Quebec Skilled Worker Program | How It Works & How To Apply

The Quebec Skilled Worker Program — now officially called the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) or Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP) — is Quebec's primary immigration pathway for skilled workers seeking permanent residence.

Effective November 29, 2024, the PSTQ replaced the older Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ/QSWP), and with the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) ending on November 19, 2025, the PSTQ is now the only route for skilled workers to settle permanently in the province.

Candidates are ranked on a 1,400-point grid that heavily weights French proficiency, in-demand occupations, and settlement outside Montreal — then must pass a two-stage process:

• Provincial selection (CSQ)
• Followed by federal permanent residence through IRCC

In this article, we'll be exploring:

• Current fees and processing timelines
• The four PSTQ streams and who qualifies for each
• What changed, and why older program names no longer apply
• How the points grid works (and where the points really concentrate)
• The step-by-step application process from Arrima to permanent residence

TLDR — Quebec Skilled Worker Program in Canada

Here's the entire article summarized in a structured way (if you're short on time):

What are the four PSTQ streams?

The PSTQ sorts candidates into four streams based on the type of work they perform. Each stream has its own French requirement and TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) category alignment.

Specialized skills

For professionals in TEER categories 0, 1, and 2 — managers, university-educated professionals, and technical occupations. Oral French at level 7 on the Échelle québécoise is generally required.

Intermediate skills

For occupations in TEER categories 3, 4, and 5 — trades, service workers, and manual labourers. Oral French at level 5 is generally the minimum.

Regulated professions

For candidates in occupations that require licensure or recognition from a Quebec regulatory body (physicians, engineers, accountants, nurses, and similar fields). French requirements align with the regulatory body's own standards.

Exceptional talent

For individuals with outstanding expertise in strategic sectors like research, arts, culture, or sports. The only stream where a CSQ may potentially be issued without meeting the standard French requirement.

How does the Quebec points grid work?

Candidates are ranked on a 1,400-point scale divided into three categories. The ministry invites the highest-scoring candidates from the Arrima pool based on current labour-market priorities — so the threshold changes with every draw.

Human capital

Worth up to 520 points. The four pillars:

• Age (up to 120 points, with maximum marks for applicants aged 18–35)
• French proficiency (up to 200 points — the single highest-weighted factor in this category)
• Education level (up to 130 points, with doctoral and specialized medical degrees at the top)
• Work experience (up to 70 points, based on skilled work in the five years before application)

English proficiency can add a few points, but the weighting is far lower than French. If you are comparing the PSTQ to Express Entry (the federal economic pathway), the most striking difference is how heavily Quebec tilts toward French over English.

Quebec needs

Worth up to 700 points — the largest share of the grid. The ministry uses this category to steer selection toward candidates who fill real gaps:

• Quebec diploma (up to 200 points)
• Quebec work experience (up to 160 points)
• Settlement outside the Montreal Metropolitan Area (up to 120 points)
• Validated job offer (30 points within Montreal, 50 points outside Montreal)

The regional incentive is sharp. A validated job offer in Saguenay or Trois-Rivières earns nearly double the points of one in downtown Montreal. Quebec is explicitly decentralizing immigration away from its largest city.

Adaptation factors

Worth up to 180 points. Covers the characteristics of an accompanying spouse (French proficiency, age, Quebec work experience, Quebec diploma) and family ties in the province.

If a principal applicant's spouse has strong French and a Quebec diploma, the adaptation score can meaningfully shift the total. Spousal French proficiency alone can contribute up to 40 points — and for three of four streams, an accompanying spouse must demonstrate at least level 4 oral French on the Échelle québécoise as a mandatory eligibility requirement (not just a point booster).

How do you apply for a CSQ and permanent residence?

Immigration through the PSTQ is a mandatory two-stage process: Quebec selects the candidate, then the federal government grants permanent residence.

Provincial selection

The Quebec stage runs through the Arrima portal and the Mon projet Québec system:

1. Submit a free expression of interest (EOI) through Arrima, which ranks you against other candidates on the points grid
2. Wait for an invitation from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) — invitations go to the highest-scoring candidates based on current labour-market priorities
3. Accept the invitation within 30 days, then submit a full permanent selection application with supporting documents within 60 days (or 1 year for Stream 3)
4. Pay the provincial processing fee (~$921 CAD for the principal applicant)
5. Obtain the Attestation of democratic and Quebec values (mandatory for all applicants and family members aged 18+)
6. If approved, receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) — valid for two years

Federal admission

With a CSQ in hand, the applicant moves to IRCC's permanent residence stage:

1. Submit a federal application through the Permanent Residence Online Portal (forms include IMM 0008, IMM 5669, and a declaration of intent to reside in Quebec)
2. Provide police certificates for every country where you spent six or more consecutive months since age 18
3. Complete an immigration medical exam for all family members
4. Provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo)
5. Pay federal fees (~$950 processing + $575 Right of Permanent Residence Fee)

IRCC does not re-evaluate your qualifications (education, work experience) — the province's approval is generally final. The federal government's role is limited to admissibility checks: medical, security, and criminality.

What changed with Quebec's skilled worker program?

Quebec overhauled its skilled worker immigration system between late 2024 and late 2025. If you are reading older guides that reference the "QSWP" or "Regular Skilled Worker Program," those names are outdated — the current program is the PSTQ.

The timeline of changes:

• The PRTQ (Regular Skilled Worker Program) was formally replaced by the PSTQ on November 29, 2024
• The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) — previously a fast-track for graduates and temporary workers — ended on November 19, 2025
• Permanent immigration pilot programs (for food processing, orderlies, and IT/AI) ended on January 1, 2026
• The PSTQ is now the sole skilled worker pathway to permanent residence in Quebec

The shift was deliberate. Quebec's 2026–2029 immigration plan caps total annual immigration at 45,000 (with 64% allocated to economic immigrants) and prioritizes candidates who speak French, have studied or worked in Quebec, and are willing to settle outside the Montreal area.

The older first-come-first-served intake model is gone. In its place — an expression-of-interest system where the ministry invites the highest-scoring candidates from a ranked pool.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

The total cost and timeline depend on family size and the country of origin, but a solo principal applicant can expect the following:

Third-party costs (medical exams, police certificates, French testing, certified translations) add $300 to $800 depending on circumstances.

Processing times are harder to pin down. The provincial commitment to process CSQ applications within six months ended when the PRTQ was replaced.

MIFI has stated it will prioritize applications from temporary workers and students already in Quebec. The federal stage typically takes 9–11 months after submission.

For most applicants, the full timeline from EOI to landing is roughly 18–24 months (though complexity, country-specific security screening, and incomplete documentation can extend that significantly).

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Frequently asked questions

Here are some commonly asked questions about Quebec skilled worker program:

Is French mandatory for all four PSTQ streams?

French is mandatory for three of the four streams: Specialized Skills, Intermediate Skills, and Regulated Professions. The required oral proficiency ranges from level 5 to level 7 on the Échelle québécoise, depending on the stream and TEER category. Only the Exceptional Talent stream may potentially waive the French requirement. An accompanying spouse must also demonstrate at least level 4 oral French for those three streams — making French a household-level requirement, not just a personal one.

What is the Arrima portal?

Arrima is Quebec's online expression-of-interest platform for skilled worker immigration. Candidates create a profile with their qualifications, work experience, language scores, and other selection factors. MIFI then ranks candidates and periodically invites the highest-scoring profiles to submit a full permanent selection application. Creating an Arrima profile is free. The portal replaced the older first-come-first-served intake model and allows the ministry to align each draw with current labour-market priorities.

Can I get selected without a job offer?

Yes. A validated job offer adds points (30 within Montreal, 50 outside), but it is not a mandatory requirement for any stream. Candidates with strong French proficiency, a Quebec diploma, Quebec work experience, and settlement outside Montreal can score competitively without one. The points grid rewards multiple factors, so a high score in human capital and Quebec needs can compensate for the absence of a job offer.

What happened to the Quebec Experience Program?

The PEQ (Programme de l'expérience québécoise) officially ended on November 19, 2025. The program had previously offered a fast-track CSQ for international graduates of Quebec institutions and temporary foreign workers with local experience. With the PEQ and all pilot programs now closed, the PSTQ is the only active skilled worker pathway to permanent residence in Quebec. Former PEQ-eligible candidates can apply through the PSTQ, where their Quebec diplomas and work experience earn significant points.

Do I need to live in Quebec permanently after landing?

Federal law grants all permanent residents the right to live and work anywhere in Canada. In practice, though, applicants are expected to land in Quebec, and IRCC may refuse a PR application if there is doubt about the applicant's genuine intent to reside in the province. Once PR status is granted, internal mobility rights apply — but the immigration process itself requires a stated intention to settle in Quebec. For newcomers adjusting to life in Canada, Quebec offers distinct settlement services (in French) through MIFI.

What is the Quebec values attestation?

The Attestation d'apprentissage des valeurs démocratiques et des valeurs québécoises is a mandatory document for all PSTQ applicants and their accompanying family members aged 18 and older. The attestation confirms that the applicant has learned about Quebec's democratic values, including gender equality, separation of religion and state, and the primacy of the French language. The attestation has been required since January 1, 2020, and must be obtained before submitting a permanent selection application.