On November 14, 2025, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) made a sweeping and shocking announcement: the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream has been suspended. Not only that, but all outstanding applications are being returned, with full refunds.

This stream wasn’t some side alley of immigration. It was a key Express Entry-aligned PNP route for many international students and workers in Ontario’s trades sector. Anyone in the Express Entry pool with at least 6 months of experience in a Skilled Trades NOC in Ontario in the last 2 years and a current Ontario address could qualify, no job offer or employer compliance needed.

The last draw was on October 17, 2024, inviting candidates with CRS scores between 405–435. Applications under this stream were under review from as far back as 2023. That’s potentially hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants now suddenly orphaned.

The Problem OINP Cited: Fraud and Misrepresentation

OINP’s internal review revealed widespread misuse. The stream became a low-hanging fruit, easy to misuse and hard to monitor. Anyone could:

• Register a corporation in Ontario
• Run fake payrolls
• Claim “work experience” in a skilled trade with minimal real oversight

Employer Job Offer streams demand rigorous checks: employer revenue, number of Canadian/PR staff, wage standards, business tenure, and verified work experience. In contrast, the Skilled Trades stream had almost no employer-level scrutiny, leaving it exposed and creating an easy pathway for manufactured work histories.

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This brings back memories of 2012, when the Canadian government passed the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act. Nearly 280,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications, some over 7 years old, were simply eliminated. Gone. Not processed. Application fees refunded.

The rationale back then? Processing delays, changing labour needs, and backlog elimination. It was controversial, but they amended legislation to give themselves that authority.

But the key difference being that was the Federal system. Never before has something like this happened with Provincial Nominee Programs, especially a stream tied so closely to current, in-Canada applicants. Given how the program operated, most of the candidates are/were:

• Still on Post-Graduation Work Permits
• Past their initial permit, relying on maintained status or other bridging options
• Suddenly seeing their PR pathway pulled away

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Was This Legal? Yes. Was It Graceful? Not Really.

In July 2025, the Government of Ontario amended O. Reg. 421/17 to grant the OINP Director explicit authority to return applications for a wide variety of reasons: including fraud, misuse, or shifting labour priorities.

So yes, while emotionally brutal and operationally messy, this move likely stands on solid legal ground. Any challenge in court would face an uphill battle. The rules were changed, and the government used those new rules. Period.

But Could It Have Been Handled Better? Absolutely.

When you’re dealing with real lives, with work permits expiring, families in limbo, jobs on the line,  this would be a solid blow to many.

If fraud was this widespread, and they knew it for months, why not suspend the stream earlier? Why not warn applicants? Why not grant bridging options or allow valid files to go through under stricter review?

Instead, thousands went from “Please wait, Your applications are in processing” to “sorry, your application has been returned. Good luck.”

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Let’s be honest: The system needed an overhaul. The stream had turned into an easy loophole with almost no checks. But this abrupt removal also meant many genuine applicants: people who were working hard, legally, and waiting in good faith, were collateral damage.

Now they’re being told their only option might be to leave. That’s not just bad planning, that’s traumatic.

What Could Have Been Done Instead?

• Grant affected applicants a limited-time work permit extension, equivalent to the time their applications were pending.
• Allow a stricter vetting process for existing applications rather than blanket returns.

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What Should You Do Now?

• 📈 Maximize your language scores — IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, TCF. Higher language = higher Express Entry points.
• 💼 Explore Employer Job Offer streams — provided you and your employer meet all program requirements (business tenure, revenue, wage benchmarks, employee count, etc.).
• 🎓 Consider further education — especially if you don’t have a Bachelor’s or higher qualification.
• 🎯 Monitor category-based Express Entry draws — including trades, French language proficiency, healthcare, and STEM.
• 📦 If options run out, plan a strategic exit — return home, build foreign experience, upskill, and try again later with a stronger profile.

If you’re affected and don’t know what to do next, we understand what you’re going through. You’re not alone, and your effort is not wasted. Let’s regroup, re-strategize, and move forward.

Book a Consultation to get in touch.