Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)
Statutory definition
The CSQ is issued under the authority of the Accord Canada-Québec. IRPR s 87.2 requires that an applicant who holds a CSQ and applies to IRCC under the Quebec selected skilled worker class must meet the criteria for the class including language and education. The CSQ is valid for 24 months from issuance; IRCC must process the federal application within this period.
Explanation
Obtaining a CSQ is the first step for economic immigrants to Quebec. The Quebec selection process uses its own points grid (separate from the CRS), which heavily weights French language proficiency, Quebec-specific ties, and family in Quebec. Once the CSQ is obtained, the applicant submits the federal permanent residence application to IRCC. IRCC then processes admissibility, security, and health clearances. The federal processing stage typically adds 6–18 months to the Quebec selected time.