Build Your Future in Quebec Through Skills and Experience

Quebec's Independent Selection Authority

Unlike other Canadian provinces, Quebec holds exclusive jurisdiction over selecting economic immigrants destined for the province. This autonomy reflects Quebec's status within Canadian confederation and its commitment to preserving French language and culture. The Regular Skilled Worker Program represents Quebec's primary pathway for selecting economic immigrants without prior Quebec experience, education, or employment.

The Selection Point System

Quebec's selection grid awards points across nine factors, with different passing scores for single applicants versus those applying with a spouse or de facto spouse. Single applicants must earn at least 50 points from a possible total. Applicants with a spouse need at least 59 points. These thresholds ensure selected workers possess characteristics associated with economic success and social integration in Quebec.

1. Education and Training (Maximum 28 points)

Your highest level of education earns base points: 2 points for secondary school completion, up to 14 points for a doctoral degree. Additional points recognize specialized training areas where Quebec experiences labor shortages. Specific fields like health, education, engineering, and information technology may earn bonus points depending on current economic priorities.

Diplomas must be obtained from recognized institutions. Foreign credentials require evaluation through comparative evaluation services that assess their Quebec equivalency. This evaluation doesn't guarantee points—the grid awards points based on the Quebec equivalent level, not your original credential's level in your home country.

2. Work Experience (Maximum 8 points)

Recent work experience in skilled occupations strengthens your application. Quebec awards points for professional experience gained within the past five years, with more points for longer experience periods. Half a point per six-month period of work, up to 8 points maximum for 48 months or more of relevant experience.

The work must be at skill level 0, A, or B under National Occupational Classification, performed full-time or equivalent part-time hours. Certain in-demand occupations receive additional preference through Quebec's occupation lists, which change based on labor market needs. Self-employment in your field counts if you can document it adequately through tax records, business registration, client contracts, and detailed descriptions of your activities.

3. Age (Maximum 16 points)

Quebec's point allocation for age peaks at 35-43 years, awarding the maximum 16 points to candidates in this range. Points decrease gradually for younger and older applicants, reflecting Quebec's assessment of optimal working years remaining and integration capacity. Applicants 18-35 years old earn between 12-16 points, while those 36-43 maintain the maximum. After 43, points decrease progressively, with 2 points awarded to those 51 and older.

4. Language Proficiency (Maximum 22 points)

French language ability proves essential, while English provides supplementary value. Points allocate across oral comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing for both languages separately. For French, you can earn up to 7 points per ability (28 points total for French), though the maximum awarded across all language skills caps at 22 points.

Advanced French proficiency (Level 7 or 8 on Quebec's scale) in all four abilities maximizes your language points. Basic to intermediate English proficiency adds value but cannot compensate for weak French skills. Test results from recognized evaluators (TEF Canada, TCF Canada for French; IELTS, CELPIP for English) must be recent, typically within two years of application.

5. Stay and Family in Quebec (Maximum 8 points)

Previous experience in Quebec or family connections in the province earn adaptability points. You receive 5 points for having studied in Quebec for at least three months, or for working in Quebec for at least three months with proper authorization. Having a spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Quebec adds 4 points.

6. Validated Employment Offer (Maximum 10 points)

A permanent, full-time job offer from a Quebec employer validated by the Ministry of Immigration provides significant points. The offer must be for skilled work (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) and the employer must demonstrate recruitment efforts and genuine need for foreign workers. Not all employers qualify to make validated offers, and not all job offers meet the validation criteria.

7. Financial Self-Sufficiency (1 point minimum required)

You must demonstrate sufficient settlement funds to support yourself and accompanying family members for your first three months in Quebec. The amounts update regularly based on Statistics Canada's low-income cutoff measures. While only 1 point is awarded for meeting this requirement, failing to demonstrate adequate funds renders you ineligible regardless of your point total in other categories.

8. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Characteristics (Maximum 17 points)

If applying with a spouse, their qualifications add value to your application. Points allocate for their education (up to 4 points), age (up to 3 points), language skills (up to 6 points), and Quebec work or study experience (up to 4 points). Your spouse's strengths can compensate for areas where you score lower, making couple applications strategic for some families.

9. Children (Maximum 8 points)

Accompanying dependent children under 22 years old earn 4 points each, up to a maximum of 8 points. This factor recognizes that families with children contribute to Quebec's demographic renewal while facing additional settlement considerations.

The Arrima Expression of Interest System

Quebec manages skilled worker applications through Arrima, an online expression of interest system. You create a profile declaring your qualifications and intent to immigrate to Quebec. The system validates your profile and adds it to the declaration bank, where it remains active for 12 months.

Periodically, Quebec's Ministry of Immigration conducts selection draws, inviting candidates to apply based on their profiles. Invitations may target specific profiles matching current economic priorities—certain occupations, age ranges, language proficiencies, or fields of study. Receiving an invitation doesn't guarantee selection, but allows you to submit a formal application for assessment.

Application Process After Invitation

Following an invitation through Arrima, you have 90 days to submit your complete application with all supporting documentation. This includes:

• Identity Documents: Birth certificates, passports, and national identity cards for all family members
• Educational Credentials: Diplomas, degrees, transcripts, and comparative evaluations of foreign education
• Work Experience Evidence: Employer reference letters detailing duties, employment periods, and occupational classifications
• Language Test Results: Official results from recognized testing organizations
• Proof of Relationship: Marriage certificates, evidence of common-law relationships, children's birth certificates
• Financial Capacity: Bank statements, investment portfolios, or other proof of sufficient settlement funds

Assessment and Interview

Quebec immigration officers review applications thoroughly. They verify all claims, calculate points according to the selection grid, and assess whether you genuinely intend to settle in Quebec and possess realistic expectations about life in the province. Some applicants receive requests for additional documentation or clarification on specific points.

Officers may require interviews, conducted either in person at Quebec immigration offices abroad, by videoconference, or exceptionally by phone. Interviews evaluate French language proficiency directly, probe your understanding of Quebec society and labor market, and assess your integration potential. Strong interview performance confirms information in your application and demonstrates communication abilities.

Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)

Successful applicants receive a CSQ—Quebec's official document confirming the province has selected you for permanent residence. This certificate has specific validity periods and must remain valid throughout your federal processing. The CSQ commits you to settling in Quebec and establishing your principal residence there. While permanent residents can legally live anywhere in Canada, the selection process assumes Quebec as your intended destination.

Federal Processing After Quebec Selection

With your CSQ, you apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence. Federal processing includes security and criminal background checks, medical examinations, and final admissibility assessment. Quebec's selection focuses on economic integration potential, while federal assessment ensures you meet Canada's security, health, and criminality standards.

Federal processing adds 12-18 months beyond Quebec's assessment timeline. Throughout federal processing, maintaining your CSQ validity and any temporary status if you're in Canada remains essential.

Strategic Considerations for Applicants

Maximizing your selection chances requires strategic planning. Consider improving French proficiency before applying—language skills represent the single highest-value factor you can directly influence. Each level improvement in French can add multiple points across four abilities. If applying with a spouse, evaluate whether both of you have strong profiles or if one spouse's weaker profile reduces overall points.

Professional retraining in high-demand fields may prove worthwhile for applicants whose current occupation isn't in demand. Quebec's occupation lists and Arrima invitation patterns indicate which profiles receive priority. Spending time in Quebec through temporary status (work, study, or even extended visits) establishes connections and understanding that strengthen applications beyond just earning adaptability points.

How We Support Quebec Skilled Worker Applications

Our comprehensive Quebec skilled worker services include:

1. Point calculation and profile assessment before you invest in testing or credential evaluations
2. Strategic recommendations for improving your score through skill development or credential acquisition
3. Credential evaluation coordination with Quebec's recognized services
4. Language testing guidance identifying which tests suit your strengths
5. Arrima profile creation optimized for system validation
6. Invitation monitoring and application submission within tight deadlines
7. Document compilation meeting Quebec's specific evidentiary standards
8. Interview preparation including common questions and French communication practice
9. Federal permanent residence application after CSQ issuance

Assess Your Quebec Skilled Worker Eligibility