In Canada, immigration is a matter of combined federal-provincial jurisdiction. According to the Constitution, the federal government has more immigration jurisdiction than the provinces. As a result, throughout Canada’s history, the federal government has taken the lead in welcoming and settling immigrants.
Quebec, on the other hand, has the most immigration power of any province. When Quebec established its own immigration ministry in 1968, it became increasingly involved in Canada’s immigration system. Quebec realized at the time that accepting more immigrants was critical to preserving the province’s strong Francophone identity.
The province has steadily gained greater immigration power from the federal government since then. It is now in charge of choosing all skilled professionals who desire to immigrate to Quebec. The federal government is in charge of accepting these newcomers.
In the first phase, Quebec selects immigrants based on its own criteria and methods. If Quebec chooses you, you and your accompanying family will be given a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation, et de l’Intégration du Québec issues this document, which you may get by applying for one of Quebec’s immigration programmes.
Receiving your CSQ validates your selection for immigration to Quebec. Following this, you may move on to step two. This means you will be able to apply for permanent residency with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and pass the medical, security, and criminality tests required to become a permanent resident in Canada.
Simply put, you and your family must meet the requirements of both levels of government in order to immigrate to Quebec.
Quebec is unusual in that it is Canada’s only province where French is the sole official language. To preserve its distinct position, Quebec places a premium on fluency in French when choosing immigrants. While proficiency in French increases one’s chances of moving to Quebec, it is also feasible to complete the requirements of Quebec’s immigration programs without speaking French.
Quebec chooses talented workers for immigration based on the province’s demographic and economic needs, as well as particular yearly admission objectives.
Foreign people who wish to settle in Quebec may be asked to apply for a CSQ under one of the economic immigration categories listed below.
Regular Skilled Worker Program in Quebec (QSWP)
The Quebec Skilled Worker Program, often known as the QSW, is an immigration program for foreign skilled workers who desire to become permanent citizens of Canada and live in Quebec.
You must be one of the selected persons with training and professional abilities that will help your integration to work in Quebec to be eligible for this program. Other characteristics examined in the selection process include language competency, age, and family circumstances.
Program of Quebec Experience (PEQ)
The PEQ is a popular immigration option for international students who have earned a qualifying diploma from a Quebec post-secondary school, as well as skilled employees who have worked in the province.
If you are 18 or older, want to work in Quebec, and have a minimum of an advanced intermediate level of French language ability, you may be qualified for the PEQ.
The PEQ is popular because of the vast number of students and employees who are already in Quebec and wish to stay as permanent residents. The PEQ was created in response to a substantial government study that found that persons with Canadian work experience integrate more rapidly into the labor market after obtaining permanent residence status.
In Quebec, three permanent immigration pilot programmes are now in place, aimed at employees in the food industry, orderlies, and the artificial intelligence, computer technology, and visual effects industries. These immigration pilot programmes are intended to assist Quebec in meeting the increasing demand for qualified individuals in various industries.
Each pilot programme will choose up to 550 principle candidates in qualified vocations. Under these trial projects, accompanying family members may also get Quebec selection certificates.
These pilot initiatives involve French language requirements, however in certain cases, francization classes are provided to workers with the desired profile rather than needing a comprehensive knowledge of French throughout the immigration procedure.
Foreign nationals who can demonstrate financial resources can apply for admission to Quebec under one of three business immigration schemes.
If you want to migrate to Quebec to establish or buy a business, you could be qualified for the entrepreneur programme.
If you want to come to Quebec to invest, you may be qualified for the investor programme. The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) is Canada’s sole passive investor programme, as well as one of the world’s most popular. Successful candidates are simply needed to make an investment in Quebec; they are not obliged to operate a firm in Quebec.
You may be qualified for the self-employed programme if you are self-employed and a professional or tradesperson.
There are several options to come to Quebec, including skilled worker paths, family sponsorship, and corporate immigration. We welcome you to fill out our free evaluation form to find out which option is best for your specific scenario.
Check the qualifying criteria for Quebec immigration programs that apply to you to see if you are likely to be eligible to come to Quebec. In general, the following requirements apply to Quebec immigration programs:
To become a permanent resident and live permanently in Quebec, you must first get a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) from the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, followed by an IRCC Canadian permanent resident visa.
Quebec and the Government of Canada have a specific immigration arrangement. The province has its unique qualities for picking immigrants who would fit in well in this province, which is the only one in Canada where French is the official language.
To move to Quebec permanently as a skilled worker, you must apply in two steps, as follows:
Yes. If you already have permanent resident status, you have the right to live, work, and study in any area of Canada. If, on the other hand, you have been nominated under the Provincial Nominee Program, the nominating province has selected you to bring certain talents to its jurisdiction and to contribute to its society and local economy, and it is expected that you would reside and remain on that territory.
Quebec has the country’s fastest ageing population, hence its economy’s job demands are broad. Jobs are available in many industries, including information and communications technology, health care, transportation, finance, professional services, agriculture, and education.
Quebec has compiled a list of jobs that are in high demand in the province. This list is updated on a regular basis and reveals which occupations have a scarcity of qualified people in the labour market.
Furthermore, Quebec has recently launched three pilot initiatives in the health, food processing, and information technology sectors to alleviate labour shortages in these industries.
See our Temporary Foreign Workers Program website for information on how to seek a job and be permitted to work temporarily in Quebec.
Immigration, whether temporary or permanent, comes at a high cost. Before you depart, it is critical that you thoroughly consider the costs of your new life and your ability to cover them.
To ensure that you can pay for the first few months of your life in Quebec, you will need to sign a self-sufficiency contract with the government.
You must be able to cover your basic needs, which include food, clothes, personal items, and housing expenses. You may also incur settling costs like as furniture, energy, internet, and telephone service, public transit, a car, gas, a driver’s licence, and house or auto insurance. You will also have to pay for immigration documentation and processing fees, such as the Quebec Selection Certificate, Canadian Permanent Resident Fee, and medical charges, among other things.
Candidates applying under the Regular Skilled Worker Program can earn points for their mastery of French and written English. A standardised exam must be completed and submitted.
More information on the examinations approved by the Department of Immigration may be found on our English and French Language Proficiency pages.
Yes, is the quick answer to this question.
The province’s target for the following year is to welcome between 43,000 and 44,500 newcomers. The province’s economic immigration initiatives are estimated to account for 62% of new admissions to Quebec.
No, you are not need to have a job in order to come to Quebec. Having a genuine work offer, on the other hand, might make it easier for you to secure permanent residency.