Quebec has a unique immigration selection system in Canada. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration (1991), Quebec has the exclusive right to select its own immigrants for economic and humanitarian categories — meaning skilled worker applicants who wish to settle in Quebec must first obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) from the Quebec government, before applying to the federal government (IRCC) for permanent residence. Quebec does not participate in the federal Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or the Express Entry system.

Quebec's immigration selection is administered by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI). For current Quebec program intake status, selection criteria, and processes, refer to the IRCC Quebec-selected skilled workers page and the MIFI website.

• Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration (Gagnon-Tremblay–McDougall Accord, 1991) — the bilateral agreement granting Quebec exclusive selection authority for economic immigrants
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), s 8(1) — authorises federal-provincial immigration agreements
• IRCC: Quebec-selected skilled workers — canada.ca/quebec-skilled-workers
• Guide Q7000 — Application for PR: Quebec Skilled Worker Class — canada.ca/guide-q7000

The Canada-Quebec Accord — the constitutional basis

The 1991 Accord gives Quebec the exclusive right to determine the number of immigrants it will receive in its territory each year, and to apply its own selection criteria to skilled workers, business immigrants, and humanitarian applicants who intend to settle in Quebec. In exchange, Canada retains sole responsibility for setting national admissibility standards (health, security, criminality) and processing family class applications. Refugees resettling in Quebec are selected by Quebec under humanitarian criteria agreed with the federal government.

The practical effect is that a skilled worker who wants to live in Quebec cannot use the federal Express Entry system alone — they must also go through Quebec's provincial selection process and obtain a CSQ.

The Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)

The CSQ is the key document in Quebec immigration. It is issued by MIFI and certifies that the Quebec government has assessed the applicant against Quebec's selection criteria and accepted them. Without a valid CSQ, IRCC will not process the federal PR application for a Quebec-selected immigrant.

Once the CSQ is issued, the applicant applies to IRCC for permanent residence under the Quebec Skilled Worker Class. IRCC then assesses the applicant for federal admissibility (health, character, security, inadmissibility). IRCC cannot reassess whether the applicant meets Quebec's selection criteria — only Quebec can do that.

Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP / PSTQ)

The Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) — known in English as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program — is MIFI's main points-based selection system for skilled workers who are not already in Quebec. Key features:

• Points are awarded for education, work experience, language (French is the primary language assessed — English is a secondary factor), age, job offer in Quebec, and family in Quebec
• French language proficiency is heavily weighted — Quebec's selection favours French-speaking or bilingual workers
• A job offer in Quebec (validated by MIFI, not an LMIA) can provide significant additional points
• Quebec sets its own intake targets and may open and close applications based on demand
• Applicants must intend to settle in Quebec

For current QSWP intake status, point thresholds, and requirements, refer to the MIFI website (immigration.quebec.gouv.qc.ca).

Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ)

The Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) is a streamlined pathway for persons already living and working (or studying) in Quebec:

• Temporary skilled workers stream: Must have held a full-time job in NOC skill type/level 0, A, or B (broadly, TEER 0, 1, or 2 under the current NOC) for at least 24 of the 36 months before applying; must speak intermediate French (level 7 on the échelle québécoise); spouse must meet level 4
• International graduates stream: Graduates of eligible Quebec educational institutions who speak French and have completed their studies may apply under the graduate stream

The PEQ is generally faster than the QSWP — it does not use a points-based system and an interview is not usually required. However, French language proficiency is a firm requirement: applicants who do not meet the French threshold cannot use the PEQ. For current PEQ eligibility and intake status, refer to the MIFI website.

2026 temporary measure — work permit extension for Quebec workers

In March 2026, Canada announced a temporary measure to help Quebec retain skilled workers whose work permits were expiring. Eligible workers — those holding or having recently held an employer-specific work permit under the TFWP or IMP expiring between March 13, 2026 and December 31, 2026 — can apply for an employer-specific work permit under the International Mobility Program for up to 12 additional months. This gives Quebec (MIFI) time to review their eligibility for a CSQ before they must leave Canada. Applications are accepted on IRCC's website until December 31, 2026. For current eligibility requirements, refer to the IRCC March 2026 notice.

Quebec vs. other provinces — key differences

• Quebec selects its own immigrants; other provinces and territories nominate through the federal PNP
• Quebec's selection is based on its own points grid (not the federal CRS); other provinces' PNP streams are administered under federal frameworks
• A CSQ from Quebec does not give 600 CRS Express Entry points — the Quebec pathway is entirely separate from Express Entry
• Quebec does not participate in Express Entry draws; Quebec-selected workers apply for PR through a dedicated Quebec Skilled Worker Class, not through the Express Entry pool
• Quebec has the right to set its own annual immigration levels (within limits negotiated with the federal government)

Quebec's distinct immigration selection system reflects the constitutional reality of the Accord and Quebec's objective of maintaining and strengthening the French language in the province. The heavy weighting of French language proficiency in both the QSWP and PEQ means that applicants who do not speak French face a structurally higher barrier to Quebec-selected immigration than to immigration in English-speaking provinces. For current program status, intake dates, French language thresholds, and selection criteria, applicants should refer to the MIFI website directly and the IRCC Quebec-selected skilled workers page.