The Ontario government says it will bring historic labour mobility and free-trade regulations into force on Jan. 1, 2026, breaking down interprovincial barriers for workers and businesses while strengthening the province’s economic resilience.
The changes, announced by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, are part of a broader plan to protect Ontario and Canadian workers and build a unified workforce capable of responding to U.S. tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, new “As of Right” labour mobility regulations will allow in-demand certified professionals, including architects, engineers, geoscientists, land surveyors and electricians, to begin working in Ontario within 10 business days once their credentials and requirements are confirmed by the applicable Ontario regulator. The government says the rule will apply across professions overseen by more than 50 regulatory authorities and covering more than 300 certifications, helping employers fill critical roles more quickly and supporting workers moving between provinces.
“By streamlining the process for certified professionals from other Canadian jurisdictions to work in Ontario, we’re opening doors for talent and driving economic growth,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “These changes create new opportunities for workers and businesses, strengthen our province’s competitiveness and use a Canada-first approach to take on global economic uncertainty.”
The government says the labour mobility reforms are part of a broader suite of regulatory changes taking effect Jan. 1, 2026. Ontario is also expanding access to health-care talent by extending “As of Right” rules to 16 additional regulated health professions. The province says this will further strengthen Ontario’s health-care workforce while maintaining regulatory oversight, and includes steps toward automatic recognition of physicians and nurses who are registered and in good standing in other provinces and territories, allowing them to continue practising in Ontario more quickly.
“Our government is cutting red tape so physicians, nurses, and other regulated health professionals from across Canada can start working in Ontario sooner,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. “By strengthening labour mobility, we’re making it easier for qualified professionals to practise here and helping people get the right care, in the right place, where and when they need it.”
Ontario’s labour mobility measures are tied to a broader effort to unlock free trade within Canada. Since April 2025, the province has signed economic cooperation memorandums of understanding with 10 provinces and territories aimed at strengthening interprovincial trade, enhancing economic resilience and reducing regulatory barriers. The government recently published a draft regulation under the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025, which would allow for the mutual recognition of goods and services from other reciprocating Canadian jurisdictions. The province says this would reduce red tape, accelerate market access and eliminate the need for businesses to comply with multiple regulatory regimes.
“In the face of uncertainty, our government has taken unprecedented action to break down internal trade barriers and address the burdensome regulations that have restricted our domestic and national economies,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By advancing the mutual recognition of goods and services and making it easier for workers to expand their trades into other provinces and territories, we are laying the foundation for a secure, competitive and prosperous future.”
As Canada’s largest interprovincial trader, Ontario says its initiatives are helping create momentum across the country to reduce internal trade barriers and open access to new markets and customers amid global market volatility. The government estimates that internal trade barriers cost the Canadian economy up to $200 billion annually and raise prices for families and businesses by as much as 14.5 per cent. In Ontario, the removal of those barriers could boost GDP by up to $23 billion each year.
The province says the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 is intended to give businesses and workers a stronger competitive edge by encouraging broad adoption of mutual recognition across the country, lowering regulatory compliance costs and unlocking new economic opportunities. Ontario’s approach to internal trade has been recognized by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which awarded the province an overall grade of A in its 2025 Interprovincial Cooperation Report Card.
According to the government, about 3,000 labour mobility applications were processed in 2023 across 14 regulated professions and 23 compulsory trades governed under Ontario’s Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006. Approximately 20 per cent of occupations in Canada are regulated, and the new “As of Right” rules apply to more than 50 Ontario regulatory authorities under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009. Since 2018, Ontario says it has supported a record number of new health-care professionals, including more than 100,000 new nurses and nearly 20,000 additional physicians, with family doctors increasing by more than 14 per cent. The province also says it is working with other jurisdictions to harmonize occupational health and safety training standards to further streamline interprovincial pathways to work.
