Ontario Relaunches REDI Immigration Initiative in Six Communities Through 2027

The renewed REDI initiative¹ will run until the end of 2027. The initiative operates through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)² and will reserve provincial nomination spaces for participating communities facing labour shortages.

The latest round includes several communities in Northern and Eastern Ontario, with only one returning from the previous REDI pilot.

Key Takeaways

• Ontario has relaunched its REDI initiative in six communities, with the program running until December 2027.
• Participating communities will receive dedicated provincial nomination spaces to help local employers address labour shortages.
• Foreign workers must meet existing OINP eligibility requirements.

What Is Ontario’s Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) Initiative?

The REDI initiative is designed to help smaller Ontario communities address labour shortages by attracting skilled foreign workers who want to settle permanently in the province. REDI is not a new immigration stream. Instead, it operates within the OINP.

Rather than concentrating immigration in major urban centres such as Toronto, the initiative directs some provincial nomination opportunities toward communities with specific workforce needs.

The initiative builds on Ontario’s earlier regional immigration efforts, which began with a three-community pilot in 2020.

In January 2025, Ontario launched a new REDI pilot involving four communities:

• Lanark County
• Leeds and Grenville
• Sarnia-Lambton
• Thunder Bay

Of these, only Thunder Bay has been selected to participate in the latest round.

According to the Ontario government, nearly 1,000 workers have been nominated through its REDI initiatives to date, including workers in health care and skilled trades.

Which Ontario Communities Are Participating in REDI in 2026–2027?

The 2026–2027 REDI initiative³ includes six participating communities and districts:

• Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury
• Kenora District
• Nipissing District
• Rainy River District
• Renfrew County
• Thunder Bay

These communities will receive dedicated provincial nomination spaces to help local employers attract and retain foreign workers. However, Ontario has not yet announced how the nomination spaces will be allocated.

Communities were assessed based on several factors, including local labour shortages, particularly in health care, cultural diversity, level of employer participation, and their ability to support newcomers settling in the region.

Who Can Apply Under Ontario’s New REDI Initiative?

Foreign workers interested in the new REDI initiative must meet the eligibility requirements of an existing OINP immigration stream.

There is no separate REDI application process.

Following Ontario’s major immigration program restructuring earlier this year, the Ontario Workforce Priority stream is currently the province’s main active immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers.

The Ontario Workforce Priority stream generally targets candidates who:

• Have an eligible permanent, full-time job offer in any TEER category from an Ontario employer that meets the program requirements.
• Meet the applicable education, work experience, language proficiency, and all other eligibility requirements, depending on their occupation and circumstances.

Certain self-employed physicians may also qualify without a job offer.

To benefit from REDI, candidates must meet the applicable OINP requirements and qualify for consideration under the initiative’s regional priorities.

Having a job offer in a participating community does not automatically guarantee an invitation or provincial nomination.

Candidates who receive a provincial nomination must still apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.

How Does REDI Fit into Ontario’s Immigration Changes in 2026?

The relaunch comes just months after Ontario introduced sweeping changes to its provincial immigration program.

In June 2026, the province eliminated eight existing OINP streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority stream as part of a broader restructuring.

The new stream consolidated immigration pathways for foreign workers with eligible job offers across all five TEER categories, as well as certain self-employed physicians. It also introduced more flexible employer revenue requirementsfor certain rural communities, making it easier for qualifying employers in these areas to participate in the program.

REDI adds yet another regional dimension to this selection process by directing nomination opportunities toward specific communities.

The province has not yet announced when invitations will be issued under the relaunched initiative.

What Does the REDI Relaunch Mean for Foreign Workers?

If you are working in one of the six participating communities, or have an eligible job offer there, REDI could improve your chances of receiving an Ontario provincial nomination.

However, you must still meet the requirements of the relevant OINP stream, and selection is not guaranteed.

If you are considering moving to one of these communities, check whether your occupation and job offer qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority stream before making plans.

With REDI running through December 2027, the initiative offers another potential permanent residence opportunity for workers willing to build their future outside Ontario’s largest urban centres.

Sources

1. Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative, Ontario Government
2. Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), Ontario Government
3. 2026 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates