Quebec is located in eastern Canada. It is steeped in rich European culture and history with vibrant cities such as Montreal and Quebec City - the capital city most people tend to call home when they immigrate to Quebec. You'll find a stable economy with many booming aerospace, information, and communications technologies, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sectors. The province also has an excellent education system. Most of Canada's french-language primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities can be found in Quebec. Quebec also has many creative platforms, broadcasting networks, and government institutions that push arts and culture initiatives in French. As a result, it's no wonder why so many internationals want to make Quebec their new home, but how do you start your journey?
Quebec doesn't have a typical Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) like the other provinces. Instead, it has a special immigration deal with the Government of Canada. It has its own rules for selecting newcomers it deems eligible to adapt to the Quebecois way of life. According to the province’s 2023 immigration plan, it hopes to accept around 33,900 immigrants via the Economic Immigration program. The economic group makes up the most significant chunk of newcomers and is set to welcome as many as 4,300 business immigrants. This includes investors, entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, 29,500 skilled employees, and 100 candidates from additional economic categories.
If you wish to gain Canadian permanent residency and work in Quebec, the Quebec Skilled Worker Program is a great pathway to immigrate to the province. The Quebec Skilled Worker Program selects candidates based on several factors. To be successful, a candidate must score enough points to pass both thresholds imposed by the Quebec government. The selection factors grid includes the following criteria:
Criteria | What it's Testing | Maximum Points (out of 120) |
---|---|---|
Education | The level of education and the area of training | 14 |
Area of training | The area of training and the labor market demand in Quebec | 12 |
Work experience | The number of years of experience and the occupation | 8 |
Age | The age of the candidate at the time of application | 16 |
Language proficiency | The candidate's proficiency in French and English | 22 |
Family in Quebec | The relationship of the candidate with a family member in Quebec | 3 |
Spouse's characteristics | The spouse's education, work experience, and language proficiency | 17 |
Validated job offer | The location of the job offer and the occupation | 14 |
Due to the increasing demands of many of Quebec's industries, the Quebecois government has devised three immigration pilot programs, each designed to help fill specific gaps in Quebec's labor market. They are as follows:
The Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in Food Processing is a program that allows temporary foreign workers in Quebec's food processing sector to settle in Quebec permanently. The program came into effect on March 24, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026. The application intake period is generally from early November to late December, or until the maximum number of applications to receive has been reached. The program is designed to help Quebec meet the high demand for skilled workers in the food industry.To be eligible for the program, applicants must:
The eligible occupations for the program are as follows:
NOC Code | Occupation |
---|---|
94140 | Process control and machine operator, food and beverage processing |
85100 | General farm worker, but only in the position of chicken catcher |
94142 | Fish and seafood plant worker |
The Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Orderlies allows orderlies working in Quebec as temporary foreign workers to settle in Quebec permanently. To be eligible for the Quebec permanent immigration pilot program for orderlies, applicants must meet the following conditions:
The eligible occupations for the program are as follows:
NOC Code | Occupation |
---|---|
33102 | Process control and machine operator, food and beverage processing |
The Quebec Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for workers in the artificial intelligence, information technologies, and visual effects sectors is a program that allows foreign workers or Quebec graduates in artificial intelligence, as well as foreign workers in information technologies and visual effects, to settle in Quebec permanently. The eligibility criteria for the Quebec permanent immigration pilot program for workers in the artificial intelligence, information technologies, and visual effects sectors are as follows:
If you work in any of these industries and want to know if you're eligible for one of Quebec's permanent residency programs, you can massively benefit from getting a full eligibility evaluation from a certified immigration expert like a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). An RCIC can breakdown
This program allows international students or skilled temporary workers with an intermediate skill level in French to apply for permanent residence in Quebec, Canada. If you wish to immigrate to Quebec under the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ), you can do so under one of the following categories:
To be eligible for the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program), you must:
If you are interested in applying for permanent residence in Quebec and would like to invest in, start a new, or buy an existing business in the province, you can choose from one of the following programs:
The application intake is limited for each category and has its application intake period and eligibility criteria. Applications are assessed on factors such as age, education, language skills, financial stability, and ties to the province, such as previous visits to Quebec or family members already living there.
There are two streams under this program. Stream 1 is for foreign entrepreneurs who want to start and run a business in Quebec, and Stream 2 is for foreign entrepreneurs who wish to purchase and run a business in Quebec. You'll need the following:
The investor program is for foreign investors who want to invest in a business in Quebec. You will need to:
This program is for professional or business people who wish to migrate to Quebec in a self-employed position. To qualify, you will need the following:
The first step is determining which program you are eligible for: the RSWP, PEQ, Pilot, or business immigration programs. One of the best ways to do this is to work with an expert like an RCIC to help you determine which program you're most eligible for.
Once you have determined which program you are eligible for, you can proceed with the application process.
The next step is to prepare the required documents to support your application. Each program has its list of documents, so you must pay close attention to the instruction manual you receive when you apply on the Quebec provincial government website. For some programs, such as the RSWP, you may need to submit an expression of interest before being invited to apply.
Once you have completed the application form and gathered all the required documents, you must pay the fee for reviewing your application by credit card. Each program has different fees, so it's vital to research your fees effectively before making payments. The processing time for most applications for permanent selection in the PEQ is within six months. If selected, you will be issued a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), which confirms that you have been set for immigration to Quebec.
Following this step, you can apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and pass the medical, security, and criminality checks.
No. The province has programs for people who wish to work there.
In the province of Québec, immigration falls within the jurisdiction of both the Government of Québec and Canada.The Government of Québec is responsible for selecting people who want to immigrate there. The province has its criteria. When it selects you, you and your family will get a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec Selection Certificate).On the other hand, the Government of Canada is responsible for granting workers who want to settle in the province admission. It is responsible for admitting workers wishing to settle on its territory. To be admitted to Québec, you and your family must:
To immigrate to Québec successfully, you and your loved ones must meet both governments' requirements