Ontario Skilled Trades Stream (OINP)
The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream is closed. Ontario closed it as of 30 May 2026, and its only worker route now is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which needs a job offer. Here is what that means for files in process and for tradespeople planning now.
Status: closed as of 30 May 2026
Skilled Trades stream status at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Status | Closed as of 30 May 2026, as part of the OINP redesign |
| Legal change | Ontario Regulation 422/17 amendments in force 25 June 2026 removed the eight former streams |
| Replaced by | Ontario Workforce Priority stream (job offer required) |
| New invitations | None under the former streams |
| Applied to Ontario after an invitation | Assessed against the requirements in effect when you submitted |
| Express Entry profile | Unaffected: it is a federal profile and stays in the pool while valid |
If you were already in process
Ontario says applications submitted following an invitation under a former stream "will continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when the application was submitted." Under this stream the invitation was a notification of interest sent to your Express Entry profile. If Ontario nominates you, you accept the nomination in your Express Entry profile, where it is worth 600 CRS points (IRCC CRS criteria), and IRCC makes the final decision.
What replaced it: the Ontario Workforce Priority stream
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream opened its Expression of Interest portal on 4 August 2026 and covers every NOC TEER. For trades in TEER 0 to 3 it needs a full-time, permanent job offer, CLB 6 (CLB 5 for certain occupations) and recent experience in the position or the occupation. For TEER 4 and 5 jobs it needs CLB 4, a Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent, and nine months with the job offer employer in the last two years. Ontario says some occupations have alternate criteria under the regulation. The big change for tradespeople is the job offer: the old stream needed none. Our OINP points calculator shows how a job offer would score.
What the stream required (historical)
| Requirement | Rule as the stream last operated |
|---|---|
| Intake | An Express Entry profile and a notification of interest from Ontario |
| Job offer | Not required (no job needed at the time of applying) |
| Work experience | One year of paid work in Ontario in an eligible trade (NOC Major Groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 93 or Minor Group 6320, with exclusions) in the last two years |
| Licence | A valid Ontario certificate or licence for compulsory trades |
| Residence and status | Living in Ontario with a valid work permit (or maintained status) when applying |
| Language | CLB 5 in English or French |
| Other | Settlement funds and intention to live in Ontario |
Your options now
With an Ontario job offer, start with the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Without one, look at Federal Skilled Trades, the Canadian Experience Class and IRCC's category-based rounds, which include trade occupations, and check your score with our CRS calculator. Wild Mountain Immigration works under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497); start on the contact page for an honest assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream still open?
No. Ontario's archived stream page says the Express Entry Skilled Trades stream was closed as of 30 May 2026, as part of the OINP redesign. Amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 that came into force on 25 June 2026 removed it with seven other streams and created the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
What is the Ontario route for tradespeople now?
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which needs a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer. Trades in TEER 0 to 3 use the TEER 0 to 3 pathway (CLB 6, or CLB 5 for certain occupations), and TEER 4 and 5 jobs such as trades helpers use the TEER 4 to 5 pathway (CLB 4 and nine months with the job offer employer in the last two years). Ontario says some occupations have alternate criteria under the regulation.
I applied to Ontario after a notification of interest. What happens now?
Ontario says applications submitted following an invitation under a former stream continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements in effect when the application was submitted. Under this Express Entry stream the invitation was a notification of interest. A nomination must still be accepted in your Express Entry profile, where it is worth 600 CRS points.
Can I still use Express Entry as a tradesperson?
Yes. Your Express Entry profile is federal and is not affected by the OINP change. IRCC runs category-based rounds for trade occupations, and the Federal Skilled Trades and Canadian Experience Class programs are still open through Express Entry.
Working in a trade in Ontario?
Get started with a licensed RCIC for an honest read on the routes still open now that the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream has closed.
A licensed RCIC replies by email, usually within two business days.
Licensed RCIC Nicola Wightman, CICC licence R706497.Verify on the CICC public register (opens in a new tab)