Canada
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
The Ontario Entrepreneur Program
The Entrepreneur Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is a business-immigration pathway for experienced entrepreneurs who want to establish a new business in Ontario, or buy and grow an existing one. After meeting the commitments set out in a performance agreement, a qualifying entrepreneur can receive a provincial nomination toward Canadian permanent residence. Ontario is currently redesigning this stream, so the rules and figures below are changing — confirm the latest details before you plan.
01 What the Entrepreneur Stream Is
The Ontario Entrepreneur Program — formally the OINP Entrepreneur Stream — is an economic immigration pathway run by the Province of Ontario. It is designed for people who will actively own and operate a business in Ontario, either by starting something new or by purchasing and running an existing Ontario business.
It is a provincial nomination program tied to the federal permanent residence process. Ontario does not grant permanent residence itself; instead, an approved entrepreneur who fulfils their commitments can be nominated by Ontario, and that nomination supports an application for permanent residence decided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
A provincial nomination is not, by itself, permanent residence. It strengthens a federal PR application, but IRCC makes the final decision and carries out admissibility, security, and medical checks.
02 Current Status & the 2026 OINP Redesign
This is the most important thing to know before you plan around the Entrepreneur Stream today.
As of June 2026: Effective May 30, 2026, amendments to Ontario Regulation 421/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act came into force and revoked the Entrepreneur Stream (along with all of Ontario's other nominee streams) in its previous form. This was announced in an OINP program update and is described by Ontario as the start of a redesign of the program. The stream is not currently open to new applicants, and Ontario has not yet published the eligibility rules, investment or net-worth figures, job-creation targets, or a launch date for the redesigned Entrepreneur stream. Confirm the live status on the official OINP page before acting.
Ontario has indicated a redesigned entrepreneur pathway is planned, with the province describing two profiles it intends to serve: founders establishing a new business in Ontario, and applicants buying and operating an existing Ontario business (a business-succession route). The detailed criteria are still to come.
Ontario has stated that applications received under the existing framework before the change are assessed under the rules that were in place at the time of application. If you already have a file in progress, your situation may differ — have it reviewed individually.
The sections below explain how the Entrepreneur Stream has worked and the structure Ontario uses, so you understand the pathway and can move quickly once details for the redesigned stream are published.
03 Who the Stream Is For
The Entrepreneur Stream is aimed at hands-on business owners and senior managers who intend to live in Ontario and run their business day to day. In general, it suits someone who:
- has genuine business ownership or senior management experience
- has the personal capital to invest in and grow an Ontario business
- plans to establish a new business or buy and operate an existing one in Ontario
- will be actively involved in managing the business, not a passive investor
- intends to create jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents
- wants the business to be a bridge to permanent residence through a provincial nomination
Specific eligibility factors — such as required experience, equity ownership, and business type — are defined by the OINP and are expected to be set again for the redesigned stream. Treat the points above as the general profile, not a checklist of current rules.
04 Key Requirements & Where Your Business Sits
The Entrepreneur Stream has historically been built around a few core requirements. Crucially, several of these vary by where the business is located in Ontario — generally with higher thresholds inside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and lower thresholds outside the GTA (and for certain sectors such as information and communications technology).
Personal Net Worth
You must show a minimum personal net worth. The required amount has been tiered by business location — higher inside the GTA, lower outside it.
Personal Investment
A minimum personal investment into the Ontario business is required, again set higher for GTA businesses than for those located elsewhere.
Job Creation
You must create a minimum number of full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, confirmed against your commitments.
Business Experience
Relevant business ownership or senior management experience is required, with an active management role in the Ontario business.
As of June 2026, no current dollar figures are confirmed. The net-worth, investment, and job thresholds for the redesigned Entrepreneur stream have not been published, and figures from the previous (now-revoked) stream should not be relied on. The GTA includes the City of Toronto and the regions of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. Always confirm the exact current thresholds and the GTA / non-GTA split on the official OINP page before committing any funds.
05 Expression of Interest & Selection
The Entrepreneur Stream has used a competitive, points-based Expression of Interest (EOI) system. The typical flow has been:
Register an Expression of Interest
You create an online profile and register an EOI describing your business concept and your personal profile. An EOI is not an application, and there has been no fee simply to register one.
Receive a Self-Declared Score
The EOI is scored against a points grid based on factors such as your experience, investment, jobs, and where in Ontario the business will be located.
Selection & Invitation to Apply
Ontario periodically selects candidates from the pool. Higher-ranked EOIs may receive an Invitation to Apply; being in the pool does not guarantee an invitation.
Submit a Full Application & Business Plan
If invited, you submit a detailed application with supporting documents, including a business plan, within the deadline set in the invitation.
Interview
Shortlisted applicants attend an interview with the OINP, where your plan and ability to deliver it are assessed.
What you declare in your EOI and application becomes the basis of your binding commitments later. The exact scoring, selection thresholds, and process steps will be re-set for the redesigned stream — confirm them on the official OINP page when published.
06 The Two-Step Model
A defining feature of the Entrepreneur Stream is that it is a two-step process: you generally build the business first, and the nomination comes afterward, once you have met the commitments in a performance agreement.
Step 1 — Performance Agreement & Temporary Work
If your application is approved, you sign a performance agreement setting out your investment, job-creation, and business commitments and timelines. This supports a temporary work permit so you can come to Ontario and establish or take over and operate the business.
Step 2 — Nomination Toward PR
After you operate the business and meet the terms of your performance agreement, Ontario can issue a provincial nomination. You then apply to IRCC for permanent residence, which makes the final decision.
Because the nomination depends on actually delivering your commitments, the OINP has cautioned applicants against investing before the performance agreement is signed. The specific timelines and milestones are set in each individual agreement and are expected to be reset for the redesigned stream.
07 Frequently Asked Questions
Is the OINP Entrepreneur Stream open right now?+
As of June 2026, the Entrepreneur Stream is not open to new applicants. Effective May 30, 2026, Ontario revoked its existing nominee streams — including the Entrepreneur Stream — as part of a redesign of the program, and has not yet published criteria or a launch date for the redesigned entrepreneur pathway. Confirm the current status on the official OINP page before planning.
How much money do I need to invest?+
The stream uses minimum net-worth and minimum personal investment thresholds that have varied by where the business is located in Ontario (higher inside the Greater Toronto Area, lower outside it and for some sectors). However, no current figures are confirmed for the redesigned stream as of June 2026, and earlier figures should not be relied on. Confirm the exact current amounts on the official OINP page before committing funds.
Does it cost more to start a business in Toronto than elsewhere in Ontario?+
Historically, yes — the requirements have generally been higher for businesses inside the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, and York) than for those outside the GTA, and certain sectors such as ICT have had different treatment. The province uses this structure to encourage investment across Ontario. The specific split for the redesigned stream has not yet been published.
Does the nomination give me permanent residence directly?+
No. A provincial nomination from Ontario supports your application, but permanent residence is granted by IRCC, which makes the final decision and carries out admissibility, security, and medical checks. The Entrepreneur Stream is a two-step process: you establish and operate the business first, then receive a nomination toward PR after meeting your performance agreement.
Can I buy an existing Ontario business instead of starting a new one?+
The Entrepreneur Stream has supported both establishing a new business and purchasing and operating an existing one, and Ontario's described redesign continues to reference both a new-business route and a business-succession route. Conditions apply to how a purchased business must be operated and grown, so confirm the current rules before proceeding.
Should I invest before I'm approved?+
The OINP has advised against making investments before your performance agreement is signed, because doing so is at your own risk. A licensed immigration consultant can help you sequence the steps so your investment lines up with the program's requirements rather than getting ahead of them.
Talk to a Licensed Expert
Planning a business move to Ontario?
Our regulated team — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) regulated by the CICC — can help you understand the Entrepreneur Stream, track the OINP redesign, and prepare so you're ready to move when the pathway reopens. This page is general information, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.
