Skilled workers in Québec
The province of Québec selects its own skilled workers under the Canada-Québec Accord on Immigration. If you intend to settle in Québec as a skilled migrant, you must meet selection requirements of both the Québec government (Gouvernement du Québec), and Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s general federal skilled worker program.
Québec is responsible for the selection of workers wishing to settle in the province only. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will admit only workers that have been selected by Québec.
Do I qualify to apply as a skilled worker in Québec?
A free online tool, called the Preliminary Evaluation for Immigration (PEI), is available from Immigration et Communautés culturelles Québec, which allows potential migrants to directly obtain evaluation of their chances of being selected by Québec as a skilled worker.
The PEI must be completed in a single session. Ensure that you have with you all of the information you will need to answer questions before you begin the online evaluation, bearing in mind that questions will also apply to your spouse, if applicable.
The results of your evaluation do not lead to a formal decision, but rather provide you with an opinion on your candidacy.
To qualify as a skilled worker migrant to Québec, you must meet age, language, education and other requirements.
How do I apply to work in Québec?
Your application to work in Québec should be down in three stages, as follows:
Step one: Using the Preliminary Evaluation for Immigration, you must first evaluate your chances of being selected for immigration by Québec.
Step two: You must apply to the Québec government for a certificate of selection; this is the official document that shows whether the Québec government has accepted you for immigration. Fees must be paid at the time of application and are non-refundable.
Include proof of your French language skills. This should be documented proof issued by an organisation recognised by the Ministry – either the TEFAQ (Test d’évaluation du français adapté pour le Québec) French evaluation test adapted for Québec from Paris Chamber of Commerce or the TCFQ (Test de connaissance du français pour le Québec) French fluency test for Québec from the International Centre for Pedagogical Studies.
Many applicants will be asked to attend a 30-60 minute selection interview with a counselor from Immigration Québec. Information provided on your application for a certificate of selection will be reviewed, particularly information on schooling, work experience and language skills.
Step three: Following selection by the Québec government you must then make a separate application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for permanent residence. At this stage, your application will be assessed based on Canadian immigration standards.
