Updated July 2026. On November 24, 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford placed the blame on the federal government for the mass return of thousands of OINP Express Entry Skilled Trades applications — a controversy that has become one of the most contentious immigration disputes in recent Ontario history.
What Happened
Hundreds of skilled trades workers protested outside Queen’s Park after their OINP Skilled Trades Stream applications — some pending for years — were abruptly returned, with fees refunded rather than processed. Many applicants say they followed every rule, waited years, and in some cases lost legal status while waiting.
Ford’s Position
Ford’s message during question period pointed to federal funding cuts and decision-making as the root cause. There is some basis for this: Ottawa reduced Ontario’s overall PNP allocation by roughly 50%, from about 21,500 nominations in 2024 down to roughly 10,750 in 2025 — putting real pressure on how many applications OINP could process.
The Counter-Argument
However, Ontario’s own program documentation tells a more complicated story. OINP suspended the Skilled Trades Stream after an internal review flagged widespread compliance issues, misrepresentation, and fraud concerns within the stream. The decision to return applications and refund fees was made under Ontario’s own authority — not at federal direction. Critics, including the Ontario NDP, argue Ford’s framing shifts blame away from OINP’s internal management problems.
What This Means If You Had an Application Returned
If your OINP Skilled Trades application was among those returned, your fees should have been refunded, but your place in the queue was not preserved. Given OINP’s broader 2026 redesign (which closed the Skilled Trades Stream entirely in favour of the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream), you’ll need to reassess your eligibility under the current program structure rather than expect your old application to be reinstated.
For the authoritative source on this topic, see Ontario's OINP page.
Related Reading
- 5 New Ontario-OINP Draws On Dec 10 Sent 1,133 PR Invitations
- Ontario OINP Regulation Changes: Current Stream Categories Set to Be Revoked May 30, 2026
- 2 New Ontario-OINP Draws On Feb 18 Sent 1,404 Invitations For PR
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