Québec Announces Quota Numbers for Four Permanent Residence Categories

The government of Québec has announced quota numbers effective from April 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015 for permanent residence under the Skilled Worker, Entrepreneur, Self-Employed Worker and Investor Programs. 

Québec’s immigration agency (MICC) will accept up to 6,500 permanent residence applications under the Skilled Worker Program. The cap does not apply to Québec Experience Program applicants; foreign nationals with qualifying job offers; and certain students, graduates or temporary workers eligible for a Québec Selection Certificate in the skilled worker class. 

A maximum of 500 applications will be accepted under the Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Programs. The MICC website includes criteria for the Entrepreneur and Self-Employed WorkerPrograms. 

A total of 1,750 applications, with a maximum of 1,200 applications per country, will be accepted under the Investor Program. Investor Program applications should be submitted between September 8, 2014 and September 19, 2014. If the cap is not reached during that time, a second round of applications will be accepted between December 1, 2014 and December 12, 2014. Applicants who score B2 or higher (advanced intermediate level) on a standardized French language test will be exempt from both the quota and filing period requirements. Investor Program applicants must demonstrate net assets of C$1,600,000 or more, management experience for two of the previous five years, and an intention to reside in Québec and invest C$800,000 with an authorized financial intermediary. 

By implementing caps, Québec’s immigration agency aims to process a greater number of pending applications and reduce overall processing times. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Employers and foreign nationals should begin to identify any applications that fall under one of these four categories. Applications should be filed early within the new filing period to ensure acceptance before caps are reached. 

Foreign investors seeking to reside in Canada may want to consider Québec’s IIP, as it could be the only available investor program if the federal government accepts a recent proposal to eliminate the federal Immigrant Investor (IIP) and Entrepreneur programs. 

How Fragomen Can Assist 

Fragomen can assist with assessment of eligibility for these programs and with preparation and submission of the applications to the authorities in Québec. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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