If you have studied or worked in Quebec and wish to settle permanently in the province, you may be eligible to immigrate under the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This is a fast Canadian immigration programme that aims to process applications within six months.
Contents
Overview
The Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience québécoise, or PEQ) offers international students and individuals with work experience in Quebec a fast route to obtaining theQuebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)— a mandatory step towards permanent residence, which is granted by the federal government.
Unlike other Canadian provinces, Quebec is in a unique position thanks to theCanada-Quebec Accord, in force since April 1991, which gives Quebec the right to select economic immigrants in the skilled worker category.
When the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) created the PEQ, the aim was to ensure that Quebec society benefits from the contribution of people who have already lived there for some time, who understand and share Quebec values, and who are well integrated. By making it easier for employers to hire young graduates of Quebec educational institutions and foreign nationals already in Quebec, the government sought to meet its immigration targets and improve Quebec’s difficult demographic situation.
Between its launch year of 2010 and 2019, the programme issued more than 70,000 selection certificates to temporary residents. Because the programme proved so popular that 86% of all Quebec selection certificates went to PEQ applicants, the Quebec government reformed it in the autumn of 2019. The purpose of the reform was to improve the distribution of applicants across immigration programmes and to make the PEQ more responsive to labour market needs.
The PEQ is an ideal immigration option for individuals who are fluent in French and have lawful work experience in Quebec. Another major advantage of the programme is processing within 6 months, considerably faster than other programmes such as theQuebec Skilled Worker Program (SWSP).
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How does the PEQ work?
Depending on your situation, you may apply under one of the two streams of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ):
- Temporary foreign workers.
- Quebec international students.
Since January 2021, PEQ applicants must submit the application, pay the required fees and upload the necessary documents through theArrimaportal. Paper applications are no longer accepted. However, those who mailed an application before 26 January 2021 will not be able to use Arrima to track the file or amend the application.
The steps to apply for the PEQ are as follows:
- Step 1: Choose one of the two application forms for selection for permanent residence and complete the form that matches your situation.
- Step 2: Prepare the supporting documents listed in the application form.
- Step 3: Create your profile on the Arrima platform.
- Step 4: Submit the complete application for selection for permanent residence through Arrima.
- Step 5: Pay your application processing fee.
The Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration will process a complete application within 6 months. This period begins once the complete application, fees and supporting documents have been received.
For temporary workers
Temporary foreign workers in Quebec may be eligible to apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) under the PEQ if they:
- Show an intention to settle in Quebec in order to keep their job. The job must not be in an ineligible industry.
- Have been temporarily in Quebec for the purpose of working.
- Have at least 24 months of full-time work experience in Quebec within the 36 months before applying, in an occupation at skill level 0, A or B.
- Hold legal status in Quebec as a temporary worker or under a youth exchange programme such as International Experience Canada (IEC) (Working Holiday, Young Professionals or International Co-op Internship).
- Hold legal status in Quebec at the time of application.
Language requirements
- Have spoken French skills equivalent to level 7 on the Quebec scale of French proficiency.
- Provide a final transcript proving successful completion of at least three years of full-time secondary or post-secondary study conducted entirely in French (including a master’s or doctoral thesis, if applicable).
- Show that they have met the French language requirement of the professional body that regulates their occupation in Quebec.
- The spouse of a principal PEQ applicant must show spoken French skills equivalent to level 4 on theQuebec scale of French proficiency.
Work experience
The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) treats a minimum of 30 paid hours of work per week as full-time employment. This work experience must have been acquired lawfully and in an occupation classified at Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category 0, A, B1, 2 or 3 of theNational Occupational Classification (NOC).
Full-time work experience acquired as an international student underPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)or under a youth exchange programme /International Experience Canada (IEC)may be counted if the applicant meets all PEQ requirements. MIFI will not consider any period of part-time work, self-employment or business activity under the PEQ.
For Quebec international students
International students who have studied in Quebec may be eligible to apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) under the PEQ if they:
- Show an intention to settle in Quebec in order to keep their job. The job must not be in an ineligible industry.
- Have been temporarily in Quebec for the purpose of study, for at least half the length of their programme.
- Have studied in Quebec for at least 1,800 hours (two years).
- Have obtained an eligible degree or diploma from an educational institution recognised by the Quebec Ministry of Education within the past 36 months.
- Hold legal status in Quebec at the time of application.
- Can demonstrate financial self-sufficiency.
- Hold a master’s degree, bachelor’s degree or DEC, have 12 months of work experience in an occupation at skill level 0, A or B, and hold that job at the time of application.
- Hold a DEP, have 18 months of work experience in an occupation at skill level 0, A, B or C, and are required to hold that job at the time of application. Note that a level C occupation must be related to the qualification.
Note: Work experience acquired during a compulsory internship counts for a maximum of 3 months.
Language requirements
- The principal applicant must show spoken French skills equivalent to level 7 and written French skills equivalent to at least level 5 on the Quebec scale of French proficiency.
- The spouse of a principal PEQ applicant must show spoken French skills equivalent to level 4 on theQuebec scale of French proficiency.
From 23 November 2024, to be eligible for the programme, the principal applicant must:
- Provide a final transcript proving successful completion of at least three years of full-time secondary or post-secondary study conducted entirely in French (including a master’s or doctoral thesis, if applicable); or
- Provide a final transcript proving successful completion of an eligible programme of study in Quebec conducted entirely in French (including a master’s or doctoral thesis, if applicable), in which 75% of the courses or credits were completed in French.
The Quebec government will not issue the CSQ until the applicant submits the complete transcript and the certificate confirming successful completion of the qualification.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the PEQ
The Programme de l’expérience québécoise (Quebec Experience Program, or PEQ) is a Canadian immigration programme that gives priority to applicants who have studied or worked in Quebec.
No. These are 2 separate immigration programmes for applying for theQuebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). Once an applicant receives the CSQ, they can apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.
No, there is no minimum points score required for an individual to be eligible for the PEQ.
Applicants may apply for the PEQ on the basis of their Quebec experience, either as an international student holding an eligible qualification or as a foreign worker. The other eligibility criteria (listed above) must also be met.
The Diplômé du Québec (Quebec graduate) category is for applicants who have obtained an eligible qualification from a recognised educational institution in Quebec.
The Travailleur étranger temporaire (temporary foreign worker) category is for applicants working in Quebec with at least 12 months of skilled work experience in Quebec within the past 24 months.
Applicants in the international student category can only apply after obtaining their qualification. The application must be submitted within 36 months of graduation. Applicants in the foreign worker category can apply as soon as they meet all eligibility criteria and are working full time in a skilled occupation in Quebec.
The application must be submitted online through theArrima.
The Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) states that PEQ applications are processed within 6 months. This estimate applies to complete applications where the applicant is not required to supply additional documents or attend a verification interview. Incomplete applications are returned to the applicant.
The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) states that PEQ applicants may be required to attend a verification interview.
Yes, an accompanying spouse or common-law partner may be included in the application. Note that since November 2023 the spouse must demonstrate spoken French skills equivalent to level 4 on theQuebec scale of French proficiency.
Yes, evidence of language proficiency must be provided for both the principal applicant and the accompanying spouse.
Yes, all children must be declared on the application form, whether or not they accompany the principal applicant. Children under 19 may be included. However, only children born outside Canada are included in the CSQ application, as children born in Canada are already citizens.
All children must be declared on the application form. However, if an applicant has a child born in Canada, that child is already a Canadian citizen. In this case the child is not declared as accompanying the applicant on the CSQ application, because the child does not need a CSQ. Government processing fees do not apply to children born in Canada.
Yes. The government processing fees are set out in the table below. They must be paid in full together with the application, otherwise the application will be treated as incomplete.
| Applicant | Fee |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant | $822 CAD |
| Spouse or common-law partner | $176 CAD |
| Each dependent child | $176 CAD |
The list of required documents is included in the relevant application form. The form is available in French only, but documents may be submitted in English or French. An official translation must be provided for any document that is not in English or French. All required documents and forms must be submitted to the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) in the correct format, together with payment, as a single application. Incomplete applications are returned to the applicant.
The principal applicant on the application must provide evidence of upper-intermediate ability in spoken French.
The qualifications eligible for the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) are:
- A bachelor’s degree (university).
- A master’s degree (including an MBA).
- A doctoral degree.
- A diploma of college studies, technical training (DCS).
- A diploma of vocational studies (DVS) certifying at least 1,800 hours of study.
- A diploma of vocational studies (DVS) followed by an attestation of vocational specialisation (AVS) of at least 1,800 hours of further training leading to a specific trade.
Foreign worker applicants must have at least 24 of the 36 months before applying in full-time work experience. Full-time work is defined as at least 30 hours per week. Part-time work experience is not recognised in a PEQ application. Non-continuous work experience may be considered in the application provided it was full-time work.
Yes. Prospective applicants who do not meet the PEQ eligibility criteria but have work or study experience in Quebec may also be eligible to apply for the CSQ through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
Read more about the Quebec Experience Program on the government website athere.
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