Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It gives foreign nationals with Ontario work experience in eligible skilled trades the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario.

Eligibility:

Express Entry Requirement

Ontario Skilled Worker is aligned with the federal Express Entry system. In order to be considered, a candidate must have an active Express Entry profile in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program. As candidates are required to have an active Express Entry profile in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the minimum requirements are aligned with the requirements of that program.

Connection to Ontario

Candidates for Ontario Skilled Trades must be residing in Ontario at the time of their application. As well, candidates must be in possession of a valid work permit at the time the application is submitted.

Language Proficiency

All candidates must submit language test results demonstrating proficiency in either English or French at a minimum level equivalent to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 in all four abilities. These language test results must have been obtained within the two years prior to application.

Work Experience

All candidates must have obtained work experience in Ontario in an eligible skilled trade.

You must have:

• at least one year of cumulative paid full-time work experience (or the equivalent in paid part-time work) in Ontario Major Groups 72 (excluding occupations under transportation officers), 73, 82, 83, 93 (excluding aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors) or Minor Group 6320 (excluding cooks) of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

Your work experience must have been:

• obtained within the last two years from the date of submitting your application to the OINP
• in one or more of the occupations that you identified in your Express Entry profile
• in Ontario while maintaining legal status in Canada

Settlement Funds

All candidates for the Ontario Skilled Trades stream must meet the settlement funds requirement as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This can be demonstrated through their own finances, or through maintaining a valid offer of employment. Please note that candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream of Express Entry still must demonstrate proof of settlement funds for the OINP application. CEC candidates are exempt from showing settlement funds at the federal level, but not at the provincial level.

The advantages of Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

• Job offer is not required
• Language requirement is as low as CLB5

Ontario Skilled Trades issues provincial nominations to skilled tradespeople with active Express Entry profiles who are already living in Ontario and have Ontario work experience in a skilled trade.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and How it works 

The Federal Government of Canada has entered into bilateral agreements with provinces and territories (except Quebec and Nunavut) to allow the provinces and territories to nominate individuals for permanent residence based on the provinces' assessment of the nominees' ability to contribute to the economic growth and development of those provinces.

Each province and territory has its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and requirements, selecting applicants that

• have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory
• want to live in that province, and
• want to become permanent residents of Canada

To obtain permanent residence via Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), you must go through two steps:

1. You must decide where you want to live in Canada and apply to that province or territory for a stream that you're eligible for. SuperVisas can help you with it in this application.
2. After a province or territory nominates you, you must apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence. The IRCC, a federal agency, will assess your application based on Canadian immigration law. If you have already obtained your nomination from a province or territory, please go to our program: Permanent Residence – Provincial Nominee Class.
   

Answer a few questions to find out if you'll be able to apply under Provincial Nominee Program.

Based on your answers, we will tell you what programs you may be eligible for, so be as accurate as you can.

Services provided by SuperVisas and its Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs):

• assess your qualifications for the Provincial Nominee Program.
• provide your with a checklist of information and documents required in support of your application.
• guide your through the process of obtaining required documents such as medical and security clearances.
  
• complete the application forms to ensure that they best show your qualifications.
• review your application package including application forms, supporting documents and Canadian Government processing fees.
• guide, provide editing comments with regard to your application.
• submit your complete application package to the Canadian government.
• communicate any government request to you and assist you in responding to any government request.
• communicate the result of your application from the government.