Quebec Skilled Worker,
PSTQ & PEQ pathways.

The Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) — Skilled Worker Selection Program — allows skilled workers to settle in Quebec permanently. The program has four streams, each with specific selection criteria based on targeted occupations alongside the program's general requirements.

To qualify, applicants must be skilled workers aged 18 or older who intend to settle in Quebec for employment that is not self-controlled and that does not fall into ineligible industries. All applicants must:

• Meet the criteria that led to their invitation for permanent selection.
• Sign a Financial Self-Sufficiency Contract proving they can support themselves and their family for three months.
• Obtain the Attestation d'apprentissage des valeurs démocratiques et des valeurs québécoises (a learning certificate on Quebec's democratic and Quebec values).

Applicants must identify their National Occupational Classification (NOC) code and corresponding PSTQ stream to determine eligibility.

To qualify under Stream 1, applicants must:

• Have a main occupation in FÉER category 0, 1, or 2.
• Not require a licence to practise in Quebec, or be able to work in a context where one is not needed.
• Have at least 1 year of full-time (or equivalent) paid work experience in their main occupation within the last 5 years (in Quebec or outside Quebec).
• Meet the language requirements: French oral proficiency at minimum Level 7 and French written proficiency at minimum Level 5. Accompanying spouses must demonstrate spoken French at Level 4 or higher.

To qualify under Stream 2, applicants must:

• Have their main occupation in FÉER 3, 4, or 5.
• Not require a licence to practise in Quebec, or be able to work in a context where one is not needed.
• Have at least 2 years of paid experience in the main occupation within the last 5 years, with at least 1 year in Quebec.
• Hold one of the qualifying diplomas required by the stream.

To qualify under Stream 3, your main profession must appear on the Liste des professions réglementées du Ministère — the list of occupations that require a licence to practise in Quebec.

Types of regulated professions

• Fully Regulated Professions: all associated jobs require regulation.
• Non-Fully Regulated Professions: only some jobs within the occupation are regulated. You may apply under Stream 1, 2, or 3 depending on your FÉER category.

Regulatory requirements

• Authorisation to practise your occupation.
• Proof of full or partial recognition of diploma / training equivalence (issued within the last 5 years).

French-language requirements

• FÉER 0, 1, or 2: spoken French at level 7+, written at level 5+.
• FÉER 3, 4, or 5: spoken French at level 5+.
• Accompanying spouse: spoken French at level 4+.

To qualify under Stream 4: Exceptional Talents, applicants must have outstanding expertise in their field that contributes to Quebec's prosperity, a proven track record of achievements, and at least three years of experience within the last five years. Expertise must be recognised through achievements such as awards, publications, professional distinctions, or comparable evidence of standing in the field.

The Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) is designed for foreign students who have graduated in Quebec and for temporary foreign workers looking to settle permanently. It provides a streamlined pathway to obtaining a Quebec selection certificate (CSQ), provided all eligibility conditions are met.

The program has two streams: one for Quebec graduates and another for temporary foreign workers. General requirements include:

• Intent to settle in Quebec for employment.
• At least 18 years of age.
• French-language requirement: spoken French at level 7 for applicants and level 4 for spouses; for graduates, written French at level 5 is also required.
• Financial self-sufficiency.

Stream 1 — Temporary foreign workers. Eligibility depends on:

• Legal status in Quebec as a temporary worker, youth-exchange-program participant, or under specific permits.
• Work in TEER 0, A, or B occupations.
• At least 24 months of full-time paid work in the last 36 months; full-time means 30+ hours per week and the role must not be in an ineligible industry.

Applicants may be required to attend an interview to verify their information. Spouses may apply for permanent selection as a principal applicant or obtain an open work permit under certain conditions.

Stream 2 — Quebec graduates. Applicants must:

• Have obtained an eligible diploma within the past 36 months from a Quebec institution after full-time studies.
• Demonstrate French proficiency through their diploma, three years of full-time study in French, or other qualifying criteria.
• Have resided in Quebec for at least half of their program.

Eligible diplomas include bachelor's, master's (including MBA), Ph.D., technical Diplomas of College Studies (DCS), and vocational Diplomas of Vocational Studies (DVS) of at least 1,800 hours, with or without an Attestation of Vocational Specialisation (AVS). No other diplomas qualify.

The Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in Food Processing allows temporary foreign workers in Quebec's food-processing sector to apply for permanent selection and obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). The program is in effect until January 1, 2026.

To qualify, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old and intend to settle in Quebec.
• Hold an eligible full-time job in the food-processing sector at the time of application.
• Have at least 24 months of relevant work experience in Quebec within the last 36 months.
• Possess at least a high-school diploma or a Quebec vocational diploma.
• Demonstrate the required French-language proficiency.

Eligible occupations include industrial butchers, food and beverage processing labourers, fish and seafood processing workers, specialty cleaners, machine operators, and livestock-care workers. Eligible sectors fall under food manufacturing (NAICS 311) and beverage manufacturing (NAICS 3121).

The Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Orderlies allows temporary foreign workers employed as orderlies in Quebec to apply for permanent selection and obtain a CSQ. It is in effect until January 1, 2026.

The program has two streams: Work and Work-Study. Common eligibility requirements include:

• At least 18 years old and intent to settle in Quebec.
• Hold a full-time job as an orderly (NOC 33102) in Quebec at the time of application.
• Spoken French proficiency at level 7 of the Quebec scale.
• Financial self-sufficiency for at least three months.
• Work for a company you do not control.

Work stream. Applicants must:

• Hold a diploma related to the orderly profession (at least 1 year, full-time, equivalent to a Quebec Diploma of Vocational Studies).
• Have at least 24 months of full-time experience as an orderly in Quebec within the last 36 months, OR 12 months as an orderly in Quebec plus 12 months in a healthcare-related role.

Work-Study stream. Applicants must:

• Have obtained a Quebec Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Institutional and Home Care Assistance within the last 24 months.
• Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience as a patient-service associate in Quebec within the last 24 months (after completing studies).