Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream (Closed)
The Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream was a former pathway under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) for Express Entry candidates with qualifying skilled-trades work experience in Ontario. It was designed for workers in eligible trade occupations and did not require a permanent job offer from an Ontario employer, although applicants still had to meet provincial and federal eligibility requirements. Ontario suspended the stream on November 14, 2025, and it was formally closed on June 25, 2026, as part of the OINP redesign. It is no longer available for new applications. Skilled trades workers must now review the current OINP pathways, including the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream, to determine which option may fit their occupation, job offer and circumstances.
Ontario Skilled Trades Stream
Before it closed, the Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream was designed for candidates with qualifying skilled trades work experience in Ontario who had an active Express Entry profile and received a Notification of Interest from Ontario.
Applicants needed to:
- meet the requirements of the federal Canadian Experience Class
- have at least one year of cumulative, paid work experience in Ontario within the previous 2 years in an eligible skilled trade
- have an active Express Entry profile
- meet a minimum language level of CLB 5 in English or French in all four abilities
- meet the applicable settlement funds requirement
- intend to live in Ontario
- have legal status in Canada where required
A job offer was not required.
Under the NOC classification used by the stream at the time, eligible work experience had to be in specified skilled trades occupations, including Major Groups 72, 73 and 82, as well as Minor Group 633.
Candidates could not apply directly. Ontario selected candidates from the federal Express Entry pool and issued a Notification of Interest before they could submit an OINP application.
The stream was aligned with the federal Express Entry system, but applicants had to qualify under the Canadian Experience Class, not the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Skilled Trades Stream Closure and Current Options
Ontario suspended the Skilled Trades Stream on November 14, 2025, following a program review that identified systemic concerns related to compliance, enforcement, misrepresentation and fraud. Ontario stopped accepting applications, returned outstanding applications and refunded the associated application fees.
The stream was formally closed on June 25, 2026, as part of Phase 1 of Ontario’s OINP redesign, which removed the former eight streams and introduced the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. The Skilled Trades Stream is no longer available for new applications or invitations.
Skilled trades workers interested in Ontario immigration should now review the current OINP pathways. Skilled trades workers may qualify under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream depending on their NOC occupation, TEER category, qualifying Ontario job offer and the other applicable stream requirements.
Unlike the former Skilled Trades Stream, the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream generally requires a qualifying Ontario job offer, except for its separate self-employed physician pathway.
