Quebec

Overall admissions remain the same as 2022 with little change throughout all categories.

Quebec has announced the opening of all three provincial business programs with limited cap. The Quebec investor program 1900 cap which will be open on May 30th whereas the Entrepreneur and Self-Employed categories are reopening with immediate effect, though for only 50 applications each.

MIFI will continue to process applications from students at 10 Designated Learning Institutions currently under investigation.

Foreign students and temporary workers who were already in Quebec on November 1 will not have to meet new eligibility criteria for the Quebec Experience Program, the province’s immigration minister has announced.

Skilled workers from foreign countries who already have a Quebec Selection Certificate can now apply for an open work permit while waiting for the federal government to make a final decision on their permanent residence

Inspired by recent federal immigration changes, Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil announced that the province will make major changes to its immigration model. In particular, the way in which the province selects, welcomes and integrates foreigners into the job market.

The majority of newcomers arrive through economic immigration programs, including the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.

Quebec has announced a cap on international student applications, limiting the total to 124,760 between February 26, 2025, and February 26, 2026. The cap applies to new applications across vocational training, colleges, and universities, with specific quotas for each:

• Applicants who have already created their Mon projet Québec account may submit their application between June 13 and 20, 2016. The maximum number of applications to be received during this period will be raised to 5,000.

• When this number is reached, applicants who do not have an account may create

Effective December 6, 2011 all new Quebec Skilled Worker applicants are required to submit the results of a standardized test if they wish to obtain selection points for their French or English language proficiency. 

The maximum number of applications for the Quebec Skilled Worker, Entrepreneur, and Self-Employed Worker programs has been reached. New regulations will come into effect on April 1, 2015.

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, which allows investors to obtain Canadian permanent residence with a $1.2 million investment, has been suspended until July 1, 2020.

Quebec immigration is investing a further $70.3 million in improving access to French classes for ‎new immigrants as it aims to improve immigrant integration services.‎

Quebec premier Philippe Couillard, has stated that his government will “lift the barriers” that put off some immigrants to the province from working in their field of training. Couillard summarized the plan at a press conference, also attended by Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil, on February 14.

Quebec Immigration has lowered the pass mark for the skilled worker program. This program which is set to open on or before October 1st 2015, and the province plans to receive 6300 new applications during the 2015-2016. There are 75 eligible occupations and area of training that will enable applicants to qualify for a Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ), without a job offer. Many applicants can qualify with minimal knowledge of French.

Starting December 17, 2025, foreign nationals with three or more years of work experience in Quebec will need to demonstrate spoken French proficiency at level 4 (NCLC) to qualify for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

To remain eligible, affected workers must meet this requirement when renewing their Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and applying for a new work permit.

However, current TFWP workers in Quebec will benefit from a three-year transition period, allowing them until December 17, 2028 to reach the required French level. During this time, they may continue to extend their permits without meeting the new rule.

Exemptions apply to

• Agricultural workers
• Employees of foreign political organizations
• Staff of international non-governmental organizations recognized by Quebec

This policy supports the province’s dual objectives of reducing temporary resident numbers and strengthening French as the cornerstone of Quebec’s cultural identity. The measure aligns with the province’s broader effort to prioritize Francophone integration and manage population
pressures linked to housing and affordability.

Under the TFWP, foreign workers need both a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and a CAQ before applying to IRCC for a work permit.

Foreign-trained nurses will continue to play a critical role in the face of Canada's worsening health care labour shortage.

Quebec’s Immigration Ministry has released its updated list of occupations that are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment advertising requirement.

Attestation of learning about democratic values and the Québec values expressed by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms

Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil announced that the Liberal government hopes to welcome 51,000 immigrants to the province in 2017.