Ontario has changed the scoring for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s Workforce Priority Stream. Effective October 5, 2026, candidates who earned at least $80,000 in a single year can now receive 10 points under the stream’s “Canadian work experience: earnings history” factor — up from the previous top bracket of 8 points. The province announced the change on October 7, 2026, and has applied it automatically to affected profiles.
What changed
Ontario added a new, higher bracket to the earnings-history factor in the Workforce Priority Stream Expression of Interest (EOI) system. The full earnings-history scale is now:
Annual earnings (one year)
Points
$80,000 or more
10
$70,000 – $79,999
8
$50,000 – $69,999
6
$30,000 – $49,999
4
Under $30,000
0
Before this change, the top-scoring bracket was $70,000 or more, worth 8 points. Ontario says the update has already been applied to every existing Expression of Interest in the system — registrants do not need to log into the OINP e-Filing Portal or edit their profiles to receive the additional points.
One caveat worth keeping: Ontario’s notice introduces only the new $80,000-and-up bracket; the points for lower brackets above follow media reporting of the updated grid — confirm your bracket against the province’s current scoring materials before planning around it.
Who benefits
The change applies to registrants in the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream whose earnings reach $80,000 or more in any single year within the past five years, as shown on a Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Three details matter:
It is one year, not cumulative income. A single strong tax year is enough — earnings across multiple years are not added together.
The proof is a CRA Notice of Assessment issued within the past five years. Ontario measures earnings from the assessment — the Notice of Assessment is the document that counts.
If you have never filed taxes in Canada, you receive no points under this factor.
The Workforce Priority Stream is Ontario’s newer pathway for selecting candidates who can meet the province’s labour-market needs, nominating them for permanent residence. EOI registration for the stream opened August 4, 2026, and covers candidates with job offers across all TEER categories, as well as a pathway for self-employed physicians. A higher score improves a candidate’s chance of being selected by Ontario and invited to apply for a provincial nomination — after which the nominated candidate applies to the federal government for permanent residence.
What to check before counting on the extra points
Ontario’s notice does not specify which line of the Notice of Assessment it uses to measure the $80,000. If your earnings sit close to the threshold, or your income came from more than one source in that year, have your Notices of Assessment for the past five years reviewed rather than assuming where you land.
A two-point gain is modest on its own — but in a competitive pool where invitations turn on fine margins, it is worth confirming your score is accurate before Ontario ranks the pool again.
How NorthPass Immigration Services can help
If you have an Ontario Workforce Priority EOI — or are deciding whether to register one — we can verify your score, review your documents, and build your path to a provincial nomination and permanent residence. NorthPass Immigration Services is led by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs).
Sources: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program update posted October 7, 2026 (effective October 5, 2026); CIC News, October 8, 2026; IRCC.com, October 8, 2026. Facts re-verified via live search October 12, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Ontario has changed the scoring for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program’s Workforce Priority Stream. Effective October 5, 2026, candidates who earned at least $80,000 in a single year can now receive 10 points under the stream’s “Canadian work experience: earnings history” factor — up from the previous top bracket of 8 points. The province announced the change on October 7, 2026, and has applied it automatically to affected profiles.
What changed
Ontario added a new, higher bracket to the earnings-history factor in the Workforce Priority Stream Expression of Interest (EOI) system. The full earnings-history scale is now:
Before this change, the top-scoring bracket was $70,000 or more, worth 8 points. Ontario says the update has already been applied to every existing Expression of Interest in the system — registrants do not need to log into the OINP e-Filing Portal or edit their profiles to receive the additional points.
One caveat worth keeping: Ontario’s notice introduces only the new $80,000-and-up bracket; the points for lower brackets above follow media reporting of the updated grid — confirm your bracket against the province’s current scoring materials before planning around it.
Who benefits
The change applies to registrants in the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream whose earnings reach $80,000 or more in any single year within the past five years, as shown on a Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Three details matter:
The Workforce Priority Stream is Ontario’s newer pathway for selecting candidates who can meet the province’s labour-market needs, nominating them for permanent residence. EOI registration for the stream opened August 4, 2026, and covers candidates with job offers across all TEER categories, as well as a pathway for self-employed physicians. A higher score improves a candidate’s chance of being selected by Ontario and invited to apply for a provincial nomination — after which the nominated candidate applies to the federal government for permanent residence.
What to check before counting on the extra points
Ontario’s notice does not specify which line of the Notice of Assessment it uses to measure the $80,000. If your earnings sit close to the threshold, or your income came from more than one source in that year, have your Notices of Assessment for the past five years reviewed rather than assuming where you land.
A two-point gain is modest on its own — but in a competitive pool where invitations turn on fine margins, it is worth confirming your score is accurate before Ontario ranks the pool again.
How NorthPass Immigration Services can help
If you have an Ontario Workforce Priority EOI — or are deciding whether to register one — we can verify your score, review your documents, and build your path to a provincial nomination and permanent residence. NorthPass Immigration Services is led by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs).
Book a paid consultation — the fee is credited in full toward representation if you retain our firm.
Sources: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program update posted October 7, 2026 (effective October 5, 2026); CIC News, October 8, 2026; IRCC.com, October 8, 2026. Facts re-verified via live search October 12, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice.
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