Quebec's Immigration Pathways for International Graduates

Why Quebec is different

Quebec selects its own economic immigrants under an agreement with the federal government. Instead of using federal Express Entry the way other provinces do, Quebec runs its own selection system through its immigration ministry (the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration, MIFI).

For international graduates this means the path to permanent residence usually starts with Quebec selecting you and issuing a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec, CSQ). Only after Quebec selects you do you apply to the federal government for permanent residence itself.

This is general information, not immigration advice. Quebec's programs, names, intake periods and rules — including French-language expectations — change. Verify everything on the official Quebec government site (quebec.ca) and with MIFI.

The two-step model: CSQ then federal PR

Quebec immigration generally works in two steps. First, Quebec assesses and selects you under one of its programs and issues a CSQ. Second, with that CSQ, you submit a permanent-residence application to IRCC, which carries out admissibility checks such as security and medical.

Because Quebec controls the selection step, the criteria you must meet are Quebec's, not the federal Express Entry CRS. Graduates therefore focus on Quebec's program requirements first. Neither step is guaranteed — confirm both on the official sources.

• Step 1 — Quebec selects you and issues a CSQ (MIFI)
• Step 2 — You apply for permanent residence to IRCC with the CSQ
• Selection criteria are Quebec's, not the federal CRS

The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)

The Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) is a Quebec selection program with streams for graduates of eligible Quebec programs and for temporary foreign workers. The graduate stream is built around completing an eligible Quebec diploma and meeting Quebec's other conditions.

French-language ability is central to Quebec selection, and the PEQ has French-proficiency expectations you demonstrate through recognized tests or studies. The specific eligible diplomas, French levels, intake periods and any work-experience conditions are defined by MIFI and can change — confirm them on quebec.ca rather than assuming.

Skilled-worker routes with a CSQ

Beyond the PEQ, Quebec runs skilled-worker selection that also leads to a CSQ. These routes weigh factors such as education, work experience, age and French ability, and graduates who do not fit the PEQ may qualify here.

Quebec periodically updates and renames its skilled-worker programs and how candidates are invited. Because of this, treat program names as a starting point and read the current selection programs on the official Quebec immigration pages.

• PEQ — for eligible Quebec graduates and certain workers
• Skilled-worker selection — leads to a CSQ via Quebec's criteria
• Both require meeting Quebec's conditions, including French expectations

How a Quebec graduate should plan

If you study in Quebec, plan around Quebec's system from the start: consider whether the PEQ graduate stream or a skilled-worker route fits your situation, and work on your French, since it is weighted heavily in Quebec selection.

Remember that selection by Quebec is separate from the federal permanent-residence decision, and neither step is guaranteed. Keep both the Quebec government pages and IRCC's Quebec-specific pages as your reference.

• Consider the PEQ graduate stream and skilled-worker selection
• Build and document French-language ability
• Complete an eligible Quebec program if using the PEQ
• Plan for two steps: Quebec CSQ, then federal PR with IRCC
• Verify all current rules on quebec.ca and with MIFI