Immigration rules and procedures

The rules governing the intake and processing of permanent selection applications pertain to applications submitted by economic immigration candidates and the undertaking applications submitted under the collective sponsorship component of the Program for Refugees Abroad.

The rules regarding the maximum number of applications that can be received do not reflect a change in Québec’s immigration objectives. By limiting the number of applications it accepts to receive, the Ministère is able to process a greater number of pending applications and reduce processing times.

Maximum number of applications

Immigration Program	Maximum number of applications to receive	Application intake period
Business immigrants
Investor Program	1 900**	September 10, 2018 to March 15, 2019
Entrepreneur Program	60 - Stream 1 : 25 - Stream 2 : 35	August 15, 2018 to March 31, 2019
Self-employed Worker Program	50	August 15, 2018 to March 31, 2019
Humanitarian immigration
Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship)	750**	September 17, 2018 to February 1, 2019

* If you have advanced intermediate knowledge of French demonstrated by a standardized test recognized by the Ministère, you may submit an application under one of the programs for business people (investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed workers) at any time until March 31, 2019. Your application is not subject to the rule on the maximum number of applications that will be received or the application intake period.

** A maximum of 1,235 applications from foreign nationals from the People’s Republic of China, including the administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, will be accepted.

*** The maximum numbers of undertaking applications that will be received for each sponsor category are specified in the section on the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship).

Skilled workers

If you wish to immigrate to Québec under the Regular Skilled Worker Program, you can submit an expression of interest in the Arrima system. For the latest information on Arrima and its launch date, go to the News page.

Priority processing
The following applications will receive priority processing:

• Applications submitted under the Programme de l’expérience québéboise (PEQ - Québec experience program)
• Certain applications submitted at the invitation of the Minister, namely applications by individuals who:

• have a validated job offer
• are in Québec to work, occupy a full-time job, and have at least 6 months work experience in Québec
  
  

For more information on the selection criteria for skilled workers, visit the page Know the conditions of the Regular Skilled Worker Program.

Investors

Maximum number of applications

The maximum number of applications for selection that will be accepted for processing under the Investor Program is 1,900 for the period September 10, 2018, to March 15, 2019. Any applications received once the maximum is reached will be returned to the candidates.

Investor candidates who demonstrate, by means of a test recognized by the Ministère, that they have an advanced intermediate knowledge of French, are not subject to this maximum and can submit their application at any time. These applications will receive priority processing.

Applications must be sent by courier to Direction de l'enregistrement et de l'évaluation comparative, in Montréal. Only one application can be sent at a time. Applications dropped off in person or sent by mail will not be accepted. The envelope in which the application is sent must indicate the program under which the application is submitted.

Entrepreneurs

Maximum number of applications

The maximum number of applications that will be accepted for processing under the Entrepreneur Program is 60 for the period August 15, 2018, to March 31, 2019, including a maximum of 25 applications in Stream 1 and 35 applications in Stream 2. Applications in excess of this number will be returned to the candidates.

Entrepreneur candidates who demonstrate, by means of a test recognized by the Ministère, that they have an advanced intermediate knowledge of French, are not subject to this maximum and can submit their application at any time.

Applications must be sent by courier, to Direction de l'enregistrement et de l'évaluation comparative, in Montréal. Only one application can be sent at a time. Applications dropped off in person or sent by mail will not be accepted. The envelope in which the application is sent must indicate the program under which the application is submitted.

For more information on selection conditions, visit the Entrepreneur Program, visit the Entrepreneur Program page.

Self-employed workers

Maximum number of applications

The maximum number of applications for selection that will be accepted for processing under the Self-Employed Worker Program is 50 for the period August 15, 2018, to March 31, 2019.

Self-employed worker candidates who demonstrate, by means of a test recognized by the Ministère, that they have an advanced intermediate knowledge of French, are not subject to this maximum and can submit their application at any time.

Applications must be sent by courier, to Direction de l'enregistrement et de l'évaluation comparative, in Montréal. Only one application can be sent at a time. Applications dropped off in person or sent by mail will not be accepted. The envelope in which the application is sent must indicate the program under which the application is submitted.

For more information on selection conditions, visit the Self-employed Worker Program page. .

Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship)

Notice: The maximum number of applications accepted under the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship) has been reached for the following categories:

• Other regular organizations;
• Groups of 2 to 5 natural persons.

Applications in excess of the maximum will be returned to the groups and organizations.

The maximum number of undertaking applications that will be accepted for processing under the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship) will be 750 for the period of September 17, 2018, to February 1, 2019. Applications in excess of this maximum will be returned to the groups and organizations.

A maximum number of undertaking applications that will be accepted for processing (category ceiling) is also set for each sponsor category.

• Experienced organizations sponsoring only individuals who will settle outside Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal can submit up to 200 applications.
• Other experienced organizations can submit up to 150 applications.
• Regular organizations sponsoring only individuals who will settle outside Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal can submit up to 100 applications.
• Other regular organizations can submit up to 200 applications.
• Groups of two to five people can submit up to 100 applications.
  
  

The maximum number of undertaking applications (individual ceiling) that a sponsor can submit depends on the sponsor’s category.

• Each experienced organization sponsoring only individuals who will settle outside Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal must submit at least 10 undertaking applications and can submit up to 40 applications.
• Each other experienced organizations must submit at least 10 undertaking applications and can submit up to 30 applications.
• Each regular organization can submit up to 10 undertaking applications.
• Each group of 2 to 5 individuals can submit up to 2 undertaking applications.  In fact, every Québec resident who belongs to a group of 2 to 5 people can submit up to 2 undertaking applications.

Table summarizing the maximum number of undertaking applications that will be accepted for processing by sponsor category for the period of September 17, 2018, to February 1, 2019

All applications must be sent by courier to Direction de l’enregistrement et de l’évaluation comparative, in Montréal. Only one application can be sent at a time. Applications dropped off in person or sent by mail will not be accepted. The envelope in which the application is sent must indicate the program under which the application is submitted.

For more information, visit the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective sponsorship) page

* Each individual who belongs to a group of 2 to 5 persons may submit up to 2 undertaking applications to the Minister.

Please note that this notice is a summary of recent changes and that all official documents, including ministerial orders published in Gazette officielle du Québec, prevail over the information in this notice.