The QSWP is for the regular immigrant who has the intention of settling in Québec to hold a job. This program does not necessitate a Canadian employer and at the end of the process, you will be granted a Permanent Resident Visa
Quebec selected Skilled Workers must apply for permanent residence in two (2) stages:
- You must first apply to the Quebec government for a Certificat de sélection du Québec(CSQ). This is the official document that shows that the Government of Quebec has assessed you against their own selection criteria and accepted you for immigration to that province.
- After you have been selected by Quebec and obtained a CSQ, you must submit a separate application to CIC for permanent residence. A CIC officer will then assess your application based on Canadian immigration rules. You will need to pass medical, security and criminality checks.
Stage 1
Selection is made on the basis of a point grid for various factors. Points will be awarded for each of these selection factors. A point threshold was implemented for this round, where a single applicant must score at least 49 points, while an applicant with a spouse or common-law partner must score at least 57 points.
Selection factors in the point grid
The following employability factors will be taken into account:
- Level of education and area of training (Maximum 30 points)
- Work experience (Maximum 8 points)
- Age (Maximum 16 points)
- Knowledge of English and French (Maximum 22 points)
- Stays in Québec and family relationship with a Canadian citizen or a permanent Québec resident (Maximum 8 points)
- Valid employment offer (Maximum 10 points)
- Characteristics regarding your accompanying spouse or common-law spouse, if applicable (Maximum 17 points)
- Number of children under the age of 19 who will be accompanying you to Québec (Maximum 8 points)
- Capacity for financial self-sufficiency (Maximum 1 point)
Maximum number of applications
It is the most competitive provincial programme, with application caps filled within a matter of months. In August 2016, the Ministère announced that the program has received the maximum number of 10,000 applications for a selection certificate that can be submitted by skilled worker candidates for the period extending from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.
Candidates who can submit an application at any time
Even if the maximum number of applications has been attained, you can submit your application at any time  if:
- you have a job offer validated by the Ministère or
- you are a temporary resident and entitled to submit an application for a Certificat de sélection au Québec.
Stage 2
The Government of Canada has jurisdiction over the final admission of applicants. After obtaining your Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec Selection Certificate), you must submit an application for permanent residence (visa) as a skilled worker selected by Québec to the Centralized Intake Office in Canada, in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
The Government of Canada will evaluate your medical records and those of your family members, and conduct a security check.
If you meet all the requirements, you will be issued a permanent residence visa by the Government of Canada.
Individuals interested in applying under Quebec Skilled Worker may obtain an assessment of their eligibility by completing our Free Online Evaluation
