OINP Masters Graduate Stream (Ontario PR)
The OINP Masters Graduate Stream is closed. Ontario closed it as of 30 May 2026, and its only worker route now is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which needs a job offer. Here is what that means if you were in the pool, already applied, or are planning now.
Status: closed as of 30 May 2026
Masters Graduate Stream status at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Status | Closed as of 30 May 2026, as part of the OINP redesign |
| Legal change | Ontario Regulation 422/17 amendments in force 25 June 2026 removed the eight former streams |
| Last graduate draw | Ontario's 2026 updates page lists its last Masters and PhD Graduate invitations on 22 April 2026 |
| Replaced by | Ontario Workforce Priority stream (job offer required) |
| New EOIs | Not accepted under the former streams |
| Already applied after an invitation | Assessed against the requirements in effect when you submitted |
| In the pool, never invited | Your EOI is withdrawn automatically and Ontario notifies you |
If you were already in process
If you applied after an invitation: Ontario says applications submitted following an invitation under a former stream "will continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when the application was submitted." If you are nominated, you still apply to IRCC for permanent residence, and IRCC makes the final decision.
If you were in the pool but not invited: the Expression of Interest system is closed to new EOIs under the former streams. Ontario says EOIs that did not lead to an invitation are withdrawn automatically and that affected registrants receive a notice directly. To be considered again you need to qualify for, and register under, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
What replaced it: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream opened its Expression of Interest portal on 4 August 2026. Its TEER 0 to 3 pathway needs a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario, CLB 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations) and a post-secondary degree or diploma. Recent Ontario graduates can meet the experience rule with three consecutive months in the job offer position in the last 12 months; under Ontario Regulation 422/17 that includes master's graduates from an eligible Ontario institution in the last three years. The difference for master's graduates is the job offer: the no-offer route is gone. Our OINP points calculator shows how a job offer would score.
What the Masters Graduate Stream required (historical)
For reference, and for files still being assessed, the stream as it last operated asked for the following.
| Requirement | Rule as the stream last operated |
|---|---|
| Degree | A master's from an eligible Ontario university, with at least one academic year of full-time study |
| Timing | Apply within two years of completing the degree requirements |
| Job offer | Not required |
| Language | CLB 7 in English or French |
| Ontario residence | At least one year (12 cumulative months) in Ontario in the two years before applying |
| Other | Settlement funds, intention to live in Ontario, and legal status if applying from inside Canada |
| Intake | Ontario's own Expression of Interest system and an invitation to apply |
Your options now
With a job offer, start with the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. With skilled Canadian work experience, look at the Canadian Experience Class and check your score with our CRS calculator. Several other provinces run graduate streams of their own, compared on our Provincial Nominee Programs page. Wild Mountain Immigration works under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497); start on the contact page for an honest assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is the OINP Masters Graduate Stream still open?
No. Ontario's archived stream page says the Masters Graduate stream was closed as of 30 May 2026, as part of the OINP redesign. Amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 that came into force on 25 June 2026 removed it with seven other streams and created the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. No further invitations are issued under the former streams.
What replaced the Masters Graduate Stream?
Ontario now runs one stream for workers, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. It needs a full-time, permanent job offer from an Ontario employer (self-employed physicians are the only exception), so there is no longer an Ontario route for master's graduates without a job offer. A recent Ontario graduate with a job offer can qualify with three consecutive months in the job offer position in the last 12 months.
I applied after an invitation. Is my application still processed?
Yes. Ontario says applications submitted following an invitation under a former stream continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements in effect when the application was submitted. Expressions of interest that never led to an invitation are withdrawn automatically, and Ontario contacts affected registrants directly.
What are my options as a master's graduate now?
If you have, or can get, a full-time permanent job offer in Ontario, check the Ontario Workforce Priority stream with our OINP points calculator. If you have skilled Canadian work experience, look at Express Entry, including the Canadian Experience Class. Other provinces also run graduate streams with their own rules.
Graduated with a master's in Ontario?
Get started with a licensed RCIC for an honest read on the routes still open to you now that the Masters Graduate Stream has closed.
A licensed RCIC replies by email, usually within two business days.
Licensed RCIC Nicola Wightman, CICC licence R706497.Verify on the CICC public register (opens in a new tab)