Canada: Quebec Experience Program for Permanent Residence to Reopen Temporarily

The situation

Quebec's Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration has announced the temporary reopening of the Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l'expérience québécoise, or PEQ), including its Temporary Foreign Worker and Graduates streams. The PEQ, which closed in November 2025, will be reinstated from July 2, 2026-July 2, 2028.

A closer look

• Intake period. While the program will remain in place for two years, Quebec will manage admissions through designated application intake periods rather than a continuously open application process. The first intake period will run from July 2-October 31, 2026.
• Eligibility. The first intake period is intended to benefit individuals whose immigration plans were affected by the PEQ closure in November 2025. To apply during this initial intake period, applicants must have already met the eligibility requirements of the relevant PEQ stream as of November 19, 2025, the date the program closed. Key requirements include:
  • For the Temporary Foreign Worker stream, applicants must have accumulated at least two years of eligible work experience in Quebec in an occupation classified under Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) 0, 1, 2 or 3 by November 19, 2025.
  • For the Graduates stream, applicants must have obtained a qualifying Quebec diploma by November 19, 2025.
  • French language requirements remain unchanged.
• Application volumes and processing. The Ministry has confirmed that there will be no cap on the number of applications accepted during the first intake period. All applications submitted during this period that meet the applicable eligibility requirements will be processed. The government has also indicated that PEQ applications are expected to be processed within an average of six to seven months.

Impact

• Additional pathway to permanent residence. The reopening of the PEQ reintroduces another accessible pathway to permanent residence selection for eligible foreign nationals in Quebec. Since the program's closure in November 2025, the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) has been the sole pathway available for the permanent selection of skilled workers. The temporary return of the PEQ therefore provides an additional option for individuals who had already met the program's eligibility requirements before its closure.
• Impact on PSTQ candidates. Employers and foreign nationals should be aware that Quebec will temporarily reduce the number of invitations issued under the PSTQ while PEQ applications are being accepted to remain within its immigration admission targets. Invitations are expected to be limited primarily to candidates under Stream 2 (TEER 4 and 5 occupations) and Stream 4 (Exceptional Talent). Invitation volumes may be adjusted beginning in November 2026 based on demand under the PEQ.

Background

• Program suspension and closure. The PEQ was historically one of Quebec's principal pathways to permanent selection for foreign nationals with Quebec work or study experience. The program was suspended in 2024 and officially closed in November 2025 as part of the province's broader efforts to reduce immigration levels and manage processing and reception capacity.
• Rationale for the reopening. The government has stated that the temporary measure is intended to provide greater predictability for French-speaking individuals already established in the province and to help retain talent already integrated into Quebec's labor market while maintaining immigration targets.

Looking ahead

• Future intake periods. Quebec may open additional PEQ intake periods before the program expires in July 2028. The government has indicated that future intake periods will depend on application volumes, processing capacity and immigration planning objectives.
• Increased processing capacity. Meanwhile, the government has also announced plans to increase processing capacity to support immigration selection priorities and ensure compliance with provincial immigration targets.
• Long-term plans. While the PEQ has been reinstated for a two-year period, the Ministry has emphasized that the measure is temporary. The Ministry has stated that the PSTQ is expected to once again become the sole pathway for the permanent selection of skilled workers once the PEQ reopening period concludes.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.