Quebec Skilled Worker – Royal Canadian Immigration

Immigrating to Quebec, Canada as a Quebec Skilled Worker Program

The Quebec skilled worker selection category is an option for the educated and experienced person, seeking to get PR of Canada through the provincial route. The new Quebec selection criteria are largely based on the education and training you have completed and whether or not that area of training is currently required in Quebec.

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec sets its own selection criteria to determine which immigrants can settle in the province, based on their ability to adapt for living in that province.

If you wish to immigrate to Canada but do not meet the requirements of Federal Skilled Worker Program, you may still be able to live and work in Canada and get permanent residency under the Quebec Skilled Worker Immigration Program.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants who are single must score a minimum of 55 points and married/with common-law applicants must score a minimum of 63 points, to be successful in obtaining a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).

However, only the Federal government has the authority to issue PR visa after verifying the medical & criminal backgrounds of the applicant and dependents.

The Points System:

Under the Quebec assessment, candidates are evaluated on various selection factors as below:

1) Training or Education criterion [Maximum 28 points]

Up to 28 points are awarded under this criterion on the basis of the level of education, the area of training and whether the applicant has a Quebec Diploma or equivalent, or a foreign diploma:
– Level of Education: Up to 12 points maximum;
– Quebec Diploma or equivalent: Up to 6 points maximum;
– Validated Employment Offer: Up to 10 points maximum, one of these:
a) Validated employment offer in the metropolitan area of Montreal: 6 points;
b) Validated employment offer outside of the metropolitan area of Montreal: 10 points.

2) Work Experience criterion [Maximum 8 points]

– Work experience must have been accumulated during the five years preceding the issuance of CSQ.
– Work experience includes remunerated employment, as well as all internships, whether remunerated or not.
– As an exception, an international student who has received a diploma from a Quebec university or college (or will receive a diploma within 12 months of the application date) does not need to meet the six-month work requirement and is automatically awarded 1 point under the Work Experience criterion.

3) Age Criterion [Maximum 16 points]

18 to 35 years of age earn 16 points.

4) Language Proficiency criterion [Maximum 22 points]

Up to 22 points are awarded for Language Proficiency:

French Proficiency [16 points max]
– Oral interaction (0 – 16 points)
– Written comprehension (0 points)

English Proficiency [6 points max]
– Oral interaction (0 – 6 points)
– Written comprehension (0 points)

5) Stay in Quebec and Family in Quebec [Maximum 8 points]

Up to 8 points are awarded under this criterion:

Stay in Quebec Criterion [5 points max]
– Study for 1 regular full-time semester (5 points)
– Study for 2 regular full-time semesters (5 points)
– Work for at least 3 months (5 points)
– Work for at least 6 months (5 points)
– Business for at least 1 week (0 points)
– Other stay for no less than 2 weeks and no more that 3 months (1 point)
– Other stay exceeding 3 months (2 points)

Family in Quebec Nature of Relationship [3 points max]
– Spouse (3 points)
– Son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister (3 points)
– Grandfather or grandmother (3 points)
– Uncle or aunt, nephew or niece (0 points)

6) Spouse’s Characteristics criterion [Maximum 16 points]

Up to 16 points are awarded under the Spouse’s (also for Common-law Partners) Characteristics criterion
– Spouse’s Education Level Doctorate (3 points maximum)
– Spouse’s Area of Training (4 points maximum)
– Spouse’s Age, 18 to 35 years of age (3 points maximum)
– Spouse’s Language Proficiency: French: Oral interaction (0 – 6 points)
– Spouse’s Language Proficiency: French: Written interaction (0 points)

7) Accompanying Children criterion [Maximum 8 points]

Up to 8 points are awarded under the Accompanying Children criterion
– For each child 12 years of age or younger (4 points)
– For each child 13 to 21 years of age (2 points maximum)

8) Financial Self-sufficiency criterion [Maximum 1 point]

One point is awarded under the Financial Self-sufficiency criterion.
The applicant has to prove that he/she has the required minimum settlement funds to settle in Quebec for 3 months during initial days. Unless this is proved, the application will be refused. These figures can change for each financial year.
– Showing minimum funds (1 point)

If you would like to immigrate to Canada and reside in Quebec as a skilled worker, you have to apply through this program. The applications to the program involve two stages:

Application for a Certificate of Selection (Certificat de Sélection du Québec – CSQ), through the Quebec Government, as an accepted immigrant. It uses its own rules and regulation to select eligible applicants.
Application to the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada). You can only apply after approval to immigrate to Quebec, from their government.