Quebec puts two major immigration programs on hold

Photo: Francis Vachon archives Le Devoir Quebec will stop issuing Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQ) to immigrants destined for the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ), the main economic immigration pipeline in Quebec.

François Carabin and Léo Mercier-Ross

Published at 19:56 Updated at 20:37

• Québec

To stem the meteoric rise in the number of immigrants coming to settle in Quebec, François Legault's government is preparing to impose a temporary moratorium on two of the main routes to permanent residency.

This decision, first reported by La Presseand Radio-Canada, will be presented in detail to the media on Thursday. By doing so, the government hopes to meet the targets it set last November in its multi-year immigration plan.

In concrete terms, Quebec will stop issuing Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs) — the document required to immigrate permanently — to immigrants destined for the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ), the main economic immigration pipeline in Quebec. In its last plan, the government expected to welcome approximately 30,000 economic immigrants in 2024, including 25,000 under this program.

It will also temporarily put a stop to the “continuous” admission of immigrants in the “graduate” category of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). Quebec had planned to welcome around 6,500 this year.

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This will result in ending the selection of a large proportion of permanent immigrants from abroad for a few months. Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge hopes to reduce the list of CSQ holders still waiting for permanent residence.

His target for 2025 remains generally unchanged.

The freeze announced by the CAQ government does not affect immigrants in the family reunification category or those in humanitarian categories, such as refugees. Other less important economic immigration programs and the rest of the PEQ program are not affected by the moratorium.

Similar to the PQ proposal

A solution similar to the one proposed by the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) was presented Monday by the Parti Québécois (PQ), which wanted to impose a moratorium “until further notice” on the arrival of economic immigrants from outside Quebec.

Last week, Ottawa also announced that it would lower its temporary immigration target by about 20%. A change of direction for Justin Trudeau's government, which had previously prioritized an increase in immigration.

The next multi-year planning schedule, which will detail the Legault government's longer-term targets and directions, will be tabled in the spring, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Devoir. Quebec will then reassess its decision to impose a freeze on the issuance of CSQs. The filing normally takes place in the fall, but Quebec has chosen to bring it forward.

This next multi-year plan will also bring its share of changes by including the reality of temporary immigrants, rather than only that of permanent ones. A request from the opposition that had not been heard until now.

In August, Quebec had decreed a six-month moratorium starting in September on the low-wage temporary foreign worker program in the Montreal region to counter the “explosion” in the number of temporary immigrants. A few days later, Ottawa also tightened access to temporary foreign workers, but in a greater way and with a wider reach than Quebec.

Later in September, Ottawa tightened the screws on temporary immigration again by announcing a 10% cap on low-wage foreign workers per company and shorter contracts for them.

Tabled earlier in October in Quebec City, Bill 74 will, if adopted as is, achieve the government's objective of reducing the number of international students.

The Legault government will also table its immigration plan for 2025 on Thursday. This document, which Quebec is legally required to publish each year, will detail the projected permanent immigration targets for the next twelve months.