New rules from January 2026 will clear the path for certified workers and give businesses faster access to talent in Ontario
Ontario is flipping the script on how Canadians work across borders. In a bold move to reshape the national labour landscape, the province will introduce sweeping new labour mobility and trade regulations from Jan. 1, 2026. For workers and businesses alike, it’s the kind of regulatory shake-up that comes once in a generation.
Dubbed “As of Right” rules, the changes mean certified professionals from any Canadian province or territory—engineers, architects, electricians and more—can start working in Ontario within 10 business days of having their credentials confirmed. No long delays. No duplicate paperwork. No barriers to entry.
David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, said the shift is designed to remove friction in the labour market and help employers move faster. “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,” Piccini said in an official press release.
The rules apply to more than 50 regulatory authorities and 300 certifications. It’s a game-changer for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which often don’t have the legal teams or spare resources to navigate the patchwork of licensing requirements between provinces. For businesses that need to move fast, this policy finally catches up to reality.
What Ontario’s labour mobility changes mean for certified workers and SMBs
Until now, certified professionals moving between provinces faced lengthy delays, even when fully qualified. That created bottlenecks for employers and limited opportunities for workers ready to hit the ground running. With these changes, the system puts trust in professionals and lifts the administrative burden on everyone.
For SMBs, the impact is immediate. Faster access to qualified talent means faster project kick-offs, quicker backfills and less time spent on regulatory paperwork. In sectors like construction, tech, manufacturing and skilled trades, where SMBs make up the backbone, access to workers has been one of the biggest pain points in recent years.
This isn’t a theoretical benefit. SMBs across the country will now have the ability to tap into a truly national talent pool without being hamstrung by provincial borders.
Labour mobility in health care: fixing the pipeline faster
Ontario is also applying the “As of Right” approach to its health care workforce. Sixteen regulated health professions are being added to the mobility framework, alongside new steps to automatically recognize physicians and nurses who are registered and in good standing elsewhere in Canada.
Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, said in the same statement that the goal is to close access gaps and get qualified professionals into the system faster. “Our government is cutting red tape so physicians, nurses and other regulated health professionals from across Canada can start working in Ontario sooner,” said 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.”
For SMBs operating in allied health and community services, this opens new pathways to hire talent quickly and meet growing demand.
Trade barriers have cost Canadians billions
Labour is just one piece of the puzzle. These changes form part of a larger strategy to break down interprovincial trade barriers that have long held back Canadian businesses. Since April 2025, Ontario has signed economic cooperation memorandums with 10 provinces and territories, laying the groundwork for a more unified internal market.
Under the new Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025, goods and services from other “reciprocating” provinces will be automatically recognized in Ontario. That means businesses won’t need to re-certify what’s already approved elsewhere, saving time, money and compliance headaches.
Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, said the province is taking action to address long-standing inefficiencies. “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,” Fedeli said.
The scale of the opportunity is hard to ignore. Trade barriers within Canada cost the national economy up to $200 billion a year. Ontario estimates its own GDP could grow by as much as $23 billion annually if these barriers are removed.
How Ontario’s new regulations reshape hiring for SMBs across Canada
For employers, especially SMBs that make up more than 98 per cent of all Canadian businesses, these reforms aren’t just regulatory updates. They’re an unlock. Less time waiting means more time building. Less red tape means more flexibility to grow across provinces.
For founders and operators used to being slowed down by credentialing complexity, the message is clear: Ontario is making it easier to grow your team and your business, no matter where talent comes from.
It’s also a win for workers. The new rules give certified professionals more freedom to move where opportunity leads without having to start over. That makes career planning easier and job mobility a real option, not a paperwork nightmare.
Ontario is betting on a Canada that acts more like one economy, and less like 13. It’s a big swing. But for businesses ready to hire, expand and move fast, it’s exactly what’s needed.
