On November 6, 2025, the Québec Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration published its pluriannual orientations on immigration for 2026–2029 and its Immigration Plan for 2026.
The 2026–2029 orientations seek to limit the overall volume of temporary and permanent immigration in order to reduce the pressure on Québec’s capacity to receive and integrate immigrants.
The 2026 Immigration Plan is based on these orientations. Its goal is to permanently admit 45,000 immigrants. For the first time, the Plan focuses on temporary immigration to Québec in the two programs for which its consent is required, namely, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Student Program. It plans for the temporary admission of 84,900 to 124,200 people in 2026.
Moreover, the government of Québec is establishing a series of measures in several immigration programs to promote the attainment of the objectives for 2026–2029.
Skilled workers
- The Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) (Skilled Worker Selection Program) becomes the only means for permanent selection of skilled workers. It is a more flexible and modern programme, aligned with Québec’s selection and reception objectives. People who wish to permanently settle in Québec to work are invited to declare their interest via the Arrima application portal.
- The government of Québec is therefore ending the two streams of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) (Québec Experience Program) (the Québec Graduate and Temporary Foreign Worker streams, currently suspended) on 19 November 2025.
- The three permanent immigration pilot programs will end, as planned, on 1 January 2026. They are pilot programs for food processing workers, orderlies, and workers in the artificial intelligence, information technologies and visual effects sectors.
All applications for permanent selection already submitted under the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (Québec Graduate and Temporary Foreign Worker streams) and the permanent immigration pilot programs will continue to be examined by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) (Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration).
For the pilot programs, only the Francophone profile of the artificial intelligence stream of the pilot program for workers in the artificial intelligence, information technologies and visual effects sectors is still accepting new applications until December 31, 2025. The ceilings have already been reached in the other stream of this program and in the other two pilot programs.
The applications to add family members, that is, dependent children and the spouse, for applicants who have been selected for one or the other of these programs will continue to be received and examined by the MIFI.
Individuals who wish to apply under the PEQ or work in an occupation targeted by one of the three permanent immigration pilot programs can declare their interest in immigrating to Québec via the Arrima platform.
If their profile corresponds to those sought by Québec, they might receive an invitation to apply for permanent selection in the stream of the PSTQ that applies.
Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program
- The suspension of the acceptance of some LMIA applications for jobs located in the Montréal and Laval regions is extended to December 31, 2026.
The suspension of the acceptance of certain LMIA applications for jobs located in the regions of Montréal and Laval also pertains to applications submitted under the facilitated process and for the renewal of work permits for temporary foreign workers already working, for Laval and Montréal.
Even if Québec’s measure is renewed for the next year, as long as the unemployment rate for the Montréal Metropolitan Census Area is 6% or higher, the federal government’s refusal to process will apply to LMIA applications made for low wage positions, in the context of the joint processing of the LMIA.
- The requirement of level 4 knowledge of spoken French is added for people who apply for a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) (Québec Acceptance Certificate) under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program after having accumulated three years in Québec to work. Certain exceptions apply.
Exempt from the requirement of level 4 knowledge of spoken French are agricultural TFWs, foreign nationals occupying a job for an office of a political division of a foreign State, and international employees of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) recognized by the government of Québec.
The planned effective date for this regulation is 17 December 2025. However, there is a three-year transitional measure to help temporary foreign workers (TFWs) who are currently staying in Québec to attain and demonstrate the required level of French. Consequently, the verification of French knowledge to obtain a CAQ for work will start on 17 December 2028.
Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective Sponsorship)
- The suspension of the acceptance of applications in the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective Sponsorship) is extended to December 31, 2029. The exceptions to the suspension of the acceptance of new sponsorship applications in effect continue to apply.
All undertaking applications already submitted to the MIFI that meet the eligibility conditions will be examined. The applications to add dependents, such as dependent children or spouses, are not affected by this suspension. These applications will continue to be received and examined by the MIFI.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.