Individuals who have work experience in Quebec, or who have studied in Quebec, may be eligible for the Quebec Experience Class program through Immigration Quebec. This program is known in French as the Programme de l’expérience Québécoise, or PEQ. This program has some of the fastest processing times of all Canadian immigration programs.
All programs under Immigration Quebec require two steps for processing. First, an applicant is required to submit an application for an Immigration Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) and then submit an application to receive their Canadian immigration visa from the Federal government. The Federal government will only assess an application for security and criminal and medical background checks.
To be eligible for this program, the applicant must be at least 18 years old and intend to permanently settle in the province of Quebec.
There are two streams under this immigration program, one for foreign students and one for foreign workers, they are described below:
The foreign student stream under the Quebec Experience Class requires that the applicant:
- Graduated from, or will be graduating shortly from, a school in Quebec and studied in a program of at least two years in length. Please note that not all type of Quebec diplomas make a foreign student eligible for the PEQ program. Determine whether or not your diploma makes you eligible here.
- Be able to provide for yourself and your spouse or any dependent children for at 3 months after you have been granted permanent residency in Quebec
- Demonstrate at least an advanced intermediate level of oral French by providing your results from a standardized test. If you have any of the following documents instead, you do not need to submit a language test:
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- Proof that you completed at least 36 months of secondary or post-secondary full time education in French by submitting an academic transcript
- Proof of completing an advanced-intermediate level French course from an institution recognized by Quebec’s education ministry through submitting an academic transcript
- Proof that you have met the language requirements governing their professional order in Quebec
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NOTE: In cases where more than 36 months have passed since your graduation from a Quebec institution and the date when you submit your application for the PEQ, you are ineligible for the program.
The foreign worker stream under the Quebec Experience Class requires that the applicant:
- Completed at least twelve months of work experience in Quebec in a managerial, professional or skilled position within the 2 years preceding the date of application. The job you held must be on the list of occupations eligible for this program.
- Are currently working and have legal status as a temporary resident in Quebec
- Demonstrate at least an advanced intermediate level of oral French through a standardize test, or submit alternative documentation (see foreign student section for details).
- Demonstrate that you can support yourself and your spouse and dependent children, if applicable, for at least three months after you are granted permanent residency in Quebec.
Processing times
Immigration Quebec has prioritized these types of applications and has indicated that processing times do not exceed one month to obtain a CSQ. Federal processing times for a Canadian permanent resident visa after the CSQ is obtained vary by Canadian immigration visa office.
To find out more about this program and how FWCanada can help you with your application, fill out our assessment form.
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