Quebec Announced Its New Immigration Levels Plan For 2023

Quebec released its Immigration Levels Plan for 2023 on December 8. In the plan, the province aims to admit 52,500 newcomers in the year 2023.

The province will see most of its immigrants admitted in 2023 through its economic immigration programs: The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) and the Québec Experience Program (PEQ).
With a maximum objective of 33,900, Quebec’s provincial economic category accounts for the highest percentage of newcomers—more than 65% of anticipated admissions. The province aimed at welcoming up to 29,500 qualified employees and up to 4,300 business immigrants. This would include investors, business owners, and independent contractors. The remaining 18,100 new permanent residents are projected to arrive through family reunification, refugees, and other immigration programs.

The Immigration Levels Plan works as the economic booster that welcomes a large number of immigrants every year. With Quebec having its immigration system introduced by the province’s department, the new plan outlines the number of new permanent residents immigrating to Canada in the next following years. However, the targets have been released for only the coming year i.e. 2023. The province will create a multi-year plan for 2024 in the following year.

Quebec’s Focus on French-Speaking Immigrants

The province of Quebec is thinking about its new immigration program. According to the province, the program will set the path to permanent residency for French-speaking immigrants living in Quebec.

The 2023 plan remains quite close to the 2022 plan as the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) won a second term as the governing party with a solid majority. After lowering admission targets in 2019, the 2022 plan, developed under the direction of the current premier François Legault, sought to gradually raise the number of newcomers. The CAQ implemented a 20% cut-off that year to enhance the selection and francization of newcomers to Quebec.

The CAQ party’s protection of the French language in Quebec is one of its key tenets, and the new strategy emphasizes choosing immigrants who are fluent in French. 79% of economic immigrants are anticipated to have expertise in 2023, according to the Ministry of Immigration, Francization, and Integration.

Quebec’s Unique Immigration System

The only province in Canada that publishes a yearly strategy for immigration levels is Quebec. Additionally, it is the only province whose admissions for economic immigration are completely under its control. Quebec has greater control over its immigration policies, largely as a result of the establishment of its immigration ministry there in 1968.

Up until more than 20 years later, in 1991, when the Quebec-Canada Accord gave the province the authority to set its admission targets, the province persisted in calling for greater control over immigration. Nevertheless, immigration is a joint duty between the federal and provincial governments, and IRCC has the last say on all admissions, regardless of the category of immigration. Quebec chooses the skilled workers it wants to admit.

How to Immigrate to Quebec?

Those who wish to immigrate to Quebec in the year 2023 must get approved by both provincial and federal governments. The province will choose skilled immigrants according to its criteria and procedures. The selected candidate will receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec. After receiving a CSQ they must apply to IRCC for permanent residence and pass all the necessary medical, security, and criminality checks.