Canada: Cap Introduced for Family Reunification Applications in Quebec

Update – July 11, 2025: Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) has reached its cap for sponsorship applications to bring a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child aged 18 or over to the province under the family reunification program. As a result, MIFI will not accept new applications for these categories until June 25, 2026. Any applications received will be returned without a fee refund. Applicants may reapply when the next intake period opens. MIFI continues to accept sponsorship applications for other eligible family members under the program.

June 28, 2024: Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration has implemented, for the first time, a cap on the number of family reunification permanent residence applications it will accept for processing. From June 26, 2024, through June 25, 2026, Quebec will accept a maximum of 13,000 applications from Canadian nationals and permanent residents to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence in Quebec, which includes a maximum of 10,400 applications for sponsorship of spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children age 18 or over and a maximum of 2,600 applications for sponsorship of fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers or other eligible relatives. Once the cap is reached, the Ministry will make a public announcement and stop accepting applications. The cap does not apply to applications submitted by sponsors on behalf of unmarried, dependent children under the age of 18; minor children the sponsor seeks to adopt; orphaned, minor children of the sponsor’s brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson, or granddaughter; or adult children who are dependent on a parent due to a disability. Applications where sponsors are adding a dependent of a sponsored family member already covered by a pending application are also exempt from the cap. The measure is likely intended to alleviate the pressures of immigration growth on the housing market.