Ford’s broken OINP betrays thousands more of Ontario’s skilled workers

QUEEN’S PARK — The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Skilled Trades Stream abruptly suspended its application process on Friday, resulting in an estimated 2,600 skilled applicants — and their employers — callously being informed by email that their applications would be returned.

Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Alexa Gilmour (Parkdale—High Park) has issued the following statement in response:

“Shutting thousands of skilled workers out of Ontario’s economy during a labour shortage compromises our province’s potential.

“These are human beings, invited by the Ford government with the promise that their skills were needed in Ontario. They followed every rule, paid fees and taxes, built families and futures here based on the Premier’s promise of a fair process. Their trust has been broken, and their lives have been destroyed.

“The Premier and his Labour Minister claim to value skilled trades, but they’re showing the world that highly skilled global talent is not welcome in Ontario. Ford and his Minister owe these workers the dignity and respect worthy of their talent, not the incompetence of this broken program.

“These workers are asking to have their cases individually assessed so that they can continue to contribute to Ontario.”