Express Entry Roars Back — And Ontario Resets the Clock
- Gagandeep Singh
- 2 minutes ago
- 7 min read
🚀Express Entry: The Silence Is Over
After a 25-day drought that left the pool anxious and top-heavy, IRCC made up for lost time in spectacular fashion this week — issuing four draws on four consecutive days and delivering over 9,200 invitations in a single week-long burst.
Here is what landed:
• June 22 | PNP | 955 ITAs | CRS 730 The year's largest PNP draw — and the lowest PNP CRS cutoff of 2026 by a wide margin. A 75-point drop from the previous PNP round (CRS 805) and a 186% jump in volume signal that provinces had been releasing nominations into the pool throughout the pause. The cluster pattern was back.
• June 23 | CEC | 4,000 ITAs | CRS 516 The largest CEC draw since March. The cutoff dipped 2 points from the May 27 high of 518 — the first decrease since late March — confirming that draw volume, not time, is the real lever on CRS pressure. The tie-breaking date was April 14, 2026 at 00:03:10 UTC.
• June 24 | Physicians (Canadian Work Experience) | 271 ITAs | CRS 223 Only the second Physicians draw of 2026. The ultra-low CRS reflects the small eligible pool: candidates need 12 months of Canadian clinical experience within the past 3 years. For qualifying foreign-trained physicians, this category remains one of the most accessible PR pathways anywhere in the system.
• June 25 | Healthcare & Social Services | 4,000 ITAs | CRS 475 The third Healthcare draw of 2026 and the largest since the inaugural February 20 round. The 475 cutoff sits 41 points below the same-week CEC draw, opening real pathways for nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and others in the 451–510 CRS range.
Combined, the four-draw cluster issued 9,226 invitations — making this the most active four-day stretch in Express Entry history for 2026. Total ITAs issued year-to-date now stand at approximately 89,000 across 33 rounds.
📊What the Numbers Mean for You
CEC candidates (CRS 507–518): The 2-point dip to 516 is modest but meaningful — it confirms that larger draws (4,000+) can stabilize or reduce the CEC cutoff even after prolonged gaps. If IRCC holds 4,000-ITA CEC rounds through the summer, analysts expect cutoffs to settle in the 512–516 range. That's welcome news for anyone sitting just below the recent highs.
Healthcare workers (CRS 450–510): Two targeted draws in two days — one for Physicians (CRS 223) and one for Healthcare & Social Services (CRS 475) — underscores that Canada is actively solving its healthcare staffing shortage through immigration, not waiting for the CEC pool to naturally reach those scores.
Provincial nominees: The PNP CRS of 730 confirms what we already know: a provincial nomination adds 600 points and virtually guarantees an ITA in the next draw. If you're below 500, PNP is still the single fastest route to an invitation.
French-speaking candidates: French-language draws have issued 30,500 invitations in 2026 at cutoffs as low as 393. The last French draw was May 28 (Draw #418, CRS 409). With no French draw in this cluster, a French-language round is likely coming in the first week of July — possibly at a cutoff in the 400–425 range as the eligible pool has rebuilt for nearly a month.
🏛️BREAKING: Ontario Replaces All 8 OINP Streams — Effective June 26, 2026
This is the biggest structural change in the history of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. Effective June 26, 2026, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development amended Ontario Regulation 422/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, doing three things simultaneously:
• Closed all eight existing OINP streams to new Expressions of Interest and new invitations. This includes: Employer Job Offer – Foreign Worker, Employer Job Offer – International Student, Employer Job Offer – In-Demand Skills, Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate, Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker, and Skilled Trades.
• Launched the new Ontario Workforce Priority (OWP) Stream as the sole provincial nomination pathway.
• Tightened compliance and enforcement — cutting response time for Administrative Monetary Penalty and Ban notices from 60 days to 30 days.
Ontario has described this as Phase 1 of a two-phase redesign. Phase 2 is expected to introduce additional streams (potentially a Priority Healthcare stream, Exceptional Talent stream, and redesigned Entrepreneur stream) but no dates or eligibility rules have been confirmed yet.
The New Ontario Workforce Priority Stream — Three Pathways
Pathway 1: TEER 0–3 (Higher-Skilled Workers) For candidates with a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer in management, professional, technical, or skilled trades roles (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3). Key requirements:
• Language: CLB 6 in all four skills (CLB 5 accepted for certain trades occupations)
• Education: Post-secondary credential; foreign credentials require an ECA
• Work experience: 6 consecutive months with the applying employer in the past 12 months, OR 3 months for recent Ontario graduates (credential completed within 3 years)
• Employer revenue: $1,000,000 gross annual revenue in the GTA; $500,000 outside the GTA or in major CMAs; lower thresholds for rural communities (census divisions under 150,000 population)
Pathway 2: TEER 4–5 (Essential Workers) For candidates in essential sectors — healthcare support, transportation, food processing, agriculture, manufacturing, construction — with a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer.
• Language: Minimum CLB 4
• Education: Secondary school diploma or equivalent
• Same employer revenue requirements as TEER 0–3
Pathway 3: Self-Employed Physicians The only track that does NOT require a standard employer job offer. To qualify, physicians must simultaneously:
• Be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
• Hold a valid certificate of registration (independent, academic, or provisional class)
• Be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
What Happens to Pending Files?
Active OINP applications already submitted: These continue and will be assessed under the eligibility rules in place at the time of application. No action is required.
Active EOIs that did not receive an invitation: These will be automatically withdrawn by the province over the coming weeks. Candidates will receive a direct notice.
Existing employer registrations: Employers do not need to create new accounts. However, they must submit a new job offer and new Employment Position Approval application when the system reopens.
Masters and PhD graduates without a job offer: These pathways are gone. Under the new framework, all candidates — including international graduates — generally need a qualifying Ontario job offer unless they are an eligible self-employed physician.
When Does the New EOI System Open?
Ontario has confirmed that the EOI portal is expected to reopen later in the summer of 2026. No specific date has been announced. The E-Filing Portal remains closed to new applications in the interim.
Our advice: use the time now to audit your language test results (must be under 18 months old), refresh ECAs, and ensure employer documentation is organized. The candidates who are invitation-ready when the portal reopens will have a significant advantage.
🗺️PNP Roundup
BC PNP — Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative: The BC PNP has opened a temporary one-time initiative running June 15 to August 31, 2026, for up to 250 workers employed by a BC health authority in a cleaning or security role in a rural or remote community. This is a targeted retention pathway and represents the kind of niche, occupation-specific PNP route that is becoming more common nationally.
Manitoba MPNP: Manitoba has phased out its standalone graduate immigration route as part of broader MPNP restructuring. Graduates in Manitoba are advised to review alternative pathways.
PNP work permit access (effective June 9, 2026): As covered in last week's blog, expanded PNP work permit rules remain in effect, providing a critical bridge for nominees awaiting PR processing. If you hold a provincial nomination and your work permit is expiring, this is an important tool — contact us to assess eligibility.
📋 Policy Note: Work-Permit-to-Study Exemption Expires Today
A reminder that today — June 27, 2026 — marks the expiry of the temporary public policy that allowed certain temporary foreign workers to study in Canada without a separate study permit. Workers who were eligible needed a work permit applied for on or before June 7, 2023. If you or your clients were relying on this policy for ongoing studies, an independent study permit is now required for courses longer than six months.
🔭Week Ahead — What to Watch
• French-language Express Entry draw: The last French draw was May 28. With no French round in this week's cluster and the eligible pool rebuilding for nearly a month, a French draw is the most likely next move for IRCC. Expect it in the first week of July, potentially in the 400–425 CRS range.
• OINP — portal reopening: No date confirmed but worth monitoring ontario.ca closely. Any announcement of a summer reopening date will come with short notice.
• Next CEC and PNP draws: The biweekly pattern suggests the next CEC draw around July 6–7 and the next PNP draw in a similar window. CEC candidates should keep profiles current and documents ready.
• IRCC immigration levels consultation (2027–2029): Closed June 14. Expect a policy direction signal later in the summer or fall that will shape Express Entry volumes for the next three years.
💡Immigration Tip of the Week
The OINP reset is a planning opportunity, not just a disruption. The new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream's TEER 4–5 pathway is genuinely new — it creates a nominated PR route for essential workers in sectors like food processing, transportation, and construction that had no clear OINP pathway before. If you have clients in those occupations with Ontario job offers, put this on your radar now so they're positioned to apply the moment the EOI portal reopens this summer. Start the ECA and language test process today — both take time and the 18-month validity clock is already running.
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant for guidance specific to your situation.
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