ONIP: Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

Hi Friends!

Are you a skilled trades professional dreaming of obtaining Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada through express entry? If yes, then express entry skills trade stream could be your gateway to success!

But first lets understand what is Ontario’s Skills Trade Stream is?

The Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream is a specialized immigration pathway under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), aligned with the federal Express Entry system. It’s designed specifically for skilled trades professionals who have a year of work experience in Ontario and wish to apply for permanent residency (PR) in Canada.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about this stream so you get better idea what this stream is all about.

1. Requirements of this Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trade Stream 📋

2. Application Process

3. 2024 OINP Draws Invitations 📅

4. The list of targeted occupations/NOCs 🛠️

5. In-Demand Trade Job Positions

Requirements of this Ontario Express Entry skills trade Stream

1. Work Experience

• At least one year of cumulative, paid, full-time work experience (or equivalent part-time) in eligible skilled trades under NOC Major Groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 93, or Minor Group 6320 (excluding certain occupations).

• Work experience must be:

  • Obtained within the last two years.

  • in one or more of the occupations that you identified in your Express Entry profile

  • In Ontario, while maintaining legal status.

  • Cumulative* over one year (not necessarily continuous).

  • Paid work (volunteer work, internships, or co-op terms don’t qualify).

    *The work you’ve done must add up to one year, but it does not have to be one year of continuous work

3. Valid certificate or license (if applicable)

• Work in compulsory trades requires a valid Ontario certificate or license.

  If you are claiming work experience in a compulsory trade, you must hold a valid certificate or license in Ontario at the time of your application, even if you are no longer working in that trade. Additionally, you must have held a valid certificate or license during the period of work experience used to meet the minimum one-year requirement in an eligible skilled trade.

4. Legal Status and Residence in Ontario

• You must reside in Ontario and hold a valid work permit.

• Applicants in maintained status (awaiting work permit renewal) are also eligible.

5. Language Proficiency

• Minimum CLB 5 in English or French.

• Acceptable tests: IELTS (General), CELPIP (General), PTE Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada.

  The test date must be within 2 years prior to the application submission date.

6. Settlement Funds

• Show sufficient funds to support yourself and dependents.

• This can be met through:

  • Bank statements, or

  • Job offer and annual earnings in Ontario such as T4.

7. Intention to Reside in Ontario

• You must intend to live in Ontario after you’re granted permanent residence. Demonstrate ties to Ontario, such as work, study, property, or personal connections.

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Application Process

Step 1: Create Profile for Express Entry.
- After you are in the pool of Express Entry, ONIP search IRCC’s Express Entry pool to find candidates who may meet the criteria of one of Ontario’s Express Entry streams.
- If OINP identify you as a candidate, they will send you a notification of interest (NOI) through your IRCC online account inviting you to submit an online application to the OINP.

Step 2: Receive a Notification of Interest (NOI)
- After receiving an NOI, submit your application to the OINP within the specified timeframe (typically 45 calendar days).
- Ensure all required documents, including proof of work experience, language test results, and settlement funds, are included.

After submitting all required documents for ONIP you will have to wait until final decision has been made.

Step 3: Obtain a Provincial Nomination
- If your application is successful, Ontario will nominate you for permanent residency.
- This nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, significantly improving your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR.

Step 4: Apply for Permanent Residency
- After getting your PNP file approved you will receive an additional 600 points in your Express entry profile.
- which will enhance CRS score, you’ll likely receive an ITA in the next federal Express Entry draw General Draw.
- After you receive your ITA from Express Entry Profile, Submit your PR application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within 60 days of receiving the ITA.

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2024 OINP Draws Invitations:

OINP

• Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream – 6,695

• Employer Job Offer: International Student stream – 8,363

• Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream – 914

• Masters Graduate stream – 5,519

• PhD Graduate stream – 533

• Entrepreneur stream – 0

Ontario’s Express Entry

• Human Capital Priorities stream – 12,731

• French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream – 1,525

• Skilled Trades stream – 9,006

Targeted occupations/NOCs

Why Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream?
In Federal Express Entry Trade Category, only 10 occupations qualified, while Ontario has issued over 9,000 invitations to 46 occupations so far in 2024.

In this following reports, you will find various NOCs/occupations that have been invited in different Ontario EE & PNP draws in 2024. The numbers indicate how often each NOC has been invited across the draws.

Last updated: 25th October 2024

If you are specifically looking for Trade Draws you can go directly in Report 5

Report 1: Management occupations (NOC starting with 0) and Business, Finance, and Administration occupations (NOC starting with 1)
Report 2: Natural and applied sciences and related occupations (NOC starting with 2)
Report 3: Health occupations (NOC starting with 3)
Report 4: Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (NOC starting with 4) & Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (NOC starting with 5) & Sales and service occupations (NOC starting with 6)
Report 5: Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations ((NOC starting with 7)
Report 6: Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (NOC starting with 8) & Occupations in manufacturing and utilities (NOC starting with 9)

Do you want to find draw for Your NOC? click here

In-Demand Trade Job Positions

Here’s a list of trade job positions to consider, with a mix of roles requiring specific skills and some that may need formal licensing:

Jobs That May Not Require a License

- Field Service Technician
- Mechanical Technician
- Maintenance Technician
- Construction Equipment Operator
- Millwright
- Machinist
- Glass Cutter/fitter and Glazier and many more.

Jobs That Typically Require a License

- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC Technician
- Automotive Service Technician
- Welding Technician

These roles offer excellent opportunities for stable and well-paying careers in Canada’s growing trade industries.