Quebec operates several Quebec Immigration Programs that enable eligible candidates to secure Canadian permanent residence. The federal government has proposed the province of Quebec more autonomy in immigration procedures & policies. This is why Quebec immigration programs are treated separately from other provinces. 

Quebec is a unique Canadian province whose official language is French. For this reason, some of the Quebec immigration programs require applicants to have proficiency in French. 

However, a few pathways are available for non-French speakers who wish to immigrate to Quebec. Here are a few of them! 

CSQ – Certificat de Selection du Quebec 

Quebec immigration applications are approved through two processes, i.e., admission & selection. 

Selection takes place at the provincial level, while admission happens at the federal level. In order to immigrate to Quebec, an applicant must meet the requirements for both selection & admission. 

In the selection step, an international applicant must receive approval from the province of Quebec itself. 

Selection is represented through a Quebec Selection Certificate, which is a formal document issued by the provincial immigration authorities following a successful application via one of Quebec’s immigration programs. 

QSW – Quebec Skilled Worker Program 

The QSW, i.e., Quebec Skilled Worker Program, is one of the unique Quebec immigration pathways to obtain permanent residence. In this program, all candidates are required to demonstrate a minimum amount of skilled work experience. 

Moreover, Quebec Skilled Worker Program is point-based, wherein candidates must meet a minimum score on a points assessment grid to be eligible. 

This program does not require a candidate to be proficient in French. Instead, French proficiency must result in an increased score on the points assessment grid. 

Eligible applicants should submit an EOI, i.e., an Expression Of Interest, to the online Arrima portal in order to be considered for the program. 

PEQ – Quebec Experience Program

The Quebec Experience Program is one of Quebec’s immigration programs to secure permanent residence.

This program requires applicants to have experience in Quebec, either as temporary foreign professional/ worker or an international student. 

PEQ candidates have to demonstrate advanced-intermediate knowledge of the French language (oral). Moreover, there are some additional eligibility requirements for this program, like the applicant must be legally residing in Quebec during the submission & processing of his application. 

Quebec Investor Program 

To apply for the Quebec Investor Program, Candidates must have net assets of a minimum of CAD 2 million. Moreover, they must be able to invest a minimum of CAD 1.2 million with a Quebec financial intermediary. 

Thus, candidates who fit these criteria can obtain permanent residence in Canada via the Quebec Investor Program. 

Quebec Entrepreneur Program 

The Quebec Entrepreneur program needs Candidates to have financial capacity along with experience & intention to manage/ handle a business project in Quebec or to acquire a business in the province. 

Quebec Self-Employed  

This immigration program allows specific self-employed people to immigrate to the area/ province & create their own job. 

To qualify for this program, an applicant needs net assets of at least CAD 100,000 & at least two years of work experience as a self-employed worker/ professional in the field they plan to practice in the area/ province.    

CAQ – Certificat d’acceptation du Québec

Several Quebec temporary resident programs require a CAQ, i.e., Quebec Acceptance Certificate, to authorize temporary accommodation in Quebec. This consists of the majority of study programs for international students. 

Note: A CAQ tends to authorize temporary stay in the province. Thus, candidates must not confuse it with CSQ, i.e., Quebec Selection Certificate, which authorizes permanent stay in the province.

Validated Job Offer

If a Quebec employer wants to hire an international candidate, they may be eligible to extend the candidate a job offer which MIDI will validate. A validated employment offer is a strong advantage in the QSW, i.e., Quebec Skilled Worker program, as it offers its holder 8-10 points, i.e., 8 points are given if the job is in the Montreal region & 10 points are given if the job is located outside the Montreal region. 

In addition, holders of validated employment offers are exempt from quota requirements of QSW application, implying they can apply for a CSQ at any time. 

Thus, in order to validate an employment offer, the position & the internal candidate must meet the following requirements: 

Job Position Requirements: 

• A permanent/ full-time position at NOC, i.e., National Occupation Classification skill level 0, A, B, or C. 
• Must be offered, in writing, by an employer in Quebec who has been in operation for at least 12 months. 
• Must have an optimistic/ neutral impact on the regional labor market. 
• Apt recruitment efforts should be made to hire a permanent inhabitant or a Canadian citizen for the position if needed. 

Foreign National Requirements:

• Must submit copies of educational documents, identification documents, CV, & a written copy of the job offer. 
• If the foreign national already works for a Quebec employer, they must present a copy of their work permit with three current pay stubs. 
• You must have a license or certificate to practice the profession if it is regulated in Quebec. 

Suppose the international candidate is already working on a temporary work permit for an employer in Quebec. In that case, the employer does not need to show evidence that they attempted to recruit a permanent resident or Canadian citizen for the position. 

In all other cases, the Quebec employer should show proof of recruitment/ hiring efforts. This implies that employers must try to hire a Canadian to fill the vacant job position before offering it to an international applicant. 

If all the validated employment offer requirements are met, the employer might apply for validation to MIDI. 

Conclusion 

Quebec Immigration Programs are integral pathways for applicants seeking to begin afresh in the province. By offering numerous ways for skilled workers, families, entrepreneurs, etc., these programs collectively contribute to the economic growth & culture of the province. 

In addition, they play an essential role in attracting talent from across the globe, thus fostering diversity & creating a dynamic community/ society that thrives on the newcomers/immigrant’s contributions. 

Thus, Quebec keeps on evolving & adapting to the changing global landscapes. These immigration programs that we discussed above are vital in shaping a dynamic & prosperous future for both immigrants as well as permanent inhabitants, thus contributing positively to the province. 

 

FAQs

• What is Arrima? 

Arrima is an online portal established & launched in 2018 to manage applications of QSW, i.e., the Quebec Skilled Worker program. This portal is a part of EOI, i.e., the Expression Of Interest system. Thus, interested applicants can submit an EOI to Arrima to be considered for a PR. 

Further, the government of Quebec will invite selected applicants to submit an application for the Quebec Skilled Worker program. 

• What is Mon Project Quebec? 

Mon Project Quebec was an online portal which was earlier used to manage applications for the Quebec Skilled Worker program. Applicants who had active profile on this portal can still access their profiles to update their personal information. However, no new profiles can be created on this portal. 

Thus, applicants having an active profile on this portal must still submit an EOI, i.e., an Expression of Interest under Arrima, to be considered for the Quebec Skilled Worker program. 

• Who will be considered as a family in Quebec to get extra points? 

Recognized family members include spouse, son/ daughter, father/ mother, brother/ sister, grandfather/ grandmother or permanent inhabitants of Quebec.   

• Can I extend my work permit with CSQ? 

Yes, you can. Candidates can extend their work permit if they have a valid work permit while receiving CSQ. But if the work permit expires before obtaining CSQ, then the sole way to extend their status is by using an LMIA. 

• Are any documents uploaded online or sent by mail after a document request from MIDI? 

Yes, all hard copies are sent by mail. 

• What can I do with my CSQ? 

The CSQ does not authorize an individual to undertake any activities, like study or work. Instead, the CSQ is simply the authorization to apply for permanent residence in Canada.