Last month the Government of Quebec announced new changes to be made to the Quebec Skilled Workers Programme (QSWP). Lowering the points required to be eligible for a Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC), the process of obtaining permanent residence in Quebec became significantly easier.
Last month the Government of Quebec announced new changes to be made to the Quebec Skilled Workers Programme (QSWP). Lowering the points required to be eligible for a Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC), the process of obtaining permanent residence in Quebec became significantly easier. In addition to the lowered pass mark the government also removed the adaptability requirement, which evaluated the ability of an applicant to adapt to life in Quebec based on their knowledge of language, local labour markets, and general knowledge of the province. Previously, applicants found the adaptability requirement could be ambiguous and the marks awarded were almost completely up to the discretion of the officer.
Known to be a more lenient version of its Federal counterpart, the QSWP used a point based system where points were awarded for an applicant’s language proficiency, work experience, whether or not the applicant had a validated job offer in Quebec, age, area of training, prior relationship with Quebec (through visits or relatives), and the human capital factors of the applicant’s common-law partner or spouse. A single applicant had to score 49 points in order to be given a QSC, while one with a common-law partner or spouse had to score at least 57. Once a QSC was granted the applicant had to pass a medical and security exam, conducted by the federal government, before being granted permanent resident status.
There are many advantages to be gained by immigrating to Canada through the Quebec Skilled Workers Programme. Firstly, there is no requirement for the applicant to have a job offer. The applicant can gain additional points if they do, however there is no penalty if they do not, the same rule applies to an applicant’s knowledge of French. Additionally, there is no pool of applicants or need for an invitation to apply and the system runs on a “first come, first serve” basis. Applicants can gain extra points for their areas of training and expertise and most recently a very simple online application was released on their site.
With the new changes to the QSWP, the program has become more appealing than ever for those looking to immigrate to Canada. For more information on the QSWP click here. To get assessed on your eligibility to enter Canada or to explore your options fill out our Free Online Assessment form.
FWCanada is a Montreal-based immigration law firm that provides professional legal services on Canadian immigration. For more tips and updates on Canadian immigration follow FWCanada on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
