What is the Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program?
The Quebec selected skilled worker program is a Canadian skilled worker immigration program that international citizens with skills that meet the needs of the province of Quebec in Canada can apply for. The Quebec skilled worker program is only available in the province of Quebec. Only individuals who wish to become permanent residents of the province of Quebec should apply for the Quebec skilled worker program.
Applicants who meet the criteria set by the province of Quebec, including work experience, age, language proficiency, job offer, presence of family members and partners residing in Quebec, and financial status, are accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program.
The Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program application and evaluation process takes an average of 17 months. Individuals accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program gain the right to permanent residence in Canada and can apply for Canadian citizenship after completing the required residence period.
Questions and Comments About Quebec Skilled Worker Program
- What Are the Requirements for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program?
- How to Apply for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program
- Get an Election Certificate from the Province of Quebec
- Apply for Permanent Residency with the Canadian Government
What Are the Requirements for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program?
In order to better explain the requirements of the Québec Selected Skilled Worker Program (Quebec QSWP), the province of Quebec has clarified the scoring method used in the evaluation process of program applications.
Applicants to the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program are scored on criteria such as work experience, age, financial ability, family members and partners residing in Quebec, language proficiency and having received an offer from an employer in the province of Quebec prior to application.
The following tables list the requirements of the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program and the maximum points individuals can receive on each criterion.
| Education Level | Points (maximum 26 points) |
|---|---|
| General high school | 2 |
| Vocational High School | 6 |
| 2 years of post-secondary education | 4 |
| 1 year or 2 years after technical high school | 6 |
| 3 years after technical secondary education | 8 |
| University, undergraduate, 1 year | 4 |
| University, undergraduate, 2 years | 6 |
| University, undergraduate, 3 years or + | 10 |
| University, master’s, 1 year or + | 12 |
| University, PhD | 14 |
| Skilled Worker’s Work Experience | Points (maximum 8 points) |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 0 |
| From 6 months to 11 months | 4 |
| From 12 months to 23 months | 4 |
| From 24 months to 35 months | 6 |
| From 36 months to 47 months | 6 |
| 48 months or + | 8 |
| Age of Skilled Worker | Points (maximum 16 points) |
|---|---|
| 18 to 35 years old | 16 |
| 36 years old | 14 |
| 37 years old | 12 |
| 38 years old | 10 |
| 39 years old | 8 |
| 40 years | 6 |
| 41 years old | 4 |
| 42 years | 2 |
| 43 years or older | 0 |
| Language proficiency | Points (maximum 22 points) | |
|---|---|---|
| French | Verbal Comprehension | 0, 5, 6 or 7 |
| Oral Expression | 0, 5, 6 or 7 | |
| Written Comprehension | 0 or 1 | |
| Written Expression | 0 or 1 | |
| English | Verbal Comprehension | 0, 1 or 2 |
| Oral Expression | 0, 1 or 2 | |
| Written Comprehension | 0 or 1 | |
| Written Expression | 0 or 1 | |
| Accommodation and Family in Quebec | Points (maximum 8 points) |
|---|---|
| A minimum of 6 months or more of full-time experience in Quebec related to the field of study, with a stay of not less than 900 to 1,800 hours for educational purposes | 5 |
| Remain for 1,800 hours or more of study toward a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree | 5 |
| Stay for worse purposes with at least 1 year work permit and 6 months or more full-time work experience | 5 |
| Other stays of 3 months or more | 2 |
| Other stays from 2 weeks to 3 months | 1 |
| Having a family member in Quebec (spouse, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, etc.) | 3 |
| Characteristics of the accompanying spouse or de facto spouse | Points (maximum 17 points) | |
|---|---|---|
| Level of Education | General high school | 1 |
| Vocational High School | 2 | |
| 2 years of post-secondary education | 1 | |
| 1 year or 2 years after technical high school | 2 | |
| 3 years after technical secondary education | 3 | |
| University, undergraduate, 1 year | 1 | |
| University, undergraduate, 2 years | 2 | |
| University, undergraduate, 3 years or + | 3 | |
| University, master’s, 1 year or + | 4 | |
| University, PhD | 4 | |
| Education Area | Scores in Part I (foreign diploma) or Part II (Quebec diploma or equivalent) of the list of educational degrees | Section A – 4 points Section B – 3 points; Section C – 2 points; Section D – 1 point; Section E – 0 points |
| Age | Under 18 years old | 0 |
| 18 to 35 years old | 3 | |
| 36 years old | 2 | |
| 37 years old | 2 | |
| 38 years old | 2 | |
| 39 years old | 2 | |
| 40 years | 1 | |
| 41 years old | 1 | |
| 42 years | 1 | |
| 43 years or older | 0 | |
| Language proficiency | Verbal Comprehension | 0, 2 or 3 |
| Oral Expression | 0, 2 or 3 | |
| Verified Job Offer | Points (max. 14 points) | |
|---|---|---|
| Verified job offer on CMM | 8 | |
| Verified job offer outside of CMM: | a) Abitibi-Temiscamingue | 13 |
| b) Bas-Saint-Laurent | 12 | |
| c) Capitale-Nationale | 14 | |
| d) Centre-du-Quebec | 13 | |
| e) Driver | 14 | |
| f) Cote Nord | 12 | |
| g) Estrie | 13 | |
| h) Gaspesie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine | 10 | |
| i) Lanaudiere | 13 | |
| j) Laurentide | 12 | |
| k) Maurice | 12 | |
| l) Monteregie | 14 | |
| m) Nord-du-Quebec | 12 | |
| n) Outaouais | 13 | |
| o) Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean | 12 | |
Applicants wishing to be accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) must have achieved a minimum of 43-52 points from the criteria in the tables provided above. Applications from candidates who fail to achieve a minimum of 43 points from the evaluations of the job offer, level of education, work experience, age, language proficiency and family members residing in Quebec will not be accepted.
In addition to employability criteria, the province of Quebec also considers the ages of children of applicants to the selected skilled worker program.
| Child | Points (maximum 8 points) |
|---|---|
| Ages 12 or younger (per child) | 4 |
| 13 – 21 years old (per child) | 2 |
| Financial Self-Sufficiency (Deduction) (Signature of Commitment) | 1 |
In the evaluation conducted by the province of Quebec, applicants must reach at least 50 points out of 59 points in order to pass the pre-selection.
Those accepted into the Quebec selected skilled worker program are required to meet the minimum financial requirements set by the province of Quebec for the first three months to demonstrate that they have a stable living in Canada.
Below is a table showing the 3-month financial eligibility requirements set by the Province of Quebec.
Basic family needs for 3 months after arrival in Quebec
| Number of Children | An adult | Two adults |
|---|---|---|
| No children | $3,188 | $4,676 |
| A child (- 18 years old) | $4,284 | $5,238 |
| Two children (- 18 years old) | $4,836 | $5,653 |
| Three children (- 18 years old) | $5,388 | $6,068 |
How to Apply for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program
There are several steps individuals must complete to apply for the Quebec selected skilled worker program.
For applications to the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program, the applicant must have a selection certificate from the province of Quebec. Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program applicants must submit the required documents required for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program through the Arrima online system. The Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program application fees determined by the province of Quebec must be paid.
Individuals approved for the Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program must obtain permission from the Quebec Immigration Authority to apply for Canadian residency . Even if individuals are accepted into the Skilled Worker Selection Program, the authority to grant residency rests entirely with the Quebec Immigration Authority.
Get an Election Certificate from the Province of Quebec
Obtaining a Quebec certificate of selection indicates that individuals have been accepted for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program. In order to obtain a selection certificate from the province of Quebec, the necessary documents must first be submitted through the Arrima portal created by the province of Quebec for individuals who will apply for work. Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program documents submitted through the Arrima system are evaluated by the authorities within 12 months. Applicants who do not receive a response to the documents they uploaded to the Arrima system within 12 months must contact the authorities through the system and resend their documents. Applications for the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program of individuals who do not receive a response from the Arrima system within 12 months and do not resend their documents are considered invalid.
Persons whose documents have been uploaded to the Arrima system by Quebec immigration authorities and who have received a Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program selection certificate pass the preliminary screening and are eligible to apply for the main Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program; authorities will then request any additional supporting documentation they may need and will ask applicants to pay application fees.
The application fees for obtaining a selection certificate from the province of Quebec are given in the table below.
| Applicant | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | $798 |
| Spouse or de facto spouse | $171 |
| Every child who is addicted | $171 |
Quebec immigration authorities allow applicants 90 days to upload new documents to the Arrima system and pay application fees. Applicants whose applications for the Quebec selected skilled worker program are rejected have the right to reapply.
Apply for Permanent Residency with the Canadian Government
Workers who are accepted into the Quebec skilled worker program by Quebec immigration authorities and issued a selection certificate must next apply to the Government of Canada for permanent residence. The Government of Canada has the authority to grant or deny permanent residence to individuals accepted under the Quebec skilled worker selected program.
A list of documents and forms are sent by the Government of Canada to those accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program.
Below is a list of required documents and forms sent to those accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program.
- Canadian document checklist [IMM 5690]
- General application form for Canada [IMM 0008]
- Additional dependents / declaration [IMM 0008DEP]
- Plan A – background/statement [IMM 5669]
- Additional Family Information [IMM 5406]
- Schedule 5: Economic classes – Declaration of intent to reside in Quebec
- Additional Information – Travels [IMM 5562]
- Departure declaration for minors traveling to Canada [IMM 5604]
- Declaration of customary law [IMM 5409]
- Use of agents [IMM 5476]
- Applying for Canadian permanent residence: Guide for Canadian permanent residence applicants selected by the province of Quebec for the Quebec selected skilled worker program [IMM EQ7000]
Persons accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program must complete the documents sent by the Government of Canada and submit them via https://www.canada.ca , and pay the application fees for permanent residence.
Below is a table showing the application fees for Canadian permanent residence.
| Fee Type | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $550 |
| Permanent Residence Right Fee | $490 |
| Include spouse or de facto partner | $1,040 |
| Include dependent child (per child) | $150 |
After applicants who are accepted into the Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program submit their Canadian Permanent Residence documents and pay the required application fees, the Government of Canada may call applicants for an interview or medical examination. Additional documentation may be requested if deemed necessary by the Government of Canada.
If the Government of Canada determines that the applicant is acceptable and meets all the criteria for permanent residence in Quebec, Canada, the applicant will be issued a Confirmation of Canadian Permanent Residence (COPR) and a Canadian permanent resident visa.
Quebec selected skilled worker program procedures take 17 months to complete.
