Ontario Skilled Trades Stream (OINP)
The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream closed on 25 June 2026. It nominated tradespeople with Ontario work experience in an eligible trade, an Express Entry-aligned route that added 600 CRS points. New candidates now apply through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream.
This stream closed on 25 June 2026
Key takeaways
The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream closed on 25 June 2026; new candidates apply through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which requires an Ontario job offer. It was an enhanced, Express Entry-aligned OINP stream for tradespeople with recent Ontario experience in an eligible trade: Ontario selected candidates from the Express Entry pool through a Notification of Interest, and a nomination added 600 CRS points.
- The stream closed on 25 June 2026; new candidates use the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which requires a job offer.
- The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream was an enhanced OINP stream for tradespeople with recent Ontario work experience in an eligible trade.
- You needed an Express Entry profile in the Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class.
- A nomination added +600 CRS points.
- Ontario selected candidates from the pool by issuing a Notification of Interest (NOI).
The rules below are archival
What is the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream?
The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream is an Express Entry-aligned stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)built for tradespeople who already have a federal Express Entry profile and have been working in Ontario in an eligible skilled trade. It sits in the OINP's Human Capital category alongside the Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams.
Ontario runs the country's largest provincial program, with a 2026 nomination allocation of roughly 14,119 across all streams, the biggest of any PNP (source: ontario.ca / IRCC, May 2026). Because the Skilled Trades Stream is enhanced, a nomination is tied directly to your Express Entry profile rather than leading to a separate paper application. In short, the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream rewards tradespeople who are already working in the province: a nomination through it adds 600 CRS points to your Express Entry score and points your file at federal permanent residence rather than a separate provincial process.
Built for trades workers already in Ontario
What are the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream eligibility requirements?
OINP skilled trades eligibility rests on a connected set of requirements you must satisfy at the time Ontario reviews your profile and when you apply. Miss any one of them and the application can be refused: the wrong NOC code, experience gained outside the qualifying window, or a language ability one band short.
Depending on your occupation, trade certification in Ontario (for example a Certificate of Qualification) may also be expected as evidence of your skill level. The table below summarises the core requirements; the official, controlling list lives on ontario.ca and is changing under the 2026 redesign.
| Requirement | What the stream asks for |
|---|---|
| Express Entry profile | An active profile in the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC) at the time you receive a Notification of Interest |
| Ontario work experience | At least 1 year of cumulative, paid, full-time (or equivalent part-time) Ontario experience in an eligible trade, gained in the 24 months before applying |
| Eligible trade (NOC) | Your experience must be in an eligible skilled-trade occupation, typically NOC major groups 72, 73, 82, 92 and 632/633 (verify your code on ontario.ca) |
| Language | Meet the federal minimum for your Express Entry program, generally CLB 5 (speaking/listening) and CLB 4 (reading/writing), approved test valid 2 years |
| Legal status | If applying from inside Canada, you must have legal status (e.g. a valid work permit); applicants from abroad must satisfy the program's residency rules |
| Intent to reside | You must intend to live and work in Ontario after becoming a permanent resident |
| Settlement funds | Sufficient funds (or eligible Ontario employment income) to support yourself and any family, unless exempt |
Language is measured on your weakest relevant ability
Which trades are eligible for the OINP Skilled Trades Stream?
The stream covers a broad set of Express Entry trades in Ontario, drawn from the skilled-trade NOC major groups. Construction and industrial trades feature heavily, electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters and heavy-equipment technicians, alongside chefs, cooks, butchers and bakers, and certain agricultural and processing supervisory roles.
Many of these are in-demand trades across Canada, and several line up with Red Seal trade designations, so an Ontario construction trades PR path through this stream often suits workers whose occupation also appears in federal Express Entry trades draws. The grid below shows the NOC major groups that have historically qualified; the exact eligible trade NOC list for Ontario is set by the province and changes, so confirm your specific code on ontario.ca.
| NOC major group | Covers (examples) |
|---|---|
| 72, Technical trades & transport officers | Electricians, plumbers, welders, machinists, heavy-equipment and automotive technicians |
| 73, General trades | Carpenters, bricklayers, construction trades helpers, painters, roofers |
| 82, Supervisors & technical jobs (natural resources, agriculture) | Agricultural service contractors, supervisors in landscaping, logging and mining support |
| 92, Processing & manufacturing supervisors / central control | Supervisors in food and beverage processing, plastics and chemical processing operators |
| 632 / 633, Chefs, cooks & specialised butchers/bakers | Chefs, cooks, butchers and bakers |
How do Notifications of Interest (NOIs) work?
The Skilled Trades Stream does not run a standalone application queue, it selects candidates from the federal Express Entry pool by issuing a Notification of Interest (NOI). Ontario reviews profiles and sends an NOI to candidates who appear to meet the stream's criteria, often in targeted rounds aimed at specific trade occupations or score ranges. An NOI is an invitation to apply to the OINP, it is not a nomination, and it is not permanent residence. Once you receive one, you have a limited window (historically 14 days) to submit a complete online application to the OINP.
Two rules that trip people up
How does the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream +600 CRS boost work?
This is the single biggest advantage of an enhanced stream. Because the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream is aligned with federal Express Entry, once Ontario nominates you and you accept the nomination in your profile, IRCC adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. That boost lifts most candidates well above the cut-off. In recent rounds it has been more than enough to earn an Invitation to Apply at the next Express Entry draw, though IRCC still issues it. The table below shows the practical difference between Ontario's enhanced and base routes.
| Feature | Skilled Trades (enhanced) | A base OINP stream |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry profile | Required (FST or CEC) | Not required |
| Effect of nomination | Adds 600 CRS points | Leads to a separate IRCC paper application |
| Selection trigger | Notification of Interest from the EE pool | Direct application or EOI within the stream |
| Federal processing | ~6 months (Express Entry PR) | Generally longer (paper-based) |
| Effect of +600 CRS | Well above recent draw cut-offs | No CRS points added |
Not sure where your federal score sits today? Our free CRS calculator estimates your Express Entry score before the OINP boost, so you can see how close you are to a competitive position in the pool.
How to apply for the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream
How to apply for the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream follows the standard enhanced-OINP sequence: you keep an active Express Entry profile, wait for a Notification of Interest, then submit a complete OINP application before applying to IRCC for permanent residence. The redesign may adjust individual steps, so confirm the current process on ontario.ca first.
- 01
Create your Express Entry profile
Enter the federal pool under the Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class, with your language test and trade work experience documented.
- 02
Confirm your trade & Ontario experience
Check that your NOC is on the eligible list and that you have at least one year of recent, paid Ontario experience in that trade.
- 03
Receive a Notification of Interest
Ontario issues an NOI from the pool to candidates matching its priorities. Eligibility alone does not guarantee an NOI.
- 04
Submit your OINP application
Within the deadline (historically 14 days), file a complete online application with your trade, experience and language evidence.
- 05
Get nominated & accept it
On approval, Ontario nominates you. Accept the nomination in your Express Entry profile to add 600 CRS points.
- 06
Apply to IRCC for permanent residence
With the +600 boost, expect an Invitation to Apply at the next draw, then submit your federal PR application. IRCC makes the final decision.
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps with your Skilled Trades application
Trades files turn on detail: the right NOC code, experience that actually falls inside the qualifying window, and a language result that clears the federal minimum on every ability. Working under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), Wild Mountain Immigration confirms your Express Entry eligibility, checks your trade and Ontario work experience against the current rules, and manages your NOI response and nomination application so it stands up to scrutiny. We catch the avoidable mistakes, a misclassified occupation, experience gained on the wrong status, a missed deadline, that cause refusals.
Start on the contact page for an honest assessment, and see our fees for how our professional fee works alongside the provincial and IRCC charges. With the OINP being redesigned in 2026, our team keeps your Ontario Skilled Trades Stream strategy aligned to the rules actually in force when you apply, and always confirms the live ontario.ca page before advising. For the wider picture, see the Ontario OINP overview, or the Human Capital Priorities and Employer Job Offer streams.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream?
The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream was an Express Entry-aligned (enhanced) stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). Ontario closed it on 25 June 2026, with all its other worker and graduate streams, and new candidates now go through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which keeps lower language and education bars for trades but requires an Ontario job offer. While it ran, it let Ontario nominate tradespeople with a federal Express Entry profile and recent Ontario work experience in an eligible trade, and a nomination added 600 CRS points.
What are the eligibility requirements for the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream?
You need an active Express Entry profile in either the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class, with at least one year of cumulative, paid, full-time (or equivalent part-time) Ontario work experience in an eligible skilled-trade occupation gained in the 24 months before you apply. You must meet the federal minimum language requirement (generally CLB 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing), intend to live in Ontario, and have legal status in Canada if you are applying from within the country. The controlling list lives on ontario.ca and is changing under the 2026 redesign.
Which trades are eligible for the OINP Skilled Trades Stream?
The stream has historically covered skilled-trade occupations in NOC major groups such as 72 (technical trades and transportation), 73 (general trades), 82 (supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources and agriculture), 92 (processing and manufacturing supervisors and central control operators) and 632/633 (chefs, cooks, butchers and bakers). Construction and industrial trades, electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters, heavy-equipment technicians, feature heavily. The exact eligible-NOC list is set by Ontario and changes, so verify your specific occupation against the current ontario.ca list before relying on it.
How does a Notification of Interest (NOI) work?
The Skilled Trades Stream draws candidates from the federal Express Entry pool. Ontario reviews profiles and issues a Notification of Interest (NOI) to candidates who appear to meet the stream's criteria, often in targeted, occupation-specific rounds. Receiving an NOI is an invitation to apply to the OINP; it is not a nomination and not permanent residence. You then have a limited window (historically 14 days) to submit a complete online application. A profile sitting in the pool does not guarantee an NOI, Ontario selects based on its priorities at the time.
Does the Skilled Trades Stream really add 600 CRS points?
Yes. The Ontario Skilled Trades Stream is enhanced, meaning it is aligned with federal Express Entry. Once Ontario nominates you and you accept the nomination in your Express Entry profile, IRCC adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. That boost lifts most candidates well above the cut-off, and in recent draws it has been more than enough to earn an Invitation to Apply at the next Express Entry draw, though IRCC still issues it. The nomination itself is still not permanent residence, IRCC makes the final PR decision on a separate application.
Is the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream changing in 2026?
It has closed. Ontario closed the Skilled Trades Stream on 25 June 2026 and replaced its worker and graduate streams with a single Ontario Workforce Priority stream, whose expression of interest portal opened on 4 August 2026. Trades keep lower language and education bars in the new stream, which requires an Ontario job offer. Applications submitted before 25 June 2026 are assessed under the old rules described here.
How long do you have to respond to an OINP Skilled Trades Notification of Interest?
Historically you have a limited window of 14 days from receiving a Notification of Interest to submit a complete online OINP application for the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream. That is a hard deadline, so your trade NOC evidence, Ontario work-experience records and language results need to be ready before the NOI arrives. The 2026 OINP redesign may adjust the timeline, so confirm the current window on ontario.ca.
What is the difference between the OINP Skilled Trades Stream and the Federal Skilled Trades Program?
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is a federal Express Entry program that can work from abroad, while the OINP Skilled Trades Stream is a provincial stream built around recent Ontario work experience in an eligible trade. You typically need an active Express Entry profile in either the Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class to be selected for the Ontario stream, and a nomination adds 600 CRS points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score.
Does Wild Mountain Immigration handle Ontario Skilled Trades applications?
Yes. Wild Mountain Immigration is based in Canmore, Alberta but represents clients across Canada and abroad, including tradespeople targeting Ontario through the OINP. Working under a licensed RCIC, our team supports files submitted before the stream closed on 25 June 2026, and assesses tradespeople against the Ontario Workforce Priority stream and other routes actually open when you apply.
A tradesperson looking at Ontario?
Get started with a licensed RCIC for an honest read on your Express Entry profile, your trade NOC and whether the Ontario Workforce Priority stream fits you now.