Immigrate to Québec

Find out all the details of the Québec work permit, and how to get Québec PR, among other things. Also, find out about why the Québec government has announced three new pilots targeting specific professions. There are several programs for skilled workers to immigrate to Québec, including three pilot programs that the government is testing. Read more below.

Québec Skilled Worker Program
The first program is officially known as the Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP).

You must want to work in Québec in order to participate in this program. If your profile meets the requirements for needed jobs in Québec, you will be invited to submit an application. To be chosen, you must have the necessary training and professional abilities to make your career integration in Québec easy.

Other considerations are taken into account, including:
  • ⬤ Your knowledge of French
  • ⬤ What your age is
  • ⬤ Your spouse's qualities
  • ⬤ Whether you have children

    • Québec Experience Program (PEQ)
    The Québec experience program, or in French, programme de l’expérience québécoise is often shortened to PEQ. It is for students who have gone to school in Québec or are temporary foreign workers. Like the other programs, it enables you to get permanent residency in Québec through a Québec selection certificate. The requirements for the two streams are as follows.

    Requirements for temporary foreign workers

    The applicant must:
  • ⬤ Have adhered to the terms and conditions of their stay
  • ⬤ Be 18 years of age or older
  • ⬤ Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
  • ⬤ Intend to settle in Québec to work
  • ⬤ At the time of application, is legally present in Québec
  • ⬤ Be able to support themselves financially

    • Requirements for Québec graduates

    The applicant must:
  • ⬤ Have adhered to the terms and conditions of their stay
  • ⬤ Intend to settle in Québec to work
  • ⬤ Be 18 years of age or older
  • ⬤ Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
  • ⬤ At the time of application, is legally present in Québec
  • ⬤ Be able to support themselves financially

    • Québec Immigration Pilot Program For Workers In Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, And Visual Effects
    A new and exciting option in various fields of work has been introduced. It started in April 2021 and runs until January 1, 2026. This particular pilot program allows people to achieve permanent residence in Québec if they are either a foreign worker or a Québec graduate in artificial intelligence, or a foreign worker or a Québec graduate in information technology and visual effects.

    The two main requirements to keep in mind are:
  • ⬤ If you're applying under the Francophone profile, you must be fluent in spoken French.
  • ⬤ You must be employed or have accepted a position in the fields of artificial intelligence, information technology, or visual effects in Québec.
    • A maximum of 550 people are selected annually. Each of the two programs gets 275 immigrants in total.

    Québec Immigration Pilot Program For Food Processing Workers
    If you are a temporary foreign worker in Québec's food processing sector, this pilot program allows you to stay in the province indefinitely as a permanent resident. The program started on March 24, 2021, and it will end on January 1, 2026.

    You must, among other things:
  • ⬤ Be able to speak French at a high level
  • ⬤ Have work experience in an eligible job and sector in Québec
  • ⬤ Be working in an eligible job when you apply
    • Like the other pilot program above, this particular program allows for the selection of 550 food processing workers and their family members per year.

    Québec Immigration Pilot Program For Orderlies
    If you are a temporary foreign worker working as an orderly in Québec, this pilot program allows you to stay in the province permanently. It started on March 31, 2021, and it will end on January 1, 2026.

    The main requirements are:
  • ⬤ Being able to communicate in French
  • ⬤ Having worked as an orderly in Québec
  • ⬤ When submitting your application, you must be employed as an orderly in Québec
    • This pilot program permits 550 orderlies and their families to be chosen each year.

    Québec Immigrant Investor Program
    This program has been suspended for a two year period until 2023. Previously, the requirements were as follows.
  • ⬤ A CAD 2 million personal net worth that was legally acquired.
  • ⬤ Within the five years preceding the application, two years of relevant managerial or business experience.
  • ⬤ A $1.2 million investment in a government-guaranteed, interest-free investment for a term of five years.
  • ⬤ An intention to settle in Québec province.

    • Québec Entrepreneur Program
    This program has also been suspended for a two year period until 2023.

    Québec Self-employed Program
    For the current period, for non French speakers it is important to note the following: the maximum number of applications that can be received between November 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021 has been reached.

    To be considered for this program, you must meet the following requirements:
  • ⬤ Come to Québec to pursue a profession or do business, either alone or with others
  • ⬤ Make a start-up deposit at a financial institution in the location where you plan to practice your profession or trade: - If you plan to practice your trade or profession outside of the Montréal Metropolitan Community (MMC), you'll need a C$25,000 start-up deposit. or - If you plan to practice your trade or profession in the MMC area, you'll need a C$50,000 start-up deposit.
  • ⬤ Have a minimum of C$100,000 in net assets with your accompanying spouse or de facto spouse, if applicable, and proof of source and legitimate acquisition.
  • ⬤ Have at least two years of self-employed experience in the profession or trade you want to practice in Québec.

    • Applying for Permanent Residency In Québec
    An important fact to keep in mind is that you must apply for permanent residency as a skilled worker selected by Québec after getting your Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec Selection Certificate). However, the Canadian government is in charge of deciding whether or not to give you permanent residence.

    The Québec PR points calculator includes fluency in French, bilingualism, age, professional experience and level of education. All up to date rules can be found on the official Québec Immigration website.

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