Quebec Immigration

Quebec Immigration: What You Need to Know

Quebec, which is known as “la belle province” (the beautiful province), is a vibrant region of Canada. It is the second most populated province in the country and is known for having strong ties to French culture and language. In fact, the culture and arts of Quebec are more reminiscent of Europe. Major industries in Quebec include information and communication technologies, aerospace, health industries, and biotechnology.

People born outside of Quebec account for 11.5% of the province’s total population, and the people who apply for Quebec immigration are chosen based on their ability to adapt to and contribute to the province. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration, Quebec establishes its own immigration requirements. Therefore, if you want to live and work in Quebec, you must follow a separate selection process prior to having your application finalized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The Quebec immigration office selects immigrants based on an evaluation of how well they would adapt to living in Quebec. It’s important to note, however, that there are other French-speaking communities outside of Quebec that welcome immigrants who are French speakers.

Why Choose Quebec?

Quebec welcomes approximately 45,000 immigrants from over 100 countries each year. Quebec is home to beautiful wilderness, vibrant cities, and diverse landscapes. It is governed by the Charter of the French Language, which makes French its official language. French is used at public institutions, at work, in communications, and in business in Quebec, where 82% of the population consists of French speakers. Immigrants who settle in Quebec must make an effort to learn French, as Quebec cares deeply about promoting and preserving the language.

Quebec Immigration Options

There are several Quebec immigration options available. You can immigrate to Quebec as a skilled worker, individual with work experience or studies completed in Quebec, businessperson, sponsored family member, or refugee. If you want to immigrate to Quebec as a skilled worker, you will be evaluated based on your ability to become economically established in Quebec and integrate and adapt to Quebec’s culture.

If you wish to immigrate to Quebec to do business there, you must have business experience and be willing to invest, insert, or start a business there. There are three types of business visa categories in Quebec: entrepreneur, investor, and self-employed.

Sponsored family members are those who are sponsored by a close relative to immigrate to Quebec. According to Quebec immigration laws, a sponsor must be at least 18 years old and satisfy several prerequisites.

In addition, approximately 2,000 refugees resettle in Quebec each year. In order to be selected as a Quebec government-assisted refugee, you must complete an application for a Quebec Selection Certificate. There is no fee to process this application.

The Quebec Immigration Application Process

Under the Quebec immigration program, applicants have to file two applications: one to the provincial government and another to the federal government. One of the major differences between the Quebec immigration program and the federal immigration program is that there is no list of eligible professions; all skilled and semi-skilled professions are accepted.

After learning more about life in Quebec and evaluating your chances of being selected for Quebec immigration using Quebec immigration’s online tool, you can submit an official application, which is also known as an Application for a Selection Certificate. After that, you must submit an application for permanent residence to the government of Canada.