A lot of people saw the headline this month: Ontario is giving higher earners more points. That is true. But the detail decides who it actually helps — and for most people applying from Pakistan or the Gulf, the honest answer is: not yet.
What changed on 5 October
Ontario now runs one main nomination stream, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which replaced its eight former streams. The regulation came into force on 25 June 2026 — Ontario calls it the first of a two-phase redesign — and the Expression of Interest system for the stream opened on 4 August.
On 5 October 2026, Ontario updated one factor in how those Expressions of Interest are scored: Canadian work experience — earnings history. The change was applied automatically to every existing Expression of Interest, so nobody already registered needs to do anything. The points now look like this, for your highest earnings in a single year within the past five years:
| Earnings in a single year (past 5 years) | Points |
|---|---|
| $80,000 or more | 10 |
| $70,000 – $79,999 | 8 |
| $50,000 – $69,999 | 6 |
| $30,000 – $49,999 | 4 |
| Under $30,000 | 0 |
What the $80,000 is — and what it isn’t
- It is a points band, not a requirement. You do not need to earn $80,000 to apply. Earning it gets you the maximum points for this one factor.
- It is Canadian income. Ontario checks it against a Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment from the past five years — the tax assessment you receive after filing a Canadian tax return.
- It is separate from the wage rule. The job offer itself must pay at least the median wage for that job in its region, using Job Bank data. That is an eligibility condition; the earnings points are on top.
Who this actually helps
People already working in Canada, with Canadian tax history. Someone who has never filed a Canadian return has no Notice of Assessment, so scores zero on this factor — and, on Ontario’s score sheet, zero for legal status in Canada and for Ontario work experience too.
That does not shut out applicants abroad. The stream can be used from outside Canada — Ontario has a recruitment-effort rule for employers that applies precisely when the candidate is living outside Canada. But it starts with a genuine job offer, and the earnings change does nothing for a candidate in Lahore or Dubai.
What the stream asks for
Every route through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream starts with a full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario. The employer starts the process; once they submit the offer, you have 30 days to register your Expression of Interest. (The one exception Ontario lists is self-employed physicians with an OHIP billing number.) Beyond the offer:
- Jobs in TEER 0–3: language at CLB 6 (CLB 5 for listed trades), a post-secondary credential, and either 6 months in the position or 2 years in the same occupation within the past 5 years.
- Jobs in TEER 4–5: language at CLB 4, a high school diploma, and 9 months in the position within the past 2 years.
Registering is not an invitation. Ontario ranks Expressions of Interest from time to time — all at once or targeting particular traits — and an Expression of Interest expires after 12 months. As of 23 October 2026, Ontario had not yet published any invitation rounds for this stream, so there is no cut-off score to quote.
After a nomination
A nomination is not permanent residence. You apply to IRCC within six months, and IRCC makes the final decision. Nominees in TEER 0–3 jobs may be able to go through Express Entry, where a nomination adds 600 points to a CRS score — which is why Provincial Nominee Program cut-offs on our Express Entry draws page look so high.
What to do with this
If you are already working in Ontario, check the earnings on your Notice of Assessment against the bands above — the change may already have moved your score. If you are in Pakistan or the Gulf, the question is not your salary but whether a genuine Ontario employer will offer you a full-time, permanent job. No consultant can register you for this stream without one.
And keep the date in mind. This is phase one of Ontario’s redesign; phase two has not been published, and Ontario notes that its Act and regulations take precedence over its web pages. For how provincial nomination works in general — and how to tell a live stream from a closed one — read our provincial nomination guide.