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In-Demand Occupations & Jobs in Ontario (2023)

Updated: January 13th, 2023


Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province with a landmass that exceeds France and Spain combined! The large province is home to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city where Parliament Hill is located. Ontario is a popular destination for foreign nationals who immigrate to Canada. Not only does the province offer employment opportunities in its many diverse industries and in-demand occupations but working in the province comes with its own special benefits, like free healthcare with prescription medicine coverage for under 25’s and the fourth-highest income rate in Canada.

Popular attractions that you may recognize in Ontario are the Toronto CN Tower and the majestic Niagara Falls. Northern Ontario welcomes foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada and settle in the rural communities to keep it economically vibrant. In addition, skilled foreign workers can immigrate to Canada through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and choose to settle anywhere in this diverse and multicultural province.


How Does the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Work?

farm worker | jobs in-demand in Canada 2020

There are four immigration streams under the OINP which you can apply through to immigrate to Canada, and more specifically, the province of Ontario. Three out of the four Ontario streams work in conjunction with the Express Entry system which means that an Express Entry profile will be a mandatory requirement to apply to these immigration streams. The OINP welcomes foreign nationals with diverse skills to apply such as farmworkers, plumbers, nurses and managers in various occupations. Learn more about the in-demand occupations and jobs in Ontario below:

  • Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream
  • Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
  • Human Capital Priorities Stream
  • OINP Tech Draw
  • Skilled Trades Stream
  • French-Speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) Stream

Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

Semi-skilled workers such as truck drivers and farm workers can immigrate to Canada through the In-Demand Skills Immigration Stream if they have a job offer within an in-demand occupation from an employer in Ontario.

The Ontario in-demand occupations under this stream are the following:


Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream (Anywhere in Ontario)
NOC CODE Eligible Occupations
3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
4412 Home support workers and related occupations, excluding housekeepers
7441 Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7511 Transport truck drivers
7521 Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
7611 Construction trades helpers and labourers
8431 General farmworkers
8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers
8611 Harvesting labourers
9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream (Outside the Greater Toronto Area)
NOC CODE Eligible Occupations
9411 Machine operators, mineral and metal processing
9416 Metalworking and forging machine operators
9417 Machining tool operators
9418 Other metal products machine operators
9421 Chemical plant machine operators
9422 Plastics processing machine operators
9437 Woodworking machine operators
9446 Industrial sewing machine operators
9461 Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing
9523 Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers
9526 Mechanical assemblers and inspectors
9536 Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators
9537 Other products assemblers, finishers and inspectors


Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream

Highly-skilled workers can immigrate to Canada through the In-Demand Skills Immigration Stream if they have a job offer within an skilled occupation from an employer in Ontario classified as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
Skill Type Example Occupations (NOC)
0 - Jobs in Management Positions NOC 0111 Financial managers
A - Professional Jobs NOC 3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
B - Technical Jobs and Skilled Trades NOC 7251 Plumber

The Ontario in-demand occupations under this stream are the following:

Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream

This PNP stream works in conjunction with the Express Entry System. That means in order to immigrate to Canada you must create an Express Entry profile and be eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program or the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). You must also have a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree or its equivalent in another country. A job offer is not required.

The Ontario in-demand occupations for this stream are broad and therefore classified under three skill types namely; Jobs in Management (O), Professional Jobs (A), and Technical Jobs or Skilled Trades (B):


Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream
Skill Type Example Occupations (NOC)
0 - Jobs in Management Positions NOC 0111 Financial managers
A - Professional Jobs NOC 3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
B - Technical Jobs and Skilled Trades NOC 7251 Plumber

OINP Tech Draws

Ontario is searching Express Entry draw pools for targeted in-demand occupations. Candidates will have to meet the Human Capital Priorities Stream as well as have work experience in one of the targeted occupations listed below.

Eligible OINP Occupations
  • Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
  • Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
  • Computer engineers (NOC 2147)
  • Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
  • Database analysts and data administrators
  • Computer and information systems managers (NOC0213)


Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

For skilled individuals in specific trades who don’t meet all of the eligibility requirements for the Human Capital Stream, may qualify for the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream. Post-secondary education is not a requirement and you don’t need a job offer.

The Ontario in-demand occupations under the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream are the following:

Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream
Skill Type Example Occupations
Minor Group 633 Butchers and bakers
Major Group 72
Industrial, electrical and construction trades
Major Group 73
Maintenance and equipment operation trades
Major Group 82
Supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production

Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

Do you speak French and English proficiently? If yes, then the Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream may be your perfect path to immigrate to Canada. You are required to create an Express Entry profile and meet the qualifying criteria for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program or the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). You must also have a Canadian Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree or its equivalent in another country. A job offer is not required.

The Ontario in-demand occupations for this stream are broad and therefore classified under three skill types namely; Jobs in Management (O), Professional Jobs (A) and Technical Jobs or Skilled Trades (B):


Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream
Skill Type Example Occupations (NOC)
0 - Jobs in Management Positions NOC 0124 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers
A - Professional Jobs NOC 5121 Authors and writers
B - Technical Jobs and Skilled Trades NOC 7281 Boilermakers

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What career is in high demand right now?

Jobs in the technology sector are most in high demand right now, although there is also a growing need for workers in the healthcare and service industries. According to Business Insider, here are the top in demand jobs in tech for 2022:

  • Artificial intelligence specialist
  • Data Scientist
  • Robotics Engineer
  • Full Stack Engineer
  • Cloud Engineer
  • Sales Development Representative
  • Cybersecurity Specialist
  • Behavioral Health Technician
  • Customer Success Specialist
  • JavaScript Developer

2. What jobs will be in demand in Ontario in 2025?

According to Job Bank Canada, the following jobs are expected to have good prospects and will be in demand over the next three years:

  • Engineering managers
  • Computer and information systems managers
  • Managers in healthcare
  • Architecture and science managers
  • Restaurant and food service managers
  • Home building and renovation managers
  • Financial auditors and accountants
  • Medical and administrative assistants
  • Electrical and electronics engineers
  • Computer engineers

These are just a few of the top jobs needed in the province and will vary from city to city.

3. What is a good salary in Ontario in 2022?

The average salary that most people earn in Ontario is around $60,000 per year or $30.77 per hour. This is well above the national average, which is about $54,630 per year. A good salary in Ontario is anywhere between $55,524 to $52,600. Salaries in Ontario for entry-level positions start at around $41,438 but you could stand to earn as much as $113,250 per year, after a few years of experience.

How We Can Help You Apply

If your occupation is in-demand in Ontario and you want to immigrate to Canada through the OINP, you’re on the right track. At migrantzone.com, we specialize in all Canadian immigration categories and boast a 97% success rate. Our team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are qualified, authorized, and trusted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to find the perfect immigration program for you and to further handle the entire immigration process on your behalf.

We minimize the stress and optimize your success! Apply today to get your dream job in Ontario.