In a surprise move that reverberated across Canada’s construction and manufacturing sectors, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has halted its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream effective immediately. Provincial officials cited “systemic misrepresentation” in hundreds of pending files, saying false employer job offers and fabricated work histories had undermined the integrity of the program. All in-process applications will be returned and the $1,500 application fee refunded.
The Skilled Trades Stream, launched in 2017, was prized by electricians, plumbers, carpenters and millwrights because a nomination automatically added 600 CRS points—virtually guaranteeing a federal Invitation to Apply. Last year alone, it issued 9,700 nominations. The suspension therefore removes a critical pathway just as Canada’s housing-construction push demands more certified tradespeople.
![Ontario Suspends Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream Amid Fraud Concerns]()
Ontario immigration officials said audits uncovered clusters of linked applications using identical employer contact details and suspiciously uniform pay-stubs. Several recruitment agencies are under investigation and may face provincial penalties or federal criminal charges. Employers found complicit risk being barred from future participation in any provincial nominee program.
For legitimate applicants caught in the freeze, immigration lawyers recommend pivoting to the employer-driven OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream or to provincial programs in Alberta and British Columbia that still target trades. Federally, IRCC’s category-based Express Entry draw for construction occupations—expected later this quarter—may also offer relief.
Policy watchers note the episode underscores growing tension between Canada’s ambitious economic-immigration targets and the need for rigorous program integrity. Ontario says it will redesign the stream with more robust employer verification and an electronic system for validating Ontario College of Trades credentials before accepting new applications, likely in early 2026.
The Skilled Trades Stream, launched in 2017, was prized by electricians, plumbers, carpenters and millwrights because a nomination automatically added 600 CRS points—virtually guaranteeing a federal Invitation to Apply. Last year alone, it issued 9,700 nominations. The suspension therefore removes a critical pathway just as Canada’s housing-construction push demands more certified tradespeople.
Ontario immigration officials said audits uncovered clusters of linked applications using identical employer contact details and suspiciously uniform pay-stubs. Several recruitment agencies are under investigation and may face provincial penalties or federal criminal charges. Employers found complicit risk being barred from future participation in any provincial nominee program.
For legitimate applicants caught in the freeze, immigration lawyers recommend pivoting to the employer-driven OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream or to provincial programs in Alberta and British Columbia that still target trades. Federally, IRCC’s category-based Express Entry draw for construction occupations—expected later this quarter—may also offer relief.
Policy watchers note the episode underscores growing tension between Canada’s ambitious economic-immigration targets and the need for rigorous program integrity. Ontario says it will redesign the stream with more robust employer verification and an electronic system for validating Ontario College of Trades credentials before accepting new applications, likely in early 2026.
