Under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), the TEER category of your job offer decides which personal requirements you must meet. A TEER 0 to 3 job offers four ways to satisfy work experience, requires a one-year post-secondary credential and CLB 6 in most occupations, and gives recent Ontario graduates several shortcuts. A TEER 4 or 5 job has one fixed route: 9 months of full-time work in the job offer position, in Ontario, with the sponsoring employer within the last 2 years, plus a high school diploma and CLB 4. Meeting these minimums only makes you eligible. You still need an invitation from the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool.
Key Takeaways
- The TEER category is the second digit of the job offer’s five-digit NOC code. NOC 13102 (payroll administrators) is TEER 3.
- TEER 0 to 3 applicants can qualify on experience with the sponsoring employer, on two years of experience anywhere in the world, or on a required licence.
- TEER 4 and 5 applicants have no alternatives: 9 months with the same employer, in the same position, in Ontario.
- Recent Ontario graduates in TEER 0 to 3 jobs need only 3 months of experience and are exempt from the language test, but language scores still drive EOI points.
- Everyone needs legal status if applying from inside Canada (maintained status counts) and a real intention to live and work in Ontario.
How do you know which category applies?
Look at the job, not at your own background. The category follows the NOC code of the position your employer puts in its job offer. TEER 0 covers management, TEER 1 jobs usually need a university degree, TEER 2 and 3 usually need a college diploma, apprenticeship or on-the-job training, TEER 4 usually needs a high school diploma, and TEER 5 needs only short-term work demonstration.
The employer’s own requirements, including revenue, headcount and recruitment, are the same for both categories. We cover them in OINP employer requirements for 2026. Background on the redesign is in our post on the 2026 OINP overhaul.
Side-by-side comparison
| Requirement | TEER 0 to 3 job offer | TEER 4 or 5 job offer |
|---|---|---|
| Work experience | One of four routes (see below) | 9 months cumulative, full-time, in the job offer position with the sponsoring employer in Ontario, within the last 2 years |
| Recent Ontario graduate shortcut | Yes: 3 months, and no language test | No |
| Education | 1-year post-secondary credential; high school for listed skilled trades; licence alternative | High school diploma |
| Language | CLB 6; CLB 5 for listed skilled trades; exempt for recent Ontario graduates | CLB 4 |
| Wage | Job Bank median; low wage level for recent Ontario graduates | Job Bank median |
| Express Entry nomination option | Yes, if you also meet a federal program | No |
All language levels apply in each of the four abilities: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
TEER 0 to 3: four ways to meet work experience
You need one of the following, measured at the date you apply:
- 6 months with the sponsoring employer. Consecutive, paid, full-time work in the job offer position within the 12 months before you apply.
- 3 months for a recent Ontario graduate. Same idea, cut to 3 consecutive months within the last 12 months.
- 2 years in the same NOC anywhere in the world. Cumulative, paid, full-time experience within the last 5 years, or the part-time equivalent. Breaks are allowed. The official page allows a few cross-occupation substitutes: engineering professionals (Sub-Major Group 213) for engineering technical jobs (223), pharmacists (31120) for pharmacy assistants (33103), and licensed practical nurses (32101) or registered nurses (31301) for nurse aides and patient service associates (33102).
- A required licence. If Ontario or federal law requires a licence or authorization for the job and you hold it, you do not need to show work experience.
Truck drivers (NOC 73300) and transit operators (NOC 73301) are the exception. They must show the 6 consecutive months with the employer even if they are licensed or recent Ontario graduates.
Who counts as a recent Ontario graduate?
Someone who completed, at an eligible Ontario institution within the last 3 years, a full-time degree or diploma of at least 2 years, an Ontario College Graduate Certificate, a master’s degree or a PhD. The eligible institution list is on the OINP program page. Many international graduates reach this stream through the route described in our PGWP-to-PR guide for Ontario.
Education and language for TEER 0 to 3
The default education requirement is a post-secondary credential of at least one academic year of full-time study, Canadian or foreign with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than five years old. Listed skilled trades need only a high school diploma. Examples on the list include Major Groups 72 and 73 (technical and general trades), cooks, butchers and bakers (Minor Group 6320), and chefs (62200). Nurse aides (33102) can qualify with a one-year Ontario college certificate, and a mandatory licence can stand in for the education requirement.
Language is CLB 6 in all four abilities, or CLB 5 for the listed skilled trades. Recent Ontario graduates with a qualifying credential do not need a test to be eligible. Accepted tests are IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. OINP does not accept IELTS Academic, PTE Academic or One Skill Retake results. Results must be less than 2 years old when you apply.
TEER 4 and 5: one route, no shortcuts
The requirements are short but strict:
- Work experience: at least 9 months of cumulative, paid, full-time work in the job offer position, with the sponsoring employer, in Ontario, within the 2 years before you apply. Full-time here means at least 1,170 paid hours in a 12-month period and at least 30 hours a week.
- Education: a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent with an ECA.
- Language: CLB 4 in all four abilities.
There is no variation for recent Ontario graduates and no substitute for experience outside Ontario or with another employer. In practice this category suits workers who are already on a work permit with the Ontario employer that wants to keep them.
Requirements that apply to both categories
- Legal status in Canada if you apply from inside Canada. A visitor record, study permit or work permit, including maintained status while an extension is pending. Refugee claimants in Canada are excluded by O. Reg. 422/17, which requires in-Canada applicants to be temporary residents.
- Intention to live and work in Ontario. OINP looks at your ties: work or study in Ontario, job search, volunteering, a lease or property, visits, and professional and family networks. The LPEN instructors recommended a short narrative on Ontario ties in the application.
- Ownership limits. The instructors also flagged a rule that an applicant and their family members generally may not hold equity in the employer’s business unless it was received as part of their pay and totals under 10 per cent. Confirm the current wording of O. Reg. 422/17 before relying on this.
Eligibility is not the same as an invitation
Both categories feed an EOI pool, scored out of 130 points. Two factors make the TEER category matter beyond eligibility:
- TEER points: TEER 0 or 1 earns 9 points, TEER 2 or 3 earns 6, and TEER 4 or 5 earns 0.
- Language points: you get points only from a test, based on your lowest ability. CLB 6 earns 4 points, CLB 9 or higher earns 15, and CLB 5 or lower earns none. A recent Ontario graduate who skips the test is eligible but gives up those points.
Other factors include the region of the job (Northern Ontario scores highest, the City of Toronto scores zero), hourly wage, time in the job offer position, Canadian earnings, legal status, education and Canadian credentials. The instructors noted that occupation- and region-specific draws have made invitations hard to predict, so treat eligibility as the start, not the finish.
After nomination: the categories split again
TEER 0 to 3 nominees, and self-employed physicians, can choose nomination through Express Entry if they also meet a federal program. They then have 30 days to accept the nomination and receive 600 additional CRS points. See our overview of Express Entry draws in 2026. TEER 4 and 5 nominees, and anyone who does not use Express Entry, apply to IRCC for permanent residence through the base (non-Express Entry) provincial nominee class within 6 months of nomination. Either way, nominees may use the OINP work permit support letter to apply for a work permit while permanent residence is processed.
Frequently asked questions
Can a TEER 4 or 5 worker use experience from another employer?
No. The 9 months must be in the job offer position with the sponsoring employer, in Ontario, within the last 2 years.
I graduated from an Ontario college two years ago. Do I still need a language test?
For eligibility in a TEER 0 to 3 job, a qualifying recent Ontario credential replaces the test. For EOI scoring, you only get language points with a valid test, so most graduates still take one.
Does foreign work experience count?
Only in the TEER 0 to 3 route that requires 2 years in the same NOC within 5 years. It does not count for TEER 4 or 5.
Is IELTS Academic accepted?
No. OINP accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
Does my age affect my OINP chances?
No. Age is not a factor in this stream or in its EOI scoring.
Program details change often. Check the current OINP program page before you file, and contact us if you want your eligibility and EOI position assessed.
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Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration law and IRCC/ESDC policy change frequently, and every case turns on its own facts. Reading this article does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Obtain advice tailored to your situation before you act.
Talk to a Canadian immigration lawyer. BridgePoint Law advises individuals and businesses across Canada — and on Canada–US–China cross-border matters — on Ontario provincial nomination and permanent residence. Book a consultation with our team in Toronto and Kingston. We work in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
