Foreign nationals wishing to apply for selection for permanent residence under the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP) must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online through the Arrima portal.
The Expression of Interest (EOI) provides details of the candidate’s socio-economic profile and qualifications, which are used to assess and rank the candidate against others in the pool. Candidates among the highest-ranked may be invited to apply for selection for permanent residence by the Quebec government.
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What is the Quebec Expression of Interest (EOI) system?
The Expression of Interest (EOI) system was established by the government in 2018 to manage applications for selection for permanent residence in Quebec.
The introduction of Quebec’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system formed part of a modernisation effort, similar to theExpress Entrysystem, which was introduced with the same objective in 2015.
As Canada did with Express Entry, Quebec introduced an online portal calledArrimawith the aim of simplifying the process of selecting immigrants, speeding up the processing of immigration applications considerably, and aligning immigration more closely with labour market needs.
Using the Expression of Interest (EOI) system allows the Quebec government to build a pool of foreign nationals wishing to immigrate permanently to the province under theQuebec Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP)
Foreign nationals wishing to apply for selection for permanent residence under the SWSP must begin this process by creating a profile through the Arrima portal and completing an Expression of Interest (EOI). The Expression of Interest (EOI) provides information about the applicant’s socio-economic profile.
Typically, eligible candidates answer a series of online questions and then submit their profile to the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool. Once a candidate’s profile is submitted, they are scored against a number of factors relating to human capital and labour market needs.
Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) administers Arrima and holds regular invitation rounds to select candidates from the pool on the basis of their ranking score, targeted occupations or work locations, and other factors. The frequency and number of invitations issued to candidates are determined by Quebec’s labour market needs, its annual immigration targets and MIFI’s processing capacity.
The Expression of Interest (EOI) is completed online, is free of charge and requires no supporting documents at this stage. There is also no limit on the number of interested individuals who may submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Arrima pool, and no application deadline.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) is valid for one year from the date of submission and may be updated at any time, even after it has been submitted.
Find out more about the Expression of Interest (EOI) in Quebec on the government website athere.
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What are the requirements for a Quebec Expression of Interest (EOI)?
Any foreign national aged 18 or over who intends to live and work in Quebec may submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the province using the Arrima portal.
Candidates are scored under a points system divided into 2 categories of criteria, with points also awarded under some of these criteria for the principal applicant’s spouse or common-law partner.
Below is a summary of the criteria considered and the maximum points obtainable for each.
Human capital (maximum 580 points)
| Criterion | Maximum points – principal applicant | Maximum points – accompanying spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| 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 applicant with an accompanying spouse) 10 (spouse or common-law partner of the principal applicant) |
Quebec labour market needs (maximum 740 points)
| Criterion | Maximum points – principal applicant | Maximum points – accompanying spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Labour force survey combined, where applicable, with length of experience in the practised occupation | 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) |
— |
A candidate and their spouse or common-law partner may accumulate a maximum of 1,320 points on the basis of human capital factors and Quebec labour market needs.
Information required in the EOI
When submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI), candidates are asked to provide the following information:
- Information about themselves.
- Contact details.
- Family status.
- Status in Quebec.
- Education.
- Work experience.
- Information relating to a job offer validated by MIFI.
- French and English language skills.
- Information about an accompanying spouse and children, whether or not they are accompanying.
Registering
The first step for foreign nationals interested in immigrating to Quebec under the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP) is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online through the Arrima portal.
The process of applying to immigrate under the SWSP comprises 5 main steps:
- The foreign national submits an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile through the Arrima portal and enters the Arrima candidate pool.
- Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) issues invitations to apply to the highest-ranked candidates. Invitations may reflect labour market needs in different regions of Quebec, alongside other criteria.
- Invited candidates may then submit a full application forThe Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) theo QSWP.
- Full applications are reviewed and approved candidates are issued a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).
- Once the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) is issued, the candidate may apply for Canadian permanent residence withImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
After submitting the profile
Once submitted, an Expression of Interest (EOI) is valid for 1 year and candidates may update their profile throughout that period. Candidates may, for example, improve their chances of being invited by taking a language test.
The highest-scoring candidates, or those meeting specific criteria such as holding a job outside the major metropolitan areas in a targeted occupation, are invited to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) under the SWSP.
The Quebec government issues invitations regularly, and candidates can find the latest updates on our Arrima portal page.
Candidates invited to apply under the SWSP have 60 days to submit a full application for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).
SWSP applications continue to be processed through the Mon Projet Québec application management system. When the Ministry assesses the application, the full list of required documents is provided to the candidate.
The application review process begins once all documents have been provided by the candidate. Some candidates may be invited to attend an interview to verify the information given in the application.
Application processing times
The Quebec government aims to process full applications within 6 months. Processing time begins when MIFI receives:
- The candidate’s application for selection for permanent residence;
- The candidate’s supporting documents;
- Payment of the candidate’s application processing fee.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
No. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is not an immigration application, but a document expressing the candidate’s interest in being considered for permanent selection in Quebec. Although it is the first step towards immigrating to Quebec, it remains a very important one, and it is essential that the information given in the EOI is valid and verifiable in order to safeguard the candidate’s prospects of being invited to apply.
A candidate’s Expression of Interest (EOI) is valid for 1 year from the date of submission.
If the candidate does not receive an invitation to apply for permanent selection within that period, their EOI expires. Candidates cannot extend or renew an EOI, but may submit a new one, free of charge, should they choose to do so.
When a candidate submits an Expression of Interest (EOI), they automatically receive a score based on a number of criteria corresponding to the economic and social objectives set by the Province of Quebec.
The points system is used to assess and score the candidate’s profile and to rank them within the pool of expressions of interest. Candidates are assessed against factors such as:
- Their adaptability and other factors.
- Their language skills.
- Their level of education.
- Their work experience.
The highest-scoring candidates are invited, through periodic draws (or invitation rounds), to submit a full application for permanent selection.
The factors used to score immigration candidates play a part in their future economic success in Quebec. Quebec may, for example, identify certain occupations in short supply and issue special invitations to candidates in the poolArrimawho hold qualifications or work experience in those fields, in order to ensure they can enter the labour market quickly.
One of the main objectives of the Expression of Interest system is to secure strong economic outcomes and long-term retention among those selected to immigrate to Quebec.
The EOI-based assessment process is generally considered transparent, because it allows prospective candidates to see the criteria used for selection and to know whether they are likely to score highly enough to succeed.
The first thing candidates can do is ensure they keep their Arrima profile up to date by adding the latest information. For as long as their expression of interest remains valid, they can continue updating the profile with new information.
To improve their score and increase their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent selection, candidates may also, for example:
- Obtain a certificate, diploma or degree.
- Improve their language scores by resitting the test.
- Gain further work experience.
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