Quebec Immigration Programs

Quebec Immigration Programs

Quebec Immigration Programs

/Quebec Immigration Programs/

Introduction

Quebec’s immigration programs include:


Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP)

Requirements:

  1. Have obtained secondary school diploma
  2. Have a validated job offer (Max 180 or 380 points)
  3. Over 18 years old (no points over 44 years old)
  4. Have language proficiency (no points under CLB5)
  5. Get 50/103 or 59/120 points in RSWP Selection Grid

Invitation criteria and their score:

Quebec introduces new scoring system for Arrima Expression of Interest. Invitations are sent according to criteria related to proficiency in French and/or English, age, work experience and level of education, etc. People are invited in particular on the basis of their score.


Temporary Foreign Worker

Requirements:

  1. Have respected the conditions of your stay
  2. Intend to settle in Québec
  3. 18 years of age or older
  4. Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7
  5. Accompanying spouse must have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 4
  6. Financially self-sufficient
  7. Hold a full time job at level 0, A or B of the NOC at the time you apply and for at least 24 of the 36 months before you submit your application
  8. Be legally in Québec as a temporary foreign worker or under a youth exchange program (including: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op Internship) at the time of application


Quebec Graduates

Requirements:

  1. Have respected the conditions of your stay
  2. Intend to settle in Québec
  3. 18 years of age or older
  4. Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7
  5. Accompanying spouse must have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 4
  6. Financially self-sufficient
  7. Have obtained an eligible diploma:
    • Bachelor’s degree (university undergraduate)
    • Master’s degree (including an MBA)
    • Ph.D.
    • Diploma of college studies, technical training (DCS)
    • Diploma of vocational studies (DVS) attesting to 1,800 hours or more of study
    • Diploma of vocational studies (DVS) followed by an Attestation of vocational specialization (AVS) of 1,800 hours or more of continuing education leading to a given trade
  8. Have stayed in Québec for at least half the duration of your study program
  9. Have obtained eligible work experience in Québec after the end of your study program:
    • If you have obtained a DVS of 1,800 hours or more of training, alone or with an AVS, you must have full-time work experience in a job at NOC level 0, A, B or C for at least 18 months and hold a full-time job at one of the following NOC levels when you submit your application:
      • If your job is at level 0, A or B, it does not have to be related to your study program
      • If your job is level C, it must be related to the DVS you obtained in Québec
    • For all other PEQ-eligible diplomas, you must have gained paid full-time work experience for at least 12 months in a job at NOC level 0, A or B after completing your study program and hold a full-time job at the same NOC level 0, A or B when you submit your application (This job does not have to be related to your study program)


Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in Food Processing Program

This pilot program has come into effect on March 24, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026.

Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  3. Have respected the conditions of your stay in Québec
  4. Have obtained a diploma minimally corresponding to a high school diploma or a Québec diploma of vocational studies, obtained in a study program of at least one year, full time
  5. Hold an eligible job in an eligible sector in Québec
  6. Have held an eligible job for a period of at least 24 months on a full-time basis in an eligible sector in Québec during the 36 months preceding the date of submission of your application
  7. Have knowledge of oral French that corresponds to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes or its equivalent 
  8. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency

Occupations targeted by this program:

Your work experience and the job that you currently hold must correspond to one of the following occupations, under the National Occupational Classification (NOC):

  • NOC 9462 – Industrial butcher and meat cutter, poultry preparer and related worker
  • NOC 9617 – Labourer in food and beverage processing
  • NOC 9618 – Labourer in fish and seafood
  • NOC 6732 – Specialized cleaner
  • NOC 9461 – Process control and machine operator, food and beverage processing
  • NOC 8431 – General farm worker, but only in the position of chicken catcher
  • NOC 9463 – Fish and seafood plant worker

Eligible sectors include:

  • NAICS 311 – Food manufacturing
  • NAICS 3121 – Beverage manufacturing


Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Orderlies – Work Stream

This pilot program has come into effect on March 31, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026.

Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Have respected the conditions of your stay in Québec
  3. Hold a job as an orderly in Québec at the time of submission of your application
  4. Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
  5. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  6. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency
  7. Hold a diploma related to the occupation of orderly. This diploma must have been obtained following completion of a study program of at least one year on a full-time basis that minimally corresponds to a Québec diploma of vocational studies
  8. Have acquired the following work experience:
    • at least 24 months as an orderly in Québec during the 36 months preceding the date of submission of your application;
      or
    • at least 12 months in a health occupation related to basic personal care outside of Québec and at least 12 months as an orderly in Québec during the 36 months preceding the date of submission of your application

Eligible occupation in Quebec:

  • NOC 3413 –Nurse aide, orderly and patient service associate

Eligible occupations outside of Quebec:

  • NOC 3011 – Nursing coordinator and supervisor
  • NOC 3012 – Registered nurse and registered psychiatric nurse
  • NOC 3124 – Allied primary health practitioner
  • NOC 3233 – Licensed practical nurse
  • NOC 4412 – Home support worker, housekeeper and related occupations, only when the applicant primarily performs one or several of the following duties in an institutional setting: providing personal care, dispensing bedside care and personal care and administering routine medical care


Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Orderlies – Work-study Stream

This pilot program has come into effect on March 31, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026.

Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Have respected the conditions of your stay in Québec
  3. Hold a job as an orderly in Québec at the time of submission of your application
  4. Have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
  5. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  6. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency
  7. Have completed the study program Institutional and Home Care Assistance (870 hours of continuous training) and obtained a Quebec secondary diploma of vocational studies leading to the occupation of orderly during the 24 months preceding the date of submission of your application
  8. Have at least 12 months of work experience as an orderly in Québec, obtained during the 24 months preceding the date of submission of your application, and after the completion date of your study program


Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in the Artificial Intelligence Sector

This pilot program has come into effect on April 22, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026.

Foreign Workers Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  3. Respect the conditions of your stay in Québec, if applicable
  4. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency
  5. If you are presently working in Québec as a temporary foreign worker, you must respect the conditions of your stay in Québec under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or the International Mobility Program (IMP) or under a youth exchange program, for example, through a Working Holiday permit, Young Professionals permit, or International Coop Internship
  6. Have obtained a diploma that minimally corresponds to a Québec bachelor’s degree
  7. Meet either the following requirement:
    • Have acquired work experience in Québec or abroad in a level 0, A or B job according to the National Occupational Classification on a full-time basis for a period of at least 24 months over the 60 months preceding submission of your application; or
    • Have obtained a diploma that minimally corresponds to a Québec master’s or doctoral degree in the 12 months preceding submission of your application and hold or have accepted a job in Québec on a full-time basis in the artificial intelligence sector and for which your skills profile allows you to meet the requirements, for which the gross annual salary is at least $75,000 if your employer is established outside the territory of the Metropolitan Montréal Community or at least $100,000 if it is established inside the Metropolitan Montréal Community

Quebec Graduates Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  3. Respect the conditions of your stay in Québec, if applicable
  4. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency
  5. Have lived in Québec with the main goal of studying there, for at least half of your study program
  6. Have obtained a university diploma issued by a Québec educational institution during the 24 months preceding submission of your application, for completion of higher specialized studies (DESS), a master’s program, or a doctoral program
  7. If you hold a diploma of higher specialized studies (DESS), you must have held a job in Québec at level 0, A or B according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) on a full-time basis for a period of at least 6 months during the 12 months following the date of the end of your study program
  8. Hold or have accepted a job in Québec on a full-time basis in the artificial intelligence sector and for which your skills profile allows you to meet the requirements


Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in the Information Technology and Visual Effects Sector

This pilot program has come into effect on April 22, 2021, and will close on January 1, 2026.

Requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or over
  2. Intend to settle in Québec to hold a job
  3. Respect the conditions of your stay in Québec, if applicable
  4. Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency
  5. If you are presently working in Québec as a temporary foreign worker, you must respect the conditions of your stay in Québec under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or the International Mobility Program (IMP) or under a youth exchange program, for example, through a Working Holiday permit, Young Professionals permit, or International Coop Internship
  6. Hold a diploma that minimally corresponds to a Québec diploma of college studies – technical training, or a Québec bachelor’s degree
  7. Have held an eligible job on a full-time basis for a period of at least 24 months during the 60 months preceding submission of your application for permanent selection
  8. Hold or have accepted an eligible job in Québec on a full-time basis whose hourly wage is equivalent to the maximum wage or higher than the average wage for your occupation, or to the 9th wage decile for your occupation according to Emploi Québec

Eligible occupations include:

  • NOC 2171 – Information systems analyst and consultant
  • NOC 5241 – Graphic designer and illustrator, but only if your job is in the visual effects sector 
  • NOC 0213 – Computer and information systems manager
  • NOC 2173 – Software engineer and designer
  • NOC 2133 – Electrical and electronics engineer
  • NOC 5131 – Producer, director, choreographer and related occupations, but only if your job is in the visual effects sector 
  • NOC 2174 – Computer programmer and interactive media developer
  • NOC 5225 – Audio and video recording technician, but only if your job is in the visual effects sector 
  • NOC 2281 – Computer network technician
  • NOC 2241 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologist and technician


Essential needs for a family unit for the three-month period indicated in the contract (Effective January 1 to December 31, 2023)

Number of children under 18
who are accompanying you
One adultTwo adults
0$3,588$5,261
1$4,822$5,894
2$5,441$6,361
3$6,062$6,829

Investor Program

New applications for the Investor Program are currently on hold.

Requirements:

  1. Intend to settle in Québec permanently
  2. Have a net worth of at least CDN$2,000,000
  3. Have at least two years of management experience within the five years preceding the submission of your application
  4. Make a five-year term investment of CDN$1,200,000
  5. Score at least 40 out of 89 points on the grid to meet the cut-off for factors and criteria that have an elimination threshold


Entrepreneur Program

Stream 1 – Starting and operating an innovative business Requirements:

  • Settle in Québec to start and operate an innovative business
  • Obtained a service offer from a support organization, such as a business accelerator, business incubator or a university entrepreneurship centre
  • Score at least 41 out of 85 points on the grid to meet the cut-off for factors and criteria that have an elimination threshold
  • Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values

Applications for this component of the Entrepreneur Program can be submitted from December 28, 2022 to December 31, 2023. You can submit an application only if you declare that your knowledge of oral French is at Level 7 or better.

Stream 2 – Start a new business or acquire an existing one Requirements:

  1. Settle in Québec to start or acquire a business: intend to operate this business
  2. Have a net worth of at least CDN$900,000
  3. If starting a business, must own and control at least 25% of the equity in the business; if acquiring a business, must own and control at least 51% of the equity in the business
  4. Manage the business you want to start or acquire and be actively involved in its management and day-to-day operations
  5. If acquiring a business, it must have been in operation for at least five years prior to the date of your application
  6. Score at least 51 out of 95 points on the grid to meet the cut-off for factors and criteria that have an elimination threshold
  7. Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values

Applications for this stream are currently suspended. You cannot apply at this time.


Self-employed Worker Program

Applications for the Self-Employed Worker Program can be submitted from December 28, 2022 to December 31, 2023. You can submit an application only if you declare that your knowledge of oral French is at Level 7 or better.

Requirements:

  1. Practise profession or business activities in Québec, alone or with others, with or without paid help
  2. Have a net worth of at least CDN$100,000
  3. Have at least two years of self-employment experience in the profession or trade you intend to practise in Québec
  4. Make a start-up deposit with a financial institution located in the area where you plan to practise your trade or profession: Outside the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM), the start-up deposit is CDN$25,000; on the territory of the CMM, the start-up deposit is CDN$50,000
  5. Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and the Quebec values
  6. Obtain 63 out of 107 points on the grid to meet the cut-off for factors and criteria that have an elimination threshold
  7. Obtain the legal right to practise if you are self-employed in a regulated profession