OINP Self Employed Physician Stream Calculator
The only OINP pathway with no job offer and no employer. Score yourself out of 115 across the nine factors that apply to physicians.
Occupation points
19 / 19 autoAwarded automatically: physicians are TEER 1 in the health category, the top-scoring combination on the grid. Wage does not apply (max 115).
Canadian work & status
up to 36 ptsEducation
up to 20 ptsForeign credentials need an ECA report less than 5 years old.
Language
up to 25 ptsOINP accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP General and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. Academic versions aren't accepted, and results must be less than 2 years old.
Where is the job located?
up to 15 ptsThe same job scores 15 points more in Thunder Bay than in Toronto; regionalization is the biggest new lever.
Eligibility gate
pass / failThese are requirements, not points. All must be true.
Where you stand
How your profile actually reads under the new grid: strengths, gaps, and what the score means in context.
Answer the questions above and your personalized analysis appears here, live.
Highest impact next steps
Ranked by points gained for effort required, recalculated live as your answers change.
Complete the calculator to unlock your ranked action plan.
Why physicians score out of 115, not 130
Ontario's grid contains eleven factors. Ten apply to everyone; the eleventh, hourly wage, worth 15 points, applies only to applicants with an employer setting a wage. A self employed physician has no such employer, so the factor is removed rather than scored at zero, and the ceiling drops to 115.
This matters when comparing yourself to other candidates. A physician at 92 has claimed 80% of the available points; a skilled worker at 92 has claimed 71%. If Ontario draws physicians separately, which the pathway structure suggests it will, you are being ranked against other physicians on the same 115-point scale, not against the general pool.
- Job offer required
- No, the only OINP pathway without one
- Maximum score
- 115 points across 9 scoring factors
- Occupation points
- 19 of 19, awarded automatically (TEER 1, health category)
- Biggest factor
- Ontario practice experience, 18 points
- Biggest controllable factor
- Practice region, up to 15 points
- Language minimum
- CLB / NCLC 6 in all four abilities
- Core credentials
- OHIP billing number + CPSO certificate of registration
- Express Entry route
- Available; an accepted nomination adds 600 CRS points
The three levers that actually move a physician's score
Everything else (your medical degree, your occupation category, your TEER level) is already at or near maximum by virtue of being a physician. That is unusual on this grid, and it means your profile is decided by a small number of variables. It also means the analysis is simple: if you are practising outside the GTA with CLB 9 and two years in Ontario, you are close to the ceiling.
Eligibility comes before points
The scoring grid ranks candidates who already qualify. For physicians the gate is short but absolute:
- An OHIP billing number for your Ontario practice.
- An eligible certificate of registration from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
- CLB / NCLC 6 in all four language abilities, on a test less than two years old.
- An ECA less than five years old if your medical degree was earned outside Canada.
- Genuine intention to practise in Ontario.
None of these are scored. Missing any one of them ends the application at any score. Full eligibility requirements →
What happens after a nomination
A nomination is Ontario's recommendation, not permanent residence. You then apply to IRCC, and because physicians can use the Express Entry route, an accepted nomination adds 600 CRS points to your federal profile. Federal draw cutoffs have never approached that number, so a nomination is effectively decisive at the federal stage. How the two systems connect →
Physician pathway FAQ
Direct answers to what physicians ask most about this pathway.
Can a physician apply to the OINP without a job offer?
Yes. Self employed physicians are the only applicants under Ontario's Workforce Priority stream who do not need an employer or a job offer. You apply on the strength of your own practice, using an OHIP billing number and a certificate of registration from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
What is the maximum OINP score for a self employed physician?
115 points, not 130. The hourly wage factor is worth 15 points and does not apply to physicians because there is no employer setting a wage. Every other factor scores normally, so a physician scoring 90 out of 115 holds a proportionally stronger profile than a worker scoring 90 out of 130.
Do I need an OHIP billing number before I apply?
Yes. An OHIP billing number is an eligibility requirement, not a scoring factor; without one you cannot use this pathway regardless of your score. It demonstrates that you are practising, or are authorised to practise, and bill within Ontario's health system.
How is a physician's Ontario work experience scored?
On cumulative medical practice in Ontario rather than time in a single employer's position. More than 24 months earns the maximum 18 points, 13 to 24 months earns 15, and 6 to 12 months earns 12. This is the heaviest single factor on the grid.
Does where I practise affect my score?
Substantially. Region is worth up to 15 points and is based on your practice address. Northern Ontario scores 15, Eastern, Southwestern and Central Ontario outside the GTA score 10, the GTA excluding Toronto scores 5, and the City of Toronto scores 0. For a physician this is often the single largest controllable factor.
What language level do physicians need?
CLB or NCLC 6 in all four abilities is the eligibility minimum. For scoring, CLB 9 or higher earns 15 points, CLB 8 earns 12, CLB 7 earns 8 and CLB 6 earns only 4, so clearing the floor still leaves 11 points unclaimed.
Is a medical degree worth extra education points?
Yes. A degree in medicine sits in the top education band alongside a doctorate, worth the maximum 10 points. If the degree was earned outside Canada it needs an Educational Credential Assessment less than five years old.
Can physicians be nominated through Express Entry?
Yes. Self employed physicians may choose the Express Entry route, and an accepted provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points to your federal profile, which in practice guarantees an invitation to apply at the next draw.
Discuss this pathway with the GetNorthPath team
A score is a starting point. Eligibility, employer requirements, timing and Express Entry alignment decide whether it becomes a nomination.
- Full eligibility review: stream criteria, employer checks & documents
- Score maximization plan: which levers are realistic, in what order
- Express Entry strategy: a nomination adds 600 CRS points
- Flat pricing: full application management from $299 CAD with RCIC review
Physician pathways are decided on details
Registration category, billing status, practice structure and timing all change what's possible. Twenty minutes with someone who handles these regularly is worth more than another point.
- Full eligibility review: stream criteria, employer checks & document readiness
- Score maximization plan: which levers are realistic for you, in what order
- Express Entry alignment: a nomination adds 600 CRS points
No obligation. If OINP isn't your best route, we'll say so.