Ontario OINP Launches New Regional Immigration Round Until the End of 2027

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has introduced a new round of its Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative. It involves reserving provincial nomination opportunities for six communities outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

The particular initiative will run to the end of 2027,and aim to assist regional businesses recruit and attract skilled professionals for jobs that cannot be filled through the local labour market.

Which Communities are Included in Ontario REDI Initiative?

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has designated the mentioned below six communities for the 2026-2027 round:

• Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury
• Kenora District
• Nipissing District
• Rainy River District
• Renfrew County
• Thunder Bay

The geographic boundaries for each participating area are based on census divisions defined by Statistics Canada. Applicants should review the official boundaries to confirm whether their intended workplace falls within a designated area.

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Why Has Ontario Selected These Six Communities for REDI?

Ontario has chosen participating communities based on their requirement for economic immigration and their readiness to support newcomers. The province considered certain factors, including:

• Regional labour requirement, especially in healthcare
• Cultural and geographical diversity across Ontario
• The willingness and capacity of communities to participate
• Readiness to help newcomers settle
• Support from municipalities, employers and other local stakeholders.

Through REDI, Ontario aims to connect regional employers with skilled workforce, while helping participating communities fill the skilled workers gap and support local economic development.

How Can Employers and Candidates Participate in REDI?

Employers: Businesses and stakeholders in the six participating areas can contact the OINP at immigration.ontario@ontario.ca to find out more about the program, or to schedule an employer consultation.

Candidates: Foreign workers should confirm that their intended workplace falls within a designated area and review the eligibility criteria for the applicable OINP pathway. They must follow that pathway’s current application process and meet its requirements.

They must follow the pathway’s current applicant process and fulfill its requirements.

Ontario’s 2026 immigration program update should be checked in advance, as the province has closed its previous Employer Job Offer streams as part of its program redesign.

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Does REDI Guarantee an Ontario Provincial Nomination?

No, working in one of the six participating areas does not make a foreign skilled worker eligible for nomination. Applicants must qualify under the applicable OINP pathway and satisfy its application and selection criteria.

A provincial nomination is also not the same as PR. Successful nominees must still apply to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Federal government makes the final decision on their PR application.

How Many Workers Has REDI Supported So Far?

As per the Ontario government, the particular initiative has supported the nomination of approximately 1,000 workers across seven partner communities to date.

However, these nominations have helped strengthen key economic sectors including: skilled trades and healthcare.

The province initially launched its regional immigration initiative as a pilot in 2020 with three partner communities and expanded it in 2025, by choosing four additional community partners.

The new 2026–2027 round allocates nomination spaces to six designated communities.

Those planning to immigrate to Canada should stay up to date on the latest immigration news and regularly review the official IRCC website for changes to eligibility requirements, application requirements and immigration policies.

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Source: ontario.ca

Tags: Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Ontario OINP Ontario immigration update 2027 Ontario Regional Immigration Program OINP REDI Initiative 2027 Ontario immigration news Ontario PNP 2027 Canada immigration news Canadian provincial nominee program