This thread discussed a specific OINP Express Entry Skilled Trades stream draw (historical — the exact NOC list and score band apply only to that draw), but the mechanics it explains are the useful part:
- You don't apply separately for the draw. OINP picks candidates directly from Express Entry profiles. Your job is to have an active, accurate EE profile that shows an eligible skilled-trades NOC; the Notification of Interest (NOI) comes to you.
- You generally need Ontario ties for this stream. A member outside Canada realized they couldn't benefit because the skilled-trades stream expects the candidate to be living/working in Ontario. Confirm the stream's residency and work-experience requirements before assuming a low cut-off applies to you.
- Targeted draws use score ranges, not just minimums. The draw invited CRS 350–425. Members with higher scores (e.g. 478) were excluded — a counterintuitive but real feature of targeted PNP draws designed to reach candidates who wouldn't get a federal ITA otherwise. A high CRS is not always an advantage in range-based draws.
- Check the NOC list per draw. This particular draw added additional skilled-trades NOCs; eligibility can shift from draw to draw, so verify your NOC (e.g. 72020) is on the current list rather than relying on past draws.
Historical note: the 350–425 band, the NOC additions, and the draw itself are time-bound facts from the thread's date; treat them as an illustration of the mechanism, not current criteria.