Quebec chooses its own economic immigrants, under its own rules and in French. This page is for families, workers and students who are considering Quebec and want to understand, in plain terms, how Quebec selection works in 2026.
Quebec selects first, Canada admits
Quebec decides which skilled workers and business people it selects. A person Quebec selects receives a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) and then applies to IRCC for permanent residence, where Canada checks medicals, security and admissibility.
This is why the federal programs work differently here: Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Programs are for people who plan to live outside Quebec. If Quebec is where you want to live, Quebec's own programs are the route.
The Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)
Since 29 November 2024, the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) has replaced Quebec's old Regular Skilled Worker Program. The first invitations were issued in July 2025. It has four streams:
| Stream | For | French and experience |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Highly qualified | Jobs at FEER 0, 1 or 2 | Oral French level 7 and written level 5; 1 year of experience in the last 5 |
| 2. Intermediate and manual skills | Jobs at FEER 3, 4 or 5 | Oral French level 5; 2 years of experience, including 1 in Quebec |
| 3. Regulated professions | Professions that need a Quebec licence | French level depends on the FEER; a licence or a regulator's assessment |
| 4. Exceptional talent | Recognised exceptional expertise | 3 years of experience in the last 5 |
French levels are measured on the Échelle québécoise (Quebec's own French scale). An accompanying spouse needs oral French at level 4.
How selection works: Arrima
- You file a declaration of interest in Arrima, Quebec's online portal.
- Quebec holds invitation rounds by stream — roughly monthly in 2026.
- If invited, you apply for permanent selection (the CSQ).
- With a CSQ, you apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
Since July 2025, invitations have favoured people already living in Quebec, holders of Quebec diplomas, people with jobs in the regions outside Montreal, and in-demand occupations. For someone abroad without French, the honest answer is that the PSTQ is hard to reach; for someone with good French, it is worth a serious look.
The PEQ: reopened, with a window closing 31 October
The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), for people who studied or worked in Quebec, ended on 19 November 2025. Quebec then reopened it for two years, from 2 July 2026 to 2 July 2028, with an Arrima intake window from 2 July to 31 October 2026 and no cap on numbers.
- Quebec graduate stream: a diploma completed in Quebec by 19 November 2025.
- Temporary worker stream: two years of FEER 0–3 work experience in Quebec as of 19 November 2025.
- Oral French level 7 and written level 5 are required. The old rule that studies had to be in French was dropped.
- You can hold a PEQ file and a PSTQ file at the same time.
If you qualify, do not wait: the current window closes on 31 October 2026. Quebec has not said whether there will be another window in 2027.
How many people Quebec plans to admit
Quebec has set a target of 45,000 permanent immigrants a year from 2026 to 2029. For 2026 that is about 28,800 economic immigrants (28,275 of them skilled workers), 10,000 in family reunification, 5,750 refugees and 450 others. Quebec is also limiting temporary residents: it has set caps for 2029 of 65,000 temporary foreign workers and 110,000 students.
Work permits and Quebec employers
- Montreal and Laval: Quebec is not processing certain low-wage LMIAs for jobs in the Montreal and Laval regions until 31 December 2026. Federal rules also refuse low-wage LMIAs in areas with high unemployment — see Job offers and employer-driven PR.
- A federal bridge for PSTQ candidates: workers with a PSTQ application or invitation whose employer-specific work permit expires between 13 March and 31 December 2026 can apply for up to 12 more months on an employer-specific permit. Applications are accepted until 31 December 2026.
- French for temporary workers: Quebec has announced that renewing a CAQ after three years will require spoken French at level 4, from 17 December 2028 (agricultural workers exempt). This is announced, not yet in force.
- Quebec's pilot programs for food processing, orderlies and AI, IT and visual effects ended on 1 January 2026.
Business immigration to Quebec
Quebec's Investor, Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Worker programs are open and accept applications at any time. See Entrepreneurs and business people for their conditions.
Students
Students in Quebec need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) as well as a study permit. A Quebec diploma helps later, both in PSTQ invitations and in the PEQ graduate stream. See Study in Canada.
How Polinsys helps
We keep our clients informed about Quebec's programs as they change — new PSTQ invitation rounds, PEQ windows and French requirements — and we share job opportunities in Quebec with clients whose profile fits. Bring your questions about Quebec to our free Friday Q&A at FREE Webinars: Resource Guides and AR Q&A, and register your interest using the form on this page so we can tell you when something opens that suits you.
Official sources
Rules change often. These are the government pages this page was checked against on October 2, 2026.
- Skilled Worker Selection Program, requirements, Gouvernement du Québec
- PSTQ invitations 2026, Gouvernement du Québec
- First PSTQ invitations, Gouvernement du Québec
- Réouverture temporaire du PEQ, Gouvernement du Québec
- Immigration orientations 2026–2029 and 2026 plan, Gouvernement du Québec
- Plan d'immigration 2026, Gouvernement du Québec
- Measure to support Quebec workers and employers, IRCC
- Refusal to process low-wage LMIAs, ESDC
Related pathways
Ask about Immigrating to Quebec
Tell us a little about you. Our authorized representative's team replies — and an honest assessment comes before any fee.