Bad news for thousands of Indians waiting for Canada PR for years; Applications are cancelled amid uncertainty

New Delhi: Another piece of bad news has come for Indians working in Canada and waiting for PR (Permanent Residence). The Ontario government has abruptly closed its Skilled Trades Stream. All applications submitted under this programme are now being returned. These applications had been pending for the past one-and-a-half to two years. The government says that both their files and fees will be returned to individuals.

Indians affected the most

This decision has affected Indians the most, as the Skilled Trades sector in Canada has the largest number of Indian workers, and thousands of people were hoping to obtain PR through this stream. The number of applications being returned is also in the thousands.

This decision has been made for Ontario’s immigration scheme, OINP (Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program). They have immediately suspended their “Express Entry: Skilled Trades Stream.” Additionally, no new applications will be accepted under this stream. Applications already in process have been returned.

What is the reason?

The Ontario government states that there was a lot of misrepresentation and fraud occurring within this stream. The current structure of the stream is such that it is prone to abuse, so Ontario has decided to close it.

Direct impact on India

Indians constitute the largest trade worker community in Canada. These include electricians, plumbers, welders, construction workers, and automotive technicians. Many Indians work in these sectors, and the skilled trades category was considered the easiest path to PR. Now that this programme has been discontinued, the hopes of thousands of Indians for PR have been dashed. It’s worth noting that a large number of Indian student visas have also been rejected in the past.

News