The Application Process for Quebec Skilled Workers Program

Who is Eligible for Quebec Skilled Workers Program?

The Quebec authorities choose potential candidates from a pool. To be impartial and choose the best applicants, they have made a grid of points for the selection system. To be eligible for the Quebec Skilled Workers Program, you must achieve the minimum point in the Quebec selection system. The least required point depends on your status:

1. If you apply alone, 50 points.
2. Apply with the spouse or law partner 59.

The official elements consider in the following nine fields:

1. Education

The least education score is two points. The education certificate must have been achieved during the past five years of application. If not, the applicant must have work experience in his/her field for at least one year. The officials only accept certificates obtained before the time of application.

Applicants can get 26 points for education. However, the points get divided into two subcategories:

1. Education (up to 14 points)
2. Areas of Training (up to 12 points).

The level of education and points are as follows:

The area of ​​training and the points are as follows:

You can find the full list of education degrees on the Quebec immigration website.

2. Work experience

There are 8 points for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program application. Applicants must have achieved work experience in the preceding five years of the application date. Paid and voluntary job experience are also eligible. Please note that work experience in level ‘D’ is not eligible.

The length of the work experience and the points are as follows:

3. Age

There is an age limit for Quebec Skilled Workers Program. Applicants must be 18, at least. The points they get by their age are as follows:

5. Language Proficiency

Applicants must be fluent in English or French to be eligible for the Quebec Skilled Workers Program. French is the dominant language in Quebec. Almost 95% of its population speaks French. So Being fluent in French brings you more points than in English. Applicants fluent in French get 16 points, while English-fluent candidates receive 6 points.

Language evaluation is in the four skills:

1. Writing
2. Reading
3. Speaking
4. listening

Quebec authorities accept the following language certificates:

French

• TCF
• EFT

Français

• IELTS

There are different stages of language proficiency, as follows:

• A low Beginner is someone who can understand short or common phrases.
• A High Beginner is a person who can understand a normal conversation and talk about himself very well.
• A Low Intermediate is a person who can understand most of the usual conversation. He/she can talk very well in most situations.
• A High Intermediate is someone who understands most of the information in standard or abstract subjects.
• An Advanced is someone who can understand complex language in a formal and informal context clearly. He/she has no problem communicating with anyone on every topic.

The points based on by applicants’ language ability are as follows:

French language skill

English Ability skill

Start your teaching career in Canada by reading our article.

6. Family in Quebec

Applicants who have lived in Quebec or have a family member living there can get a few points. If you have a relative living in Quebec province, you can get three points for it. Please remember you won’t get any points if your family member lives outside of Quebec. He/she must reside in Quebec province.

If applicants have lived in the Province of Quebec before, they can achieve five points for it.

The points for a family member living in Quebec:

Please note there are zero points for the following relative living in Quebec province:

• Uncle
• aunt
• Nephew
• niece
• Cousin

Staying in Canada before

* Not for work or study

Pharmacists who want to immigrate to Canada can read this article.

7. Spouse or law partner points

The conditions of your spouse are also one of the grid points in the QSWP application. Your spouse or law partner can achieve up to 17 points in the selection factors. The points are as follows:

Spouse’s education

*full-time for 2 years

**full-time for 1 year

*** full-time for 3 years

Spouse’s training (up to 4 points)

Spouses’ age

Spouse’s language proficiency (up to 6 points)

listening

Speaking

8. Job offer

If applicants of the Quebec Skilled Workers Program have a job offer in Canada, they will get points. The points depend on the location of the job offer:

There is also another point measure based on the region in Quebec. The points vary by each different region in Quebec as follows:

Software engineers have a good chance to immigrate to Canada through the Quebec skilled worker program.

9. Age of children

Applicants will also get a few points for their children. If you are bringing your children to Quebec, the point you will get are as follows:

The Quebec officials will consider points for every eligible child.

10. Financial Independence

To be eligible for the Quebec Skilled Workers Program, you have to fulfill the financial requirement. You must have enough funds to cover necessities in Quebec. Please note that there is only one point for this category. However, it is an essential requirement. When you don’t receive this one point, your application will get rejected. It is true even if you get the maximum points in all other parts. The one point in this part is the first requirements you must fulfill. You also have to sign a declaration stating you have the basic required funds.

The financial eligibility for the Quebec Skilled Workers Program depends on your status. You can see the details in the following table:

Candidates with no children

One adult with children

Two adults with children

Please note the mentioned amounts are the least required funds. They are also subject to change.

If the Quebec government finds you eligible, they grant you an invitation to apply for Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC). When you receive the QSC, you become eligible to apply for Canada Permanent residence to the IRCC.

Required Documents for Quebec Skilled Workers Program

The required supporting documents for Quebec Skilled Workers Program are as follows:

• A valid passport.
• A copy of the birth certificate.
• Civil status, including:
  
  • marriage certificate
  • divorce certificate
  • certificate of death of a spouse (if applicable)
• If you are living in a country and are not a resident, you should provide a copy of a valid residence permit.
• If you have adopted the child accompanying you, you have to provide the documents.
• Photo of yourself and all family members immigrating to Quebec.
• If you have family members living in Quebec province, you must provide a certificate for it:
  
  • Birth certificate
  • Valid Quebec healthcare card
  • Canadian passport or residency card
• Certificate of English/French proficiency.
• If you have visited Quebec before and want to get its point, you must prove that through a:
  
  • Work permit
  • Study permit
  • Proof of tax exemption for a study or work permit
  • Passport stamps demonstrating a visit to Quebec

Please note that the Canadian Federal government or Quebec local government might ask for more documents. It depends on different factors and your special case.

The Application Process for Quebec Skilled Workers Program

The application process for Quebec Skilled Workers Program has two stages:

1. First, you should make contact with the Quebec government and get a Certificate of Selection.
2. When you finish procedures with the Quebec government, you have to apply for permanent residence to the Canadian Federal government.

1. Certificate of Selection

The first step in the Quebec Skilled Workers Program application is to contact Quebec authorities. You have to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to Quebec immigration authorities. You could do it through the Arrima portal website. The Expression of Interest will be valid until one year. The Quebec officials will evaluate it during this period. If they find you suitable, they will contact you. If not, the EOI will be expired, and you will have to start again.

When the Quebec officials find you appropriate, they invite you to apply. You will receive a list of requirements and documents from officials. You also have to pay the fee for application processing.

Applicant Fee for Certificate of Selection

Please remember that you only have three months to complete the application, or it will expire. The Quebec authorities will check your application based on the ten elements we mentioned earlier.

Your application might get rejected, or you will get an invitation to an interview. When your interview is successful, you will receive a Certificate of Selection. If it gets rejected, you have to start all the procedures again.

2. Applying for Permanent Residence

The local government evaluates the potential candidates for Quebec Skilled Workers Program. When they find the candidates appropriate, it is up to the Canadian Federal government to issue a Permanent Residency.

After you have left behind stage one, you have to apply for Permanent Residence.

The Canadian Federal government will send you a list of requirements and forms to complete. You have to gather everything and fill out the forms carefully. Then you must submit them to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

You also have to pay the fee for Permanent Residence as follows:

When you pay the fees, you have to wait for processing. The IRCC might ask for more documents. You might have to give your Biometrics and go through an interview.

When the IRCC finds you admissible to live in Canada, they will send you a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a permanent residence visa. Now you can take a relaxing breath and prepare to move to Canada.

Quebec Skilled Worker Program Fees

As applicants have to apply to the Quebec local government and the Canadian federal government, there are two stages of fees:

The fee you have to pay to the Quebec government for a Certificate of Selection is as follows:

The fee you have to pay the federal government for Permanent Residence fee:

Quebec Skilled Worker Program Processing Time

The processing time for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program depends on different factors:

• Your case.
• The workload of Quebec immigration officials, IRCC, and the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country.

As the Quebec Skilled Workers Program’s application process has two stages, you have to wait a bit longer. The processing time would be about 17 months.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained all you need to know about the Quebec Skilled Workers Program.

We covered who is eligible for QSWP, the elements of the points grid system, requirements, applications, FAQs, and more. You can find all the Canada visa information in the world here.

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In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.