Starting May 13, 2026, Quebec will prioritise permanent residence applications from temporary foreign workers whose work permits are expired or nearing expiry. This change, under the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), aims to prevent established workers from being forced to leave the province before their permanent residence applications are processed.
The government has introduced a two-stage priority system. Workers holding open work permits will be processed first, as a federal temporary policy benefits only certain closed permit holders. Once open permit cases are handled, Quebec will move on to applicants with closed permits.
Quebec is also urging Ottawa to broaden the federal temporary policy to include open permit holders, their spouses, and dependants. The province stressed that while prioritisation can accelerate processing, it does not guarantee permanent residence approval before permits expire. Temporary workers are still advised to renew permits through their employers and IRCC where possible.
The new policy aligns with Quebec’s broader strategy to select candidates already contributing to the province’s economy, support employer workforce stability, and address labour market shortages.
