Quebec Experience Class Immigration Program - Frequently Asked Questions

Degrees in Quebec that qualify for the Quebec Experience Class are: 

Bachelor's degree; 
Masters degree, MBA; 
Doctorate degree;
Diploma of College Studies, technical training; 
Diploma of Vocational Studies involving 1,800 hours of study; 
A Diploma of Vocational Studies followed by an Attestation of Vocational Specialization totaling 1,800 hours or more.

Students holding a bursary that contains a clause stipulating return to their country of origin are not eligible under the PEQ. You are not eligible also if you've initiated a new program of study in Quebec.

Only skilled jobs (NOC 0, A, B) exercised lawfully on a full-time basis are eligible for the program. A full-time employment in Quebec corresponds to a minimum of 30 hours of paid work per week. The experiences gained from working full time in the program of work permit post-diploma, a youth exchange program or internship employment that is not related to a curriculum in Quebec may be considered if they meet all program requirements of the Quebec experience. Self-employed job may also be considered if the income earned is equivalent to a full-time salary. Note that no period of part-time work can be considered for eligibility for Quebec Experience Class.

Applicants applying under Quebec programs must pay processing fees to the Quebec government for their application for Quebec Selection Certificate.

There are also two other application fees you will have to pay at federal stage of your application: Federal Processing Fees and Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF).

The processing fees and must be paid for the principal applicant and any accompanying spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children.

Upon acceptance, applicants must pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF). The RPRF is payable by principal applicants and accompanying spouse or common-law partners and each accompanying dependants aged 22 or over. It must be paid before the immigrant visa is issued overseas or before the applicant becomes a permanent resident in Canada.

For a complete list of current application fees, click here.

You can submit your application in Quebec six months before completing your program of study. If you are eligible under the program, a Certificat de selection du Quebec will be issued to you upon confirmation of the successful completion of your program of study. After obtaining your diploma, you can also submit your application from outside Canada.

As a temporary worker who resides in Quebec, you must expect to have completed at least 12 months of specialized work full time before filing your application for a certificate of selection of Quebec (CSQ) in the Canadian Experience Program. These 12 months of work must have been during the 24 months preceding your application. They may have been with one or more employers, whether continuously or not.

Moreover, at the time of filing your application, you must hold a skilled job, and paid full-time in Quebec, that is professional or technical (skill levels higher than "C" according to National Occupational Classification).

You must have a knowledge of spoken French on an intermediate level to be eligible for Quebec Experience Class. The intermediate level corresponds to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference or its equivalent.

You must be at least 18 at the time of application.

No. Similar to other Quebec immigration programs, you can apply under this program if you are eligible and you have the intention of living in Quebec.

Every complete application received under the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ) will receive priority. Since the PEQ is a new program (Since Feb 2010), the processing time for applications is unknown at this time. Processing time, however, should not exceed a month.

If more that %50 of a program of study was held outside of Quebec, the program is not qualified under Quebec Experience Class. Otherwise it is ok.

The Certificate of Selection of Quebec (CSQ) obtained under the Quebec Experience Class does not replace the Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) for studies or work. If your study permit expires before the end of your program of studies or work in Quebec, you must obtain a new Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) and a new study or work permit.

There will be no selection interview under Quebec Experience Program. Your application will be examined only from your file. This assumes that your file is complete and all supporting documents are provided.