Canadian Visa App - Quebec Skilled Worker Program

QSWP Point System

The Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) is a points-based Canadian immigration program for interested foreign workers in a variety of high-demand occupations. The province, through a special agreement, has been allowed by the national Canadian immigration agency to have its own set of rules on immigrant selection.

Points are awarded to an individual according to the different categories of the selection grid of factors set by the Quebec provincial officials wherein an applicant must attain a minimum number of points to qualify.

The Quebec government also allows an applicant to include his/her spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children on their application. Points are awarded to the family based on the selection grid of factors for married applicants and minimum points should also be reached to be eligible.

The points system for a skilled foreign worker varies based on their marital status. According to the latest update of the QSWP Selection Grid, a single applicant must attain at least 50 points out of 103 points possible, while a married applicant together with his/her partner and children must get a minimum of 59 points out of 120 points possible.

Foreign workers can receive points for the QSWP for the following major selection factors:

• Training (26 points maximum)
• Work Experience (8 points maximum)
• Age (16 points maximum)
• French/English Language Proficiency (22 points maximum)
• Stay in Quebec/Family in Quebec (8 points maximum)
• Spouse/Partner Characteristics (17 points maximum)
• Validated Job Offer in Quebec (14 points maximum)
• Having Children (8 points maximum)
• Financial Self-Sufficiency (1 point maximum)

In addition to achieving the minimum points score, several additional eligibility requirements must also be satisfied to be approved for immigration to Canada through the QSWP.

Processing of the Application

Generally, the program involves a two-step process: selection and admission. Selection for the QSWP is done by the Quebec provincial government, while the admission process is done by the national Canadian immigration agency which makes the final decision on whether to approve an immigrant for permanent residency and issue a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada.

Initially, the foreign worker must apply to the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion, or the MIDI, which is the immigration authority in Quebec, to get an invitation. An interested applicant must submit to Quebec’s online Arrima portal his/her Expression of Interest (EOI) profile.

The profile includes educational qualification, work experience, area of training, contact details, any validated employment offer, language proficiency in French and English, financial self-sufficiency, and other relevant personal information needed to assess an applicant.

The Arrima portal is open year-round and allows an applicant to update his/her details at any time. Furthermore, necessary supporting documents might also be required during the process.

An applicant who successfully gets an invitation from the province of Quebec must secure a profile at the Mon projet Quebec portal to apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate, known in French as the Certificat de sélection du Québec or CSQ. This portal allows the applicant to complete his/her CSQ application, make changes on the application, check the status of the application, acquire electronic messaging assistance, and do necessary online payments of fees.

If an applicant successfully secures an invitation and CSQ, he/she will be granted 60 days to apply for Canadian Permanent Residency with the federal immigration agency. All required documentation must be submitted for the Canadian visa application and the necessary fees must be paid accordingly.

Relevant documentation includes medical records of an applicant and all applying members of the family. Security checks are also conducted to ensure safety.

Qualified applicants who are approved for Canadian Permanent Residency will be given a Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR). A Permanent Resident Visa to Canada will also be stamped to the valid passport of the applicant (if he or she is from a country that requires a visa to Canada).

Upon the grant of Canadian Permanent Resident status, the immigrant(s) will be allowed to move to Quebec to live and work long-term. A plastic wallet-sized Canadian Permanent Resident Card must be acquired with all fees paid, including the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF).

Please note that this is an overview and the QSWP application process and requirements are subject to change by the Quebec and Canadian immigration authorities at any time.

Benefits of Quebec Immigration

• The established Quebec selection program (QSWP) allows an applicant to have an easier and faster Canadian immigration application process than other provinces in the country.
• The early settlement by the French in Quebec has greatly influenced the province’s history, culture, and values making it unique among all other provinces and territories of Canada.
• Quebec’s ethnicity and diverse society offer an ideal and healthy environment to raise a family.
• Canadian Permanent Residents living in Quebec are entitled to free or subsidized public healthcare and can sponsor family members for a visa to Canada.
• Quebec has one of the fastest-growing economies in Canada, giving foreign workers plenty of options in terms of employment opportunities to fill the demand of its labor market.
• The province has access to quality education programs and offers a wide range of these programs to foreign nationals at some of the best universities in Canada.
• Quebec is the biggest and the second most populous Canadian province, but has a reputation for being one of the most pollution-free regions to live in Canada.
• A Quebec immigrant with permanent residency can have the benefit of opening a bank account, getting a driver’s license, owning a home, and starting a business in the province.
• Immigrants living in Quebec can travel freely throughout the Canadian provinces and territories as well as travel to and from Canada as often as they want.
• After living in Quebec as a Permanent Resident of Canada for three years in a five-year period and meeting all of the eligibility criteria, an immigrant can apply to become a Canadian citizen!

If you are a skilled foreign worker with good French or English language abilities and want to experience a high standard of living in Canada, the QSWP may be the best pathway you can take to fulfill those dreams. Take your family with you and start a new life in the picturesque province of Quebec!

DISCLAIMER: This information is not and should not be considered as expert or professional advice.