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Quebec Immigration Programs

Check our table summary of all Quebec immigration programs, with their main criteria, their applicant fees, etc.

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The Quebec immigration programs allow the government of Quebec to nominate individuals to immigrate to the province.

Quebec has one of the most varied and dynamic Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), with streams and categories designed to welcome skilled workers, graduates, and business immigrants.

Choosing Quebec Immigration

The Quebec province, located at the east of Ontario, is the second most populated province in Canada, with more than 23% of the Canadian population. The country’s second largest city, Montréal and eastern part of the national capital, Ottawa, are both located in the province.

Except for some federal programs, the immigration authorities of Quebec also propose some very specific pathways to the Canadian province, however, none of them are aligned with Express Entry, there is thus no need to be eligible for Express Entry and being in the pool.

The nomination certificate in Quebec is called "Certificat de Sélection du Québéc (CSQ)". Only after receiving the CSQ that the federal government (IRCC) will process your application for permanent residence (processing times are longer than the 6-month processing time of Express Entry).

There are streams targeted at international graduates and temporary foreign workers who meet a set of conditions. Other streams are open for business people wishing to invest their money in the province to receive their nomination.

Overview of Quebec's Immigration Programs

The following table shows the range of immigration streams and categories operated by the Quebec immigration authorities.

Stream	Main Criteria (not exhaustive)	Job Offer Required	Aligned with Express Entry	Application Fees
Category: Permanent Workers
Skilled Worker Program (Arrima)	Score a minimum of 50 points (single) or 59 points (with spouse) in the Selection Grid To be invited to apply, the profile has to satisfy to the invitation criteria established by the immigration authorities of Quebec (criteria are not public)	No	No	$798 +$171 for spouse +$171 per dependent
Programme de l'Expérience Québécoise (PEQ) - Québec graduate	Have a degree from Quebec: Bachelors, Masters, PhD, DEC, DEP (or DEP+ASP) with 1,800 hours or more of study Have lived in Quebec for at least half the duration of studies Have advanced intermediate knowledge of oral French	No	No	$798 +$171 for spouse +$171 per dependent
Programme de l'Expérience Québécoise (PEQ) - Temporary Foreign Workers	Be legally in Québec as a temporary foreign worker or under the IEC program Have been employed full-time for min 12 of the 24 months preceding the submission of your application Demonstrate advanced intermediate knowledge of oral French	No	No	$798 +$171 for spouse +$171 per dependent
Category: Business People
Entrepreneur Program	Min net worth of $900,000 and min investment of $200,000 Acquire a business (at least 51%) or create a business (at least 25%) in Quebec	No	No	$1,080 +$171 for spouse +$171 per dependent
Investor Program	Min net worth of $2,000,000 and min investment of $1,200,000 Have 2 years of management experience in a legal farming, commercial or industrial business	No	No	$15,496
Self-Employed Worker Program	Min net worth of $100,000 and min investment of $25,000 Come to Québec to create own job by practising a profession or business activity	No	No	$1,080 +$171 for spouse +$171 per dependent

For more information on the Quebec streams, check the corresponding link below:

Processing Times

Permanent Workers (you need to add the Quebec AND the Federal processing times)

CSQ processing times (by Quebec immigration authorities):
- A skilled Worker Program (Arrima) application will be processed within one year from submitting the application.
- A PEQ Québec Graduate application will be generally processed within 20 working days, if they do not require an audit interview. See more here.
- A PEQ Temporary Foreign Workers application will be generally processed within 20 working days, if they do no require an audit interview. See more here.
Federal processing times (by IRCC): An application is processed between approximately 15 to 17 months. You can check the processing times here. You need to select "Economic immigration", then "Skilled Workers (Quebec)".

Business People (you need to add the Quebec AND the Federal processing times)

CSQ processing times (by Quebec immigration authorities): Processing times for Business People programs are not disclosed. More information for the Investor Program here, and for the Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Worker Program here.
Federal processing times (by IRCC): An application is processed in approximately 46 months. You can check the processing times here. You need to select "Economic immigration", then "Business Class (Quebec)".