Quebec holds a special place in Canada’s immigration landscape thanks to its French language and cultural heritage. The province runs its own permanent residence immigration programmes, chief among them the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP).
One of the principal immigration pathways for those wishing to settle in Quebec is the Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP), formerly known as the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Programme (QSWP).
Selection under the SWSP is based on the candidate’s profile, level of education, language skills, work experience and any ties they may have to Quebec.
Contents
Overview
The Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP) is a well-established permanent residence immigration programme for skilled workers in Quebec.
Much like theThe Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)in theExpress Entrysystem, foreign nationals wishing to immigrate through the SWSP must first express their intention to immigrate to Quebec by completing an expression of interest (EOI) form through an online portal. Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) regularly selects individuals from the pool of candidates and invites them to apply for permanent selection.
Since November 2023, French-language proficiency has been mandatory for both the principal applicant and accompanying applicants under this programme.
On 29 November 2024, the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Programme (QSWP) was replaced by the Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP).
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Improvements to application processing
In the past, SWSP applications were submitted on paper and were subject to intake caps applied in rounds. Quebec set a maximum number of applications it would accept in a year, along with an intake deadline. Once that maximum was reached, Quebec closed the programme to new applications. This “first come, first served” selection system was regarded as inefficient, and the large volume of applications received at once led to a persistent backlog.
Put another way, under the old application model the number of applications submitted far exceeded the annual places available for skilled workers. As a result, successful candidates often waited several years.
For this reason, in 2018 the Quebec Ministry of Immigration carried out a reset, abandoning the “first come, first served” approach, cancelling the backlogged applications and introducing an onlineExpression of Interest (EOI)system on a platform calledArrima.
The EOI system gives every prospective candidate an equal opportunity to be selected for permanent residence. Anyone aged 18 or over who wishes to immigrate to Quebec may express their interest at any time.
What is an EOI?
Detailed article onExpression of Interest (EOI) in Quebec.
The EOI system is a 2-step process for selecting skilled immigrant workers, whether they are abroad or already in the province.
- The first step is to submit an electronic expression of interest form for permanent immigration to Arrima. This is a pre-screening process that allows the government to rank interested candidates on the basis of human capital and labour-market criteria.
- The second step is for the Government of Quebec to invite the highest-ranked candidates from the pool to apply for permanent immigration in regular draws. The likelihood of being invited in a draw depends on a number of factors, including the government’s annual immigration targets, processing capacity, the candidate’s ranking score in the pool, whether they hold a job offer, and the occupations being targeted at the time of each draw.
The SWSP immigration process
First, a candidate must submit an expression of interest form through the Arrima pool. Profiles submitted are scored on factors such as age, level of education, language skills and work experience. The highest-scoring candidates in the pool may be invited by the Government of Quebec to apply for permanent selection in regular draws.
Candidates invited to apply for Quebec immigration under the SWSP use the Mon Projet Québec portal to complete and submit the permanent selection application form. The portal allows candidates to complete their application, pay online, track the status of the application, amend it, and access their personal messages throughout the process.
Successful SWSP candidates are issued aThe Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)and may then apply to the Government of Canada for permanent residence.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)will carry out medical and criminal record checks as part of the approval process.
SWSP eligibility criteria
To qualify for a CSQ under the SWSP, candidates must score enough points on the Quebec immigration selection grid.
This selection grid comprises 9 factors:
- Level of education.
- Work experience.
- Age.
- Knowledge of French.
- Stays in and family ties to Quebec.
- A validated job offer.
- Characteristics of the common-law partner.
- Accompanying children.
- Financial self-sufficiency.
Single (unmarried) candidates must score at least 50 points under this system, while candidates with a common-law partner must score at least 59 points.
SWSP selection factors
The Quebec immigration selection factors are as follows:
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Level of education | Up to 14 points (cut-off = 2 points) |
| Field of training | Up to 12 points |
| Validated job offer | Up to 14 points |
| Work experience | Up to 8 points |
| Age | Up to 16 points |
| Language ability | Up to 22 points |
| Stays in and family ties to Quebec | Up to 8 points |
| Characteristics of the common-law partner | Up to 17 points |
| Accompanying children | Up to 8 points |
| Financial self-sufficiency | 1 point |
Many of the documents required for a Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP) application must be certified copies. Read more about theAuthorities that certify documents for the SWSP.
Language test results must be submitted with the immigration application in order for points to be awarded for language proficiency.
Note that since November 2023 the principal applicant must demonstrate French at level 7, while the principal applicant’s common-law partner must demonstrate at least level 4 in oral French (listening and speaking) under theLanguage proficiency for Quebec immigration.
SWSP processing fees
The processing fees for the Skilled Worker Selection Programme, in force since 1 January 2024, are as follows:
| Applicant | Fee |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant | $921 CAD |
| Common-law partner | $197 CAD |
| Each dependent child | $197 CAD |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the SWSP
The Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP) is a programme for economic immigration candidates who intend to settle in the province of Quebec. Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) invites candidates to apply for aThe Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)on the basis of their profileExpression of Interest (EOI), which sets out their age, level of education, work experience, French-language proficiency and other factors.
Arrimais the online platform used to manage immigration applications from foreign nationals wishing to immigrate to Quebec under the SWSP. It is a portal open to anyone aged 18 or over who wishes to submit an expression of interest form in order to apply under the SWSP.
Under Quebec’s revised immigration system, the first step for a foreign national wishing to immigrate to Quebec under the SWSP is to express that intention by completing anExpression of Interest (EOI)form online through theArrimaportal. In this form, the individual must provide information about their field of training, level of education, language skills and work experience, along with other supporting details.
The Quebec Ministry of Immigration periodically invites people from the EOI pool who meet certain criteria, focused chiefly on labour-market needs in different regions of Quebec. Holding a validated job offer and working in a targeted occupation are among the criteria considered.
Mon projet Québec is the online system for receiving completed applications under the QSWP (now the SWSP).
Candidates invited by Quebec to apply for permanent selection under the SWSP must register an account on Mon projet Québec to complete their application and submit supporting documents.
The CSQ is the document issued to successful candidates under Quebec’s immigration programmes to certify that they have been selected to immigrate to Quebec.
With a CSQ, a candidate can apply to the federal government for permanent residence. The CSQ is not a permanent resident visa and cannot be used to enter Canada.
Candidates may create a profileExpression of Interest (EOI)at any time through the online Arrima portal.
The Government of Quebec issues invitations on an ongoing basis and in line with labour-market needs. This means that candidates who have submitted a profile to the Arrima pool and who best match the economic and political priorities of the province and its regions may be selected at any time on the basis of their socio-professional profile.
To maximise your chances of being invited, it is best to keep your Arrima profile up to date at all times.
No. At present, the only way for a candidate to be considered for Quebec immigration under the SWSP is to create a profile on Arrima.
Candidates may include their spouse or common-law partner in the application, along with any dependent children under 18. Note that Canada recognises same-sex relationships.
A candidate can obtain a CSQ under the SWSP if they score enough points in the other categories of the selection grid to reach the pass mark.
No. The candidate’s age, and the ages of any accompanying family members, are locked in on the date the application is submitted. For scoring purposes, the candidate and any accompanying family members keep the same age throughout the application process.
Yes. Any change that may affect a candidate’s application must be declared within 30 days of the change occurring. This includes the addition of new family members, as well as any change of address, employment or education – and it applies equally to an accompanying common-law partner.
Candidates may earn any additional points these changes entitle them to. Note also that such changes must be declared even where they have no effect on the score.
Since 1 January 2020, those applying under the SWSP have been required to obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and the Quebec values in support of their permanent selection application.
To obtain the attestation, a candidate must successfully complete an online assessment or attend an information session with Objectif Intégration. Once issued, the attestation is valid for two years. Everyone aged 18 or over included in the candidate’s application must obtain this attestation. Further information is available athere.
Any change of address must be declared to MIFI. If a candidate moves to a country with a shorter estimated processing time, they may request that their application be transferred to that processing office.
The SWSP is for prospective immigration candidates who wish to settle and build a life in Quebec. An application may be refused if MIFI or the federal immigration authorities believe the candidate does not intend to settle in Quebec.
Once a successful candidate receives a permanent resident visa, they (and their family, if applicable) must land in Quebec on arrival in Canada. Note, however, that immigrants who obtain permanent residence through the SWSP have the same right as Canadian citizens and permanent residents in other provinces to move freely throughout the country without hindrance.
Yes. An application may be refused at the federal processing stage for a number of reasons. A refusal at the federal level may be based on criminal record checks or on the results of a medical examination. An application may also be refused if the federal immigration authorities have reason to believe that any statement the candidate made in their application is untrue, or if the authorities doubt the candidate’s intention to settle in Quebec.
No. Note that the selection criteria for the Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP) are not the same as those for the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP). Once a candidate holds a CSQ, their application must still be submitted at the federal level for security and medical checks before permanent residence is granted. Their qualifications, however, are not reassessed federally, since the province has already approved them and selected the candidate (and their family, if applicable) for Quebec immigration.
No. The Quebec immigration process operates outside the federal Express Entry immigration selection system.
Quebec is responsible for selecting the immigrants who settle within the province. To immigrate to Quebec, a candidate must first obtain a CSQ. Note that the CSQ is not a permanent resident visa. Once a CSQ application is submitted, the candidate’s qualifications are assessed at the provincial level.
Following provincial approval (receipt of the CSQ), the candidate must apply at the federal level for medical and security checks. Once approved federally, the candidate receives permanent residence.
Quebec is a province with a distinct cultural identity, and the only predominantly French-speaking province in Canada. Being selected by Quebec depends on your ability and intention to settle and work in the province, and to adapt to life there.
Quebec has had the right to define its own immigrant selection criteria since 1991, when the province signed the Canada-Quebec Accord. This agreement between the provincial and federal governments came about against a backdrop of rising separatist sentiment in Quebec, and although Quebec residents voted to remain in Canada, selecting immigrants according to Quebec’s own criteria remains an important part of the province’s identity.
Freedom of movement within Canada, guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, nonetheless forms part of the Canada-Quebec Accord.
Because of its unique position as the only officially French-speaking province in Canada, Quebec holds special powers to run its own immigration programmes.
If a candidate seeks to immigrate to Quebec and live there as a skilled worker, they cannot apply through immigration streams such as the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP). They must instead apply under the Skilled Worker Selection Programme (SWSP).
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