Ontario’s 9 High Demand Occupations To Get Permanent Residency

Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is a leading pathway for securing permanent residency (PR) in Canada, especially with major changes introduced in 2025.

On July 11, 2025, the OINP shared important data on provincial nomination selections for last year, shedding light on 9 high-demand occupations for permanent residency accounting for 45% of nominations.

OINP had a quota of 21,500 nominations last year, which was met by December 2024.

With a nearly 50% reduction in the PNP quota this year, OINP is targeting the right roles and streams to meet the quota of 10,750 nominations by the end of 2025.

Ontario is expected to continue targeting the similar occupations in 2025 as they did in 2024.

Key sectors like healthcare and technology dominated nominations last year, and these trends are expected to continue in 2025, offering clear opportunities for applicants.

Top High-Demand Occupations for Permanent Residency

As per the July 11 OINP update, 9 occupations accounted for 9,500 (45%) out of 21,000 occupations in 2024.

Below is the list of these 9 occupations in high-demand sectors:

Ontario’s healthcare sector faces critical shortages, leading to over 3,200 nominations (15% of total nominations) in 2024, a record high. In-demand healthcare roles include:

• • Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses: NOC 31301 (TEER 1)
  • Pharmacists: NOC 31120 (TEER 1)
  • General Practitioners and Family Physicians: NOC 31102 (TEER 1)
  • Nurse Aides, Orderlies, and Patient Service Associates: NOC 33102 (TEER 3)

These roles remain essential to Ontario’s healthcare system, ensuring strong PR opportunities for qualified professionals.

The tech sector accounted for over 6,300 nominations (30% of the total) in 2024, highlighting Ontario’s need for digital talent. High-demand tech roles include:

• • Software Engineers and Designers: NOC 21231 (TEER 1)

• Software Developers and Programmers: NOC 21232 (TEER 1)
• User Support Technicians: NOC 22221 (TEER 2)
• Information Systems Specialists: NOC 21222 (TEER 1)
• Business Systems Specialists: NOC 21221 (TEER 1)

OINP Nomination Streams and Allocations

The 2024 nominations were distributed across various streams, offering insights for 2025 applicants:

• • Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream: 6,330 nominations
  • Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream: 4,101 nominations
  • Masters Graduate Stream: 3,810 nominations

• • Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream: 3,283 nominations
  • Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream: 2,731 nominations
  • PhD Graduate Stream: 446 nominations
  • Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream: 408 nominations
  • Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream: 300 nominations
  • Entrepreneur Stream: 91 nominations

New OINP Policy: Application Returns

Ontario’s 9 High Demand Occupations To Get Permanent Residency

On July 2, 2025, the OINP introduced a new policy allowing the return of applications before issuing nominations.

This ensures the program prioritizes applications aligned with Ontario’s labour market needs and program integrity.

Applicants or their representatives will be notified if their application is returned, with a full refund of the application fee.

This change emphasizes the importance of submitting high-quality applications, especially in high-demand sectors like healthcare and technology.

What to Expect from OINP in 2025

With 10,750 nomination allocations, the OINP is set to remain a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration system in 2025, despite the reduced PNP quota.

OINP is expected to target similar occupations in 2025, but the number of nominations will be halved for most of these occupations.

Here’s what applicants can anticipate:

• • Tighter Competition: With a nearly 50% quota reduction, the OINP will prioritize candidates in high-demand occupations, particularly in healthcare and technology, to maximize economic impact.
  • Streamlined Application Process: The new authority to return applications signals a focus on efficiency and quality. Applicants must ensure their profiles align with Ontario’s labour market priorities to avoid returns.

• • Continued Focus on Key Sectors: Healthcare and technology will likely dominate nominations, with streams like Express Entry Human Capital Priorities and Employer Job Offer streams remaining critical pathways.
  • Support for Diverse Applicants: International students, skilled trades workers, and French-speaking candidates will continue to find opportunities through tailored streams like the International Student and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams.

• Enhanced Scrutiny: The OINP’s emphasis on program integrity means applicants must provide accurate, well-documented applications to meet eligibility criteria.

To navigate these changes, applicants should stay updated on OINP requirements and focus on building strong profiles in high-demand fields.

The OINP’s focus on healthcare and technology, combined with a reduced 2025 quota, makes early preparation critical.

By targeting high-demand occupations and submitting a robust application, you can stand out in Ontario’s competitive PR landscape.

Stay tuned for more OINP updates. Take the first step toward your Canadian permanent residency today!

Ontario’s 9 High Demand Occupations To Get Permanent Residency

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