The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has recently extended invitations to over 900 graduates through its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams. This selection round, conducted on April 22, 2026, aimed at international student graduates currently living in Canada with valid permits.
Details of the Latest Draw
A total of 918 invitations to apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates who earned their master’s or PhD degrees at Ontario universities. The distribution of invites was as follows:
- Master’s Graduate Stream: 674 invitations with a cutoff score of 61.
- PhD Graduate Stream: 244 invitations with a cutoff score of 49.
Comparison to Previous Draws
This invitation round follows another draw that took place on April 15, focusing on priority and agriculture-related occupations. Notably, the cutoff scores in the latest round were higher than those in the draw on March 18. Changes in cutoff scores are as follows:
- Master’s Graduate Stream: Increased from 30 to 61.
- PhD Graduate Stream: Remained steady at 49.
These higher scores indicate a more competitive environment, likely due to a larger number of high-scoring candidates entering the pool post-March draw. This marked only the second issuance of invitations for these streams since selection resumed after a year-long pause, with the last draw being on September 17, 2024.
Steps Following an Invitation
Upon receiving an ITA, candidates must access the OINP e-Filing Portal and select their file number, which begins with “NMAS” for Master’s graduates or “NPHD” for PhD graduates. They are required to submit a complete application within 14 calendar days from the date of receiving the ITA.
It is important for candidates to note that there is a two-year eligibility window to submit an application for provincial nomination after completing their degree. For instance, if a candidate’s degree date is June 1, 2022, all application steps must be finalized by June 1, 2024. If the degree was completed over two years ago by the time of application, the candidate should decline their ITA.
Ongoing Changes to the OINP
These developments occur amid significant revisions to Ontario’s immigration system. New amendments will replace existing categories within the Ontario Immigration Act, including several categories such as:
- Foreign worker category
- International student with job offer category
- Master’s Graduate category
- PhD Graduate category
Effective May 30, 2026, Ontario will introduce four new pathways: a consolidated Employer Job Offer stream, a priority healthcare stream, an entrepreneur stream, and an exceptional talent stream. Details on the implementation and timelines for these new streams have yet to be released.
