Ontario halts its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has announced the immediate suspension of its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream, citing issues related to systematic misrepresentation.

As a result, individuals currently applying under the Skilled Trades Stream will no longer have the option to seek a provincial nomination through this route. The province will cease to accept new applications for the Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream and will return all applications that are currently pending under this program. Applicants whose submissions are returned will receive a refund of their application fees.

The OINP has not provided any information regarding the potential resumption of this stream for new applications in the future.

For those who previously applied to the OINP's Skilled Trades Stream, an alternative pathway may be available through the Trade occupation category within the Express Entry system. This is feasible as these applicants were required to have a valid Express Entry profile to qualify for the now-defunct stream.

Typically, category-based selection draws within Express Entry have lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score thresholds compared to more general or program-specific draws. For instance, the latest Trade category draw had a CRS cut-off score of 505, while the most recent Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw had a cut-off score of 533.

Candidates must meet the fundamental eligibility criteria for one of the Express Entry programs, which include the CEC, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Additionally, they must have accumulated at least six months of work experience in an eligible occupation within the Trade category during the past three years.

A list of eligible occupations for the Trade category can be found in the accompanying table.

For more information regarding category-based selection draws in the Express Entry system, please refer to our dedicated webpage.

In its announcement, the OINP clarified that candidates who applied for the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream have the option to submit new profiles for other OINP streams, provided they meet the necessary eligibility requirements. This includes both Express Entry-aligned (or enhanced) Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams, such as the Skilled Trades stream, as well as non-Express Entry-aligned (or base) PNP streams.

It is important to note that, unlike enhanced PNP streams under the OINP, base streams require candidates to submit a profile through the OINP's Expression of Interest (EOI) system, rather than selecting candidate profiles from the Express Entry system.

The decision to suspend the Skilled Trades Stream and return all outstanding applications is based on concerns regarding program integrity, compliance, and labor market issues. An internal review conducted by the OINP revealed significant instances of misrepresentation and/or fraud related to the eligibility criteria of the Skilled Trades Stream.

The immigration authorities of the province have concluded that they are unable to accurately evaluate whether applicants for the Skilled Trades Stream fulfill the eligibility requirements of the program. Consequently, Ontario has recognized that the existing framework of the Skilled Trades Stream is susceptible to systemic exploitation, which adversely affects the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program's (OINP) capacity to nominate newcomers capable of addressing essential labor shortages in the province.

These recent developments arise in light of the OINP's significant decrease in its immigrant nomination quota for 2025, a factor that provincial immigration officials referenced in their decision to terminate the Skilled Trades Stream.

With a restricted number of nomination spots available, many Provincial Nominee Programs, including the OINP, have adopted a more cautious approach to their nominations, prioritizing newcomers who can meet labor market demands. Given the inherent lack of clarity in the current structure of the Skilled Trades Stream regarding this issue, the OINP has opted to discontinue the stream entirely in an effort to more effectively utilize its limited nomination allocation.

It is advisable to consult with a qualified immigration representative for further guidance.

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Source: This article is sourced from CIC News.

Credit: This article is sourced from CIC News.

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