Ontario adds income‑based CRS points for salaries over

New OINP stream announced

On 10 October 2026 the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program introduced a permanent‑residence stream that awards 50 CRS points for salaries between $120,000 and $150,000 and 100 points for salaries above $150,000. Applications open on 1 November 2026 and the pilot runs for six months. Income must be verified with a recent T4 slip or a signed contract dated within the last six months. No changes were made to the French‑speaking or graduate‑level streams.

Who can claim the bonus

International students with a study permit who secure a qualifying job offer are eligible. A computer‑science graduate earning $130,000 would receive an extra 50 points on top of the 600 points for a provincial nomination. Post‑graduation work‑permit holders face the same benefit; a PGWP holder with a $160,000 engineering job would see his CRS rise from 462 to 562. Open‑work‑permit holders who are not yet in Express Entry can apply if they meet the income floor. Current Express‑Entry candidates who already hold a nomination can add the points by documenting the higher salary.

How the points are applied

The additional points are added after a nomination is issued, not before the Express Entry profile is created. For example, a candidate with a baseline CRS of 470 who obtains a $140,000 Ontario job would receive a nomination and then add 50 points, reaching 520.

Immediate actions

If you are nearing graduation, contact your university’s career centre to secure a qualifying offer and gather the required T4 or contract. PGWP holders should update their Express Entry profile with the new salary and run the Ikovia CRS Calculator to see the impact. Open‑work‑permit holders should seek employer‑driven pathways that lead to an OINP nomination. Candidates with an existing nomination should submit an amendment with proof of income.

What’s next

IRCC plans a public consultation on income‑based nomination criteria for February 2027, and Ontario will review the pilot’s results in March 2027.

Check where your score stands with the free CRS calculator.

Information is based on official IRCC announcements; verify current requirements at canada.ca.