QUEBEC IMMIGRATION LEVELS PLAN FOR 2025
Immigration law
17 Nov
Quebec is distinct among Canadian provinces because of its control over the annual intake of skilled workers and immigrants. It also sets itself apart with its focus on francophone immigration across Canada, a pathway that has seen steady growth each year.
Jean-François Roberge, Quebec's immigration minister, revealed the specifics of the Quebec Immigration Plan for 2025. It indicates that the province will maintain its annual target for permanent immigration at 50,000. For 2025, Quebec intends to welcome between 48,500 and 51,500 newcomers.
The Quebec Immigration Levels Plan is rolled out each year by the Quebec Immigration Department to announce how many new immigrants the province plans to welcome, along with the categories they'll fit into. Think of it as Quebec's annual "who's coming to dinner" invitation—just with more paperwork and fewer awkward small talk moments.
The economic category represents the largest share of newcomers, comprising approximately 31,000 to 32,900 individuals.
The rest of the permanent residents (PRs) are anticipated to come through other avenues, including family reunification (estimated at 10,200 to 10,600 individuals) and refugee programs (projected at 6,600 to 7,200 individuals).
Alongside these “regular admissions,” there will be continued admissions through the Quebec Graduates component of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This brings the total for the economic immigration category to 72% of all planned admissions.
The proposed percentage of immigrants who speak French upon admission is set to be 79% to 80% in 2025. For principal applicants in the economic immigration category, that number skyrockets to a dazzling 95%. It seems like Quebec is not just looking for newcomers, they’re on a mission to find the next master of the French language. After all, what’s better than adding a little je ne sais quoi to the province?
This plan emphasizes the province's commitment to "strengthening the status of French," all while ensuring it remains competitive in attracting talent across vital sectors of the economy. It's like juggling-keeping the French ball in the air while also catching the best talent.
Quebec has put a stop to two significant pathways for permanent residents. Effective immediately, the province will no longer accept applications for the Quebec Experience Program - Quebec Graduates (PEQ - Diplômés) and will stop sending invitations for the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ).
The Quebec government anticipates that this pause will significantly lower the number of Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs) issued to PEQ Graduates, dropping from an expected 14,500 in 2024 to an estimated range of 4,500 to 5,700 in 2025. This suspension will last until June 30, 2025.
The first program affected is the Regular Skilled Workers Program (RSWP). The province will not be sending out any invitations for permanent selection under the RSWP or its replacement, the Skilled Worker Selection Program, starting November 29 and continuing until at least June 30, 2025.
Additionally, there will be a suspension of application intake for the “Quebec graduate” stream of the Quebec Experience Program, which is commonly utilized by international students as a pathway to citizenship.
This suspension is also expected to restrict the number of permanent resident admissions through this program in 2025. Without the suspension, the projected figure would have been between 15,000 and 19,000. However, due to the pause, it's now estimated to be between 13,500 and 15,000.
Earlier this month, the province announced a new policy limiting the number of foreign nationals invited under the Regular Skilled Worker Program to a maximum of 25% from any one country. This policy, effective for a year starting October 9, 2024, will cap the proportion of invitations issued to individuals from any single country at 25% for each draw.
Immigration to Quebec is a two-step dance routine - First, individuals and families eager to move under an economic program need to snag a CSQ (Quebec Selection Certificate). Think of it as your VIP pass. Once you have that, you can waltz over to the federal immigration authorities to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Just remember, no two-step shuffling—stay in sync.