Ontario has suspended draws under its Provincial Nominee Program while the province finalizes regulatory amendments to the program framework. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program confirmed the pause in a statement issued June 9, 2026, with no specific timeline provided for when regular draw activity will resume.
The suspension marks a departure from Ontario's recent pattern of conducting draws roughly every two weeks across multiple streams, including the Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker categories. The province issued 9,750 provincial nomination certificates in 2025, making OINP one of Canada's largest PNP allocations, and had been on track to meet or exceed that figure before the pause took effect.
The regulatory amendments under review have not been detailed publicly, but changes to provincial nominee programs typically involve adjustments to eligibility criteria, occupation lists, minimum score thresholds, or documentation requirements. Ontario's program currently operates nine immigration streams targeting skilled workers, international students, and entrepreneurs, with the Human Capital Priorities stream accounting for the majority of invitations issued in recent months.
"Draws are paused while regulatory amendments are finalized," the program stated.
The suspension affects candidates holding active Expression of Interest profiles in OINP's online system, particularly those in the Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams where draw-based selection has been the primary pathway. Candidates in employer-driven streams such as the Employer Job Offer category remain unaffected, as those streams operate on a continuous intake basis rather than periodic draws.
Applicants with profiles already submitted should monitor their OINP accounts for updates and ensure their Express Entry profiles remain valid if they are registered in federal pools. Candidates whose provincial nominations are already approved are not impacted by the draw suspension and should continue processing their permanent residence applications through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as normal. Those waiting for a draw invitation should verify that all profile information remains current and that supporting documents have not expired during the pause period.
Via Ontario OINP draws
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