Arrima is an online platform used by the Quebec government to provide various services to foreign nationals wishing to immigrate to Quebec.
Arrima is entirely free to use and open to everyone. This page gives candidates an overview of the immigration-related procedures that can be completed through the platform.
Contents
What is Arrima?
Arrima is a free electronic system used to manage skilled worker applications in Quebec. It works in a similar way to the federal Express Entry system. Candidates for immigration to Quebec can create and submit a profile to be considered under theQuebec Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP).
Eligible candidates are allocated points and ranked against others in the Arrima candidate pool. This method of selecting immigration candidates is known as theexpression of interest (EOI).
system
In Quebec, the new EOI system, with Arrima at its centre, came into force in August 2018 following the enactment of the Quebec Immigration Act.
The purpose of the Arrima platform is to speed up the processing of immigration applications and to match prospective immigration candidates more closely to labour market needs. Before Arrima, Quebec used a paper-based system to select immigration candidates, which led to long processing times and made it impossible to match those wishing to immigrate to the province with the most pressing labour market needs.
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Can candidates use Arrima to immigrate to Quebec?
Candidates can use Arrima to immigrate to Quebec
Many immigration procedures can be completed through Arrima. It all depends on the programme the candidate is applying to and the stage they have reached in the immigration process.
- Below are the main ways Quebec immigration candidates can use Arrima:
- Create, submit, complete and update their Expression of Interest (EOI) for the SWSP.
- Access the self-assessment tool to estimate the score they might achieve when submitting an expression of interest, and to gauge their chances of receiving an invitation to submit an application for permanent residence.Apply for permanent selection, as well as submit documents and pay the fees required to immigrate to Quebec under the.
- Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
- Create an Arrima profile to apply for permanent selection, submit documents and pay the required fees under one of Quebec’s permanent immigration pilot programmes.
- Obtain information and submit forms relating to:
- Financial support for part-time French courses.
- The “Accompagnement Québec” programmes.
- The programme for refugees abroad (collective sponsorship).
Arrima may also be used by employers and businesses to:
- Receive personalised support from the immigration ministry.
- Contact foreign workers matching their labour needs and offer them work in Quebec through the Employer Portal.
Registering for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program through Arrima?
Interested candidates submit a profile online through Arrima to be assessed for immigration under the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP), on the basis of a points system. The score is calculated by considering a number of specific factors, such as education, work experience, language skills, ties to the province, a validated job offer in the province, and other factors.
Access the Arrima portal athere.
Eligible candidates enter the candidate pool and then have the chance to be invited to apply for permanent selection.
Each month, the Quebec government selects the highest-scoring candidates from the Arrima pool and invites them to submit a full application for aThe Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), the first step towards applying for permanent residence withImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Below is a summary of the steps candidates need to take to be considered for immigration to Quebec:
- Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Arrima candidate pool.
- Once the EOI is submitted, the candidate receives a score based on predetermined criteria. A self-assessment tool (available in French only) is available on the government site to estimate the score a candidate might achieve when submitting an expression of interest.
- The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) sends invitations to the highest-scoring candidates in the Arrima pool, inviting them to submit a full application for permanent selection.
- Invited candidates have 60 days to complete the application and submit it to MIFI.
- MIFI reviews the candidate’s full application.
- A decision is made on the application and, if successful, the candidate receives a CSQ within 6 months.
- Having received the CSQ, the candidate may apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.
An expression of interest is valid for 1 year and candidates are able to update their profile throughout that period. Candidates may, for example, improve their chances of being invited by taking a language test or obtaining a validated job offer in the province.
The scoring system in Arrima
Anyone meeting the age requirement of 18 may submit an expression of interest by completing a profile online through the Arrima portal. Expression of interest profiles are assessed under a points system totalling 1,320 points and based on the following human capital and labour market needs criteria:
Human capital (maximum 580 points)
| Criterion | Maximum points – principal candidate | Maximum points – common-law partner or spouse accompanying the principal candidate |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge of French | 180 | 40 |
| Knowledge of French and English | 80 | — |
| Age | 130 | 110 |
| Length of professional experience | 100 | — |
| Level of education | 90 | 70 (principal candidate with an accompanying spouse) 10 (common-law partner or spouse of the principal candidate) |
Quebec labour market needs (maximum 740 points)
| Criterion | Maximum points – principal candidate | Maximum points – common-law partner or spouse accompanying the principal candidate |
|---|---|---|
| Labour force diagnosis combined, where applicable, with length of experience in the occupation practised | 100 | — |
| Field of training | 60 | — |
| Quebec qualification | 50 | 10 |
| Length of professional experience in Quebec | 100 | — |
| Length of professional experience in the rest of Canada | 30 | — |
| A validated job offer combined, where applicable, with the job depending on whether it lies inside or outside the Greater Montréal area | 380 (outside the Greater Montréal area) 180 (within the Greater Montréal area) |
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Arrima is an online portal launched in 2018 to manage applications to the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP). Arrima serves mainly as the hub for Quebec’s expression of interest (EOI) system, allowing interested candidates to submit an EOI to be considered for immigration. Arrima may also be used to submit documents for various Quebec immigration programmes, among them:
- The International Student Programme
- The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
- The permanent immigration pilot programmes
Yes. The Arrima portal is currently open for applications. To apply, candidates need a personal computer or tablet to access Arrima. The application does not support mobile phone navigation.
Creating an Arrima profile involves 3 basic steps:
- Enter an email address, choose a password and confirm the registration in the system.
- Accept the Arrima account terms of use, and enter identity and contact details.
- Receive confirmation that the account has been created.
Once submitted, a candidate’s expression of interest is valid for 1 year.
Yes, candidates may withdraw or cancel their EOI at any time on Arrima. Candidates can also always recreate a profile and submit a new EOI at any time.
No. Arrima is free to use.
Invitations may be sent at any time, so it is important that candidates submit a profile on Arrima as early as possible and keep it up to date.
The province’s labour needs and the immigration targets set by Quebec’s immigration ministry may affect the frequency of invitation rounds. For the latest information on invitations issued through Arrima, see the section dedicated to it on this page.
The candidates with the best chance of being invited are those who accumulate the most points on the basis of their socio-professional characteristics on entering the EOI pool. Holding a validated job offer from a Quebec employer — particularly outside the Montréal metropolitan area — working in an occupation in short or moderate supply in Quebec, or having a good knowledge of French, all work to a candidate’s advantage.
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