,000 or more	10
$70,000 – $79,999	8
$50,000 – $69,999	6
$30,000 – $49,999	4
Below $30,000	0

How is income verified?

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Ontario doesn’t take a candidate’s word for their salary. The income figure comes from the Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), and the notice must have been issued within the past five years. In practice, this means your tax filings matter. If your income isn’t properly reported and assessed by the CRA, it won’t count toward your score.

Why do these points matter?

The OINP works like a ranking system. Candidates with higher scores have a better chance of being picked to receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. After the province nominates someone, that person can then apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.

A two-point increase may look small, but in a competitive pool even a couple of points can decide who gets invited first and who keeps waiting. For workers who earn $80,000 or more, the update is a clear, if modest, advantage. For those earning less, nothing changes, but the relative gap between them and top earners has grown slightly.

A quick look at how we got here

This tweak is part of a much bigger overhaul of Ontario’s immigration selection. The timeline so far:

• December 2025: Ontario announced it would completely rework how it selects newcomers for provincial nomination.
• May 30, 2026: The province revoked all of its earlier permanent residence streams.
• June 26, 2026: The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream officially launched.
• July 20, 2026: Ontario revealed the ranking system used to score candidates.
• August 4, 2026: Intake opened for eligible Ontario employers, workers, and self-employed physicians.
• October 5–7, 2026: The new $80,000 earnings bracket was introduced and announced.

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The OWPS is only the first phase of this reform.

What’s coming next?

A second phase is planned, and it should bring three additional streams:

1. Priority Healthcare Stream: for healthcare workers in occupations that are in demand.
2. Entrepreneur Stream: for people who own and operate Ontario businesses, either as founders or as successors taking over an existing business.
3. Exceptional Talent Stream: for individuals with outstanding achievements in areas such as academia, science, technology, and the creative or performing arts.

Ontario hasn’t announced a launch date for any of these. Until they open, the Workforce Priority Stream remains the only door for foreign nationals who want provincial nomination in Ontario.

What should candidates do now?

If you’re already in the pool or planning to enter it, a few practical steps make sense:

• Check your latest Notice of Assessment. Make sure the income on it is accurate and up to date, since this document decides your earnings points.
• Review your total score. The new bracket is applied automatically, so you don’t need to resubmit anything, but it’s worth confirming how your overall ranking looks.
• Keep your tax filings in order. Since the CRA notice is the proof of income, timely and correct filing protects your points.
• Watch for official updates. Ontario’s immigration rules have shifted a lot this year, and more changes are likely as the second phase approaches.

The bottom line

Ontario has given a small but meaningful boost to candidates earning $80,000 or more a year under the Workforce Priority Stream. The update is already in effect, it’s automatic, and it signals that income remains an important factor in how the province ranks applicants. With three more streams still to come, anyone interested in settling in Ontario should keep following the program’s changes closely.

Source reference: CIC News

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