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Permanent Residence

The permanent resident status

If you intend to stay longer or even permanently in Quebec, you can apply for permanent residence. Being a permanent resident grants you all the same rights as a Canadian citizen, except voting. 

To apply for permanent residence to settle in the province of Quebec, you will first need to obtain a Quebec selection certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec), which is issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).

The permanent resident status is granted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Two programs can lead to permanent residence:

  1. The Regular Skilled Worker Program :

Note that you can apply whether you are outside Quebec or already in the province. 

       2. The Québec Experience Program (PEQ) – Simplified Procedure

After obtaining your Quebec selection certificate (CSQ), you can start your permanent residence application as a Quebec-selected skilled worker through IRCC.

Free information sessions on permanent residence in Quebec

Our team will walk you through the steps to become a permanent resident through the Québec Experience Program (PEQ). We will also guide you through the procedures to live and work in Quebec during this process.

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The Québec Experience Program (PEQ) – Simplified Procedure

The PEQ is for the following people:

If you are a temporary foreign worker in Quebec

To be eligible to the PEQ, you need to meet these three requirements:

  • Be in Quebec legally as a temporary foreign worker or as part of a youth exchange program (for example, through a Working Holiday permit, a Young Professional permit, or an International Co-op Internship permit);
  • Have occupied a full-time job for at least 24 of the 36 months leading up to your application, and still hold that same job at the time of your application;
  • Demonstrate an intermediate or advanced level of listening comprehension in French (equivalent to level 7 on the Quebec Scale of Proficiency in French for Adult Immigrants). If your spouse or common-law partner accompanies you, their listening comprehension must be equivalent to level 4 on the Scale.

If you are a foreign student who graduated in Quebec

To be eligible to the PEQ, you need to meet these four requirements:

  • Hold an eligible degree or diploma from a Quebec institution;
  • Have stayed in the province of Quebec for at least half of the duration of your program or study;
  • Apply for permanent selection less than 36 months (less than three years) after completing your program of study in Quebec;
  • Have acquired eligible work experience in Quebec following your program of study.

PLEASE NOTE! The Quebec Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) may change the selection criteria at any time. The information provided on government websites always prevails over other sites.

Recap

Step 1: Québec Selection Certificate (issued by the MIFI)

Step 2: Permanent resident visa (issued by IRCC)

Visit the Arrima website for more details.

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