the CanadaVisa Team - 05 December, 2018
The province of Quebec released its Immigration Plan for 2019, which could welcome up to 42,000 new permanent residents to the province in the new year.
The majority of admissions will come through Quebec's economic immigration programs, including the province's popular Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).
Admissions through economic immigration programs, which consist of skilled workers, businesspeople and their family members, will make up nearly 59 per cent of total admission in 2019.
This percentage represents 23,450 admission targets for economic immigration programs, with skilled workers representing 19,500 of projected arrivals in 2019.
The Quebec Ministry of Immigration also aims to issue up to 24,800 Quebec Selection Certificate, or certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQs) in 2019.
With a CSQ, newcomers to Canada can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for a permanent residence visa.
Under Quebec's 2019 Immigration plan, the majority of CSQs, up to 15,000, will be issued to skilled workers and the second highest category of selections, 5,500, will go to state-assisted refugees and sponsored refugees.
Economic immigration to Quebec is possible under the QSWP, also known as the Regular Skilled Worker Program, and the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ).
The QSWP is designed for newcomers who meet a points threshold based on human capital factors, including areas of training, work experience, age, language proficiency in French and/or English, prior connections with Quebec (through visits or family), and the human capital of the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner (if applicable).
Last summer, the program moved to an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for the QSWP. The first step in this process is the creation and submission of a profile via an online platform called the Arrima Portal.
Are you eligible for selection as a Quebec Skilled Worker? Get your score now.
The PEQ is a separate program, designed to help foreign workers and international students in the province settle permanently. PEQ applicants are required to prove advanced-intermediate French ability. Certificates issued to PEQ applicants receive priority processing, with applicants often receiving a decision on their CSQ application within weeks of applying (if an interview is not required).
Quebec also offers a wide range of business immigration programs for investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals. The province expects to issue between 4,500 and 5,500 CSQs to business applicants in 2019. The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) is particularly popular, as it offers a passive investment opportunity, guaranteed by a Quebec government entity.
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