Ontario Suspends Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream — What Candidates Need to Know
Ontario has temporarily paused intake for its Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream, a move that affects new applicants and reflects continuing adjustments to provincial nomination allocations for 2025. The suspension was first visible in the OINP secure e-Filing portal and is expected to be confirmed publicly by the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program shortly.
This update matters for tradespeople planning to use Ontario’s Express Entry-aligned route to permanent residence. Below we reframe the announcement, explain who is affected, and provide clear next steps for candidates and employers.
What happened
- The OINP has suspended receiving new applications for the Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream. The change appeared in the program’s e-Filing portal; an official public notice is expected imminently.
- The pause appears connected to provincial nomination quota pressures after federal allocation cuts to many PNPs in 2025. Ontario is prioritizing streams that meet urgent labour and policy goals.
- According to available signals, the suspension affects new applications only — applications already submitted and those with an existing Notification of Interest (NOI) in process are expected to continue to be processed.
Which applicants are affected
- New applicants who planned to apply to the Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream should not submit new files to this stream until the suspension is lifted.
- Candidates with pending OINP applications or those who already obtained an NOI should monitor their e-Filing portal and OINP communications — these files are likely to continue under normal processing unless otherwise notified.
- Tradespeople with active Express Entry profiles should consider alternative pathways in Ontario or other provinces while the pause remains in effect.
Why Ontario may have paused the stream
- Federal PNP nomination cuts in 2025 forced provinces to re-prioritize intake across sectors. Ontario has limited nomination slots and must sequence streams according to labour-market priorities (e.g., healthcare, tech).
- Intake management: temporary suspensions are a standard administrative tool when provinces need to manage high application volumes or align intake to available nomination allocations.
- Policy shifts: Ontario has expanded powers to suspend or return applications based on capacity and labour conditions — a factor in stream-level pauses.
Immediate implications for candidates
- Do not file new Skilled Trades applications for the Express Entry stream until OINP reopens it. Filing elsewhere or to the wrong stream can lead to processing delays or returned applications.
- Boost your Express Entry competitiveness: use this pause to improve your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score through language retesting, additional work experience, higher education, or provincial ties.
- Explore alternate Ontario streams that remain open such as Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills, Human Capital Priorities (if available), or employer-driven pathways. Some may accept applications even while others are paused.
- Consider other provinces: many PNPs (Alberta, Manitoba, PEI, Newfoundland & Labrador, Saskatchewan, etc.) continue to run skilled-worker streams and may be suitable depending on your occupation and ties.
Advice for employers and recruiters
- Hold off recruitment promises tied to new OINP Skilled Trades nominations until the province clarifies the suspension’s duration.
- Maintain accurate employer documentation and prepare LMIA/offer letters where applicable — having complete records will accelerate any future provincial nomination processes.
- Consider provincial alternatives or direct hiring pathways that do not rely exclusively on the OINP Skilled Trades Stream.
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