Quebec Immigration

Quebec Immigration

Quebec is a unique province in Eastern Canada with a rich European culture and a great historical background. It is the only Canadian province having French as its official language. Migrating to the Canadian province of Quebec is unique in several aspects. The majority of its population speaks French. Applicants get an advantage in the Quebec immigration process with French language skills.

Several immigration pathways are available for non-French speakers, too. French language proficiency can be an advantage while immigrating to Quebec, though it is not compulsory. 

Quebec plans to accept over 70,000 immigrants this year because of the aging population and shortfall in the immigrants’ intake during the pandemic.

About Quebec immigration

Quebec has a thriving economy that boosts the job market. Skilled workers and entrepreneurs aspiring to immigrate and settle in Quebec can benefit from the steady growth in job opportunities. Quebec provides more affordable urban living than other popular Canadian destinations like Vancouver and Toronto.

Quebec’s immigration process comprises two different tiers, including selection and admission. The first step of obtaining a CSQ or Certificat de Sélection du Québec (Quebec Selection Certificate) is vital to fulfilling the requirements of Quebec selection. The selection criteria by provincial immigration consider human capital, work experience, and skills.

The admission process happens at the federal level, requiring a candidate to submit the CSQ or Quebec Selection Certificate. The federal admission process focuses on the criminality and health factors of the candidate. You can get a work permit to work in Quebec while the application for permanent residence is in process with the federal government.  

Individuals aspiring to settle in Quebec cannot use the channel of Express Entry, as the province does not participate in the system. Quebec offers exclusive immigration pathways for skilled workers. One should consider Quebec Experience Program (QEP) or Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) to immigrate to Quebec as a skilled worker.

 Quebec is not part of the Provincial Nominee Programs because the immigration system of Quebec is different. Quebec enjoys total autonomy from the federal government of Canada for drafting immigration policies, regulations, and procedures.

Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)

The province of Quebec operates the Regular Skilled Worker Program to welcome skilled workers as permanent residents to contribute to the growing economy of Quebec. It is a popular immigration program available for eligible candidates interested in settling in Quebec.

Quebec selected candidates for permanent residence through the quota system until 2018. It led to huge backlogs as candidates had to wait for years for the selection. The recent switch to the Express of Interest procedure discards the earlier first-come-first-served method involving the quota system.

Now the candidates have to submit Express of Interest forms to the Arrima pool for competitive selection by the MIFI (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration). The new system facilitates faster selection of all eligible and deserving candidates. It is also helpful for mitigation of the waiting period.

The Expression of Interest system involves ranking the profiles in the Arrima pool. It ranks the applicants by evaluating the selection factors. The selection grid comprises:

  • Academic qualifications
  • Age of the applicant
  • Total work experience
  • Valid job offer 
  • Quebec connection
  • Language skills, including French and English
  • Financial independence

 

The applicant gets specific points for each selection factor. One can secure the highest points for language proficiency. The minimum points necessary for entering the Arrima pool are 50. The processing time of the EOI applications is six months.

MIFI will provide the certificate of selection (CSQ), marking the end of the first stage of the immigration process. The candidate will then proceed with the application for permanent residency by applying to the federal government for the final admission process. The candidate has a maximum of 24 months to complete the PR procedures from the receipt of CSQ.

Contact us to assess your Express Entry eligibility

Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)

The Programme de l’Expérience Québécoise caters to individuals having experience in working and/or studying in Quebec. The program mandates the applicant to have an intermediate-level proficiency in the French language. Quebec Experience Program is a popular immigration pathway among students and temporary foreign workers in Quebec who wish to settle in Quebec by getting permanent resident status.

Besides sound French language proficiency, the candidate should have legal status while applying for the Quebec Experience Program. The PEQ immigration pathway came into existence after in-depth research. It confirmed that individuals with Quebec experience integrate better and faster into the Quebec labor market.

You can explore exclusive Quebec Immigration Pilots if you have experience working in food processing, hospitality, and IT-related industries. Present employment in Quebec or a job offer from a Quebec employer will help you seek permanent residency in Quebec under these pilot programs.

Business Immigration 

Entrepreneurs and individuals with resources can benefit from the Quebec Business Immigration pathways. Foreign nationals planning to take over a Quebec business entity or start a partnership firm in Quebec can qualify for permanent residency in Quebec. The applicant for Quebec business immigration should prove the business experience and financial resources to qualify for permanent resident status. The following categories of business immigration are worth considering:

  • Quebec entrepreneur program – Business owners with proven domain experience and plans to start a new business venture in Quebec can qualify for the Quebec entrepreneur program.
  • Investor program – An individual having the capacity to invest a minimum of $1.2 million and net assets totaling $2 million can explore the Quebec Investor program for permanent residency status.
  • Quebec self-employed program – Professionals and self-employed individuals in Quebec having a minimum of $ 100,000 as total net assets may qualify for permanent resident status through the Quebec self-employed program.

 

Quebec operates multiple immigration programs because of its autonomy in making immigration policies. A significant chunk of Quebec immigrants benefit from economic immigration programs, such as the Quebec Skilled Workers Program and Quebec Experience Program. Visit us for a free assessment of your profile and guidance for Quebec immigration.

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Have Questions? Look Here

No, the province of Quebec implements a separate selection process according to a special agreement with the Canadian government. The government of Quebec has the authority to work outside regular provincial nomination by determining individual criteria for the selection of immigrants.

Before the new Arrima portal in 2018, applicants for Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) used online portal Mon Project Quebec. Mon Project Quebec accepted the expression of interest profiles of applicants. The government of Quebec selected Quebec Skilled Worker profiles to invite eligible candidates for immigration through the Quebec Skilled Worker program.

The federal authorities of Canadian immigration determine the fulfillment of medical and security requirements of the candidate before granting permanent residency. There is no re-assessment of qualifying criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, which differs from QSWP.

 

The QSWP program mandates the candidate to settle in Quebec. The Quebec immigration authorities reject the application for QSWP if they find out that the applicant has no intention of staying in Quebec. 

Quebec allows the inclusion of spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children in the QSWP application.

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