Quebec suspends two permanent residency programs

Let's look for other immigration paths for the Canadian province of Quebec! Last October 31, 2024, two very important permanent residency plans in Quebec were suspended, which will change the way to make the transition of status in this province. Read this blog post with me to learn the details of this announcement and what you need to do now to successfully apply for permanent residency through other immigration channels in the Canadian system. Let's get started.

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First change: No more PEQ for students

Applications for permanent residence (PR) under the component are suspended: Québec graduates of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). 

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PEQ Background

Prior to October 31, 2024, the province of Quebec offered a unique Canada-wide plan, which allowed international students to study certain academic programs and have French language skills eligible to apply directly for permanent residency through the PEQ (now discontinued) without the need to accumulate postgraduate work experience. In other words, in Quebec, it was possible to study a degree program and the fact of having graduated in it allowed to apply immediately for permanent residence through the PEQ to obtain the certificate without requiring qualified work experience, (unlike what happens in the rest of Canada, where almost always the Post-Graduation Study Permit, PGWP, allows to gain eligible experience to apply for the PR). 

This plan has been suspended as of October 31, 2024, according to an official announcement by the Quebec government! 

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How does the suspension date affect international students?

If you already applied to the Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ) application through the study pathway before the PEQ suspension date for students, this change does not affect you. 

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However, if you already had your college or university diploma plus the rest of the program requirements and were ready to apply for the CSQ as a student, this change does affect you. If you have questions about your case, please write to us so we can help you.

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How long will PEQ be suspended for students?

This plan will be suspended for the next eight months following the announcement. The time of suspension is framed in the Quebec Immigration Plan 2025 and, according to the stipulated date, the change will remain in place until June 30, 2025.

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PEQ workers vs. PEQ students: how does the change affect them?

At this point it is necessary to explain that the Québec Experience Program has two branches:

1. The number of workers
2. and students. 

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Currently, in view of the new change, the person who is in Quebec working and gaining work experience to participate in the PEQ workers will not be affected and can still apply for the permanency residency. Read below what you have to do!

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PEQ workers

1. Get 24 months of qualifying experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2, 3. If you have experience in other TEER, such as 4 or 5, there are other special programs for this experience: See video to learn more.
2. Demonstrate a B2 level of French.
3. You must intend to remain in Quebec and be legally living in the province.
4. Apply through the PEQ worker pathway; the sooner you do it, the better.

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PEQ students

Now, if you are a student in the province of Quebec and you have already graduated or are about to graduate soon or in the future, it is essential to do the following:

• As soon as you finish your degree, apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
• Dedicate yourself to gaining qualifying work experience. It is important to understand that this qualifying experience will allow you to apply for permanent residency through two avenues, namely:

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CSQ-PEQ of workers‍ 1.

(this plan is the same as above and the steps are the same as mentioned above). It means that a PGWP graduate student who has followed these steps can apply for permanent residency.

Avoid these mistakes to get the PR!

There are those who may intend to wait the eight-month pause and then apply for PR without work experience thinking that the government will return to the previous system because the immigration situation in the region has been normalized, if this is your case, know that this is a mistake you should avoid at all costs, as Canadian immigration is being adjusted according to a comprehensive tiered plan and it is not known precisely how it will be after June 2025. What you must do to apply for PR is:

• Get your Post-Graduation Work Permit.
• Looking for a qualified job, it does not have to be in the field you studied, but it must be a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
• Request PR.

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2. Canadian Work Experience (CEC) of the federal Express Entry plan.

This second pathway is for those who have a PGWP that is about to expire and have not yet obtained work experience for the PEQ. In this situation, the call is for calm, as the Canadian immigration system offers other ways to apply for permanent residency, it is a matter of knowing the process better. What do you have to do to apply for the federal Express Entry plan?

• Achieve 12 months of qualifying experience (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3).
• Demonstrate a good level of English and French.
• Apply to Express Entry for the categories Canadian Work Experience and/or French Proficiency.

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Remember that the Express Entry system is competitive and a high immigration profile will give you a great advantage in your score. It is important to emphasize that this pathway does not allow you to stay in Quebec, but it does allow you to go and live in another province and secure your permanent residency if you are chosen.

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Additionally, your profile may be good enough to bypass the one year CEC experience and apply for another Express Entry program called Skilled Worker. However, much depends on your level of education and both official languages. If you would like to evaluate your eligibility for any of these pathways, you can schedule an immigration consultation here.

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Second change: the Regular Skilled Worker Program and the Skilled Worker Selection Program are temporarily suspended.

On October 30, 2024, the Quebec government also announced the temporary suspension of two important economic immigration programs: the Regular Skilled Workers Program (ARRIMA), equivalent to the federal Express Entry plan, and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ). This second option was used for people who did not have qualified experience in Quebec, and who were seeking to obtain permanent residency for their profiles abroad or even within Quebec, but who were not eligible for other programs such as PEQ. 

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The change does not affect individuals in the province of Quebec who have 24 months of skilled or unskilled experience in eligible sectors in that province and who are applying under the PEQ pathway for workers. 

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This pause is expected to last until June 2025, to slow down the increase of immigrants in the province of Quebec while the government reviews its Immigration Levels Plan for the next few years. During this period, no Certificates of Selection of Quebec (CSQ) will be issued, this is a basic document for the immigration process in this province, hence it affects a large number of foreigners who wish to settle permanently in this province. 

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Immiland Canada Recommendations

If there is one thing to understand about all these changes, it is that the government is prioritizing the demand of its own labour market and its consequent dynamics in Quebec's current population. It is not that Canada is definitively closing its doors to foreigners who want to live here, it is rather a necessary adjustment to compensate those who have been waiting for their permanent residency for some time and to focus on the economic growth of the region without having to manage any kind of migratory decontrol due to the excess of new temporary residents. 

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So instead of being alarmed by this type of announcements, it is advisable to look for other immigration channels, because they do exist and it is possible to obtain your permanent residency, but always following the indicated steps, improving your immigration profile and consulting reliable and safe sources of certified Canadian immigration agencies.

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I hope this article will help you in your transition process to permanent residency. Thank you for reading it. If you have any other questions, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.

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With love,

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Immiland Canada