Quebec Experience Program reopens for graduate applications

In a recent announcement made by the Quebec Immigration Ministry to reopen the Quebec Experience Program for graduate applications, it comes as a relief for those who were left limbo after the suspension of this program in July.

International graduates who were waiting to apply for a permanent residence can now once again submit their applications for permanent selection certificate through the Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience du Québec, PEQ).
Quebec’s Immigration Ministry (MIFI) decided to reopen the PEQ’s graduate stream on November 1 after suspending it on July 1.

New PEQ eligibility requirements for graduates and workers

After the Quebec Experience Program commences receiving of graduate applications, all temporary overseas workers having eligible work experience in the province can now continue to apply to PEQ as they did earlier. However, the pending, as well as new applications for both graduate and temporary foreign worker streams of PEQ, will be required to meet the new eligibility criteria that were updated and announced during this week.

The international graduate students who have completed the program involving 900-hours or one year in the province can apply to PEQ when they possess minimum work experience of six months in the area of training obtained after they complete the graduation. This is not necessary for such candidates who complete the program involving 1,800 hours or two years.

Setting out the norms

As per the new and updated eligibility requirements especially for temporary foreign workers, the candidates must possess work experience of 18 months and candidates working an in-demand occupation rated as skill level 0, a or B requires work experience of just 12 months. Also, the language requirements for students and workers stream, including their partners or common-law partners will change beginning January 1, 2020.
The applicants and spouses or common-law partners must demonstrate advanced French knowledge through the:

• Standard language test recognized by the Quebec Government;
• Meet the criteria for the French language set by the order governing their job in Quebec;
• Complete three years of full-time study in French at the secondary or post-secondary level.

With new eligibility criteria, the new quotas are taking an effect in the Quebec Immigrant Entrepreneur program for applicants who do not speak French at a high level of CLB 7/8. The Ministry will be accepting a batch of 25 applicants for its first Component in entrepreneur program and about 35 for its second Component between November 2019 and Sep 30, 2020. It will also accept 50 applications in the Self-Employed Worker Program starting from November 1st and ending on September 30th, 2020.