Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
The Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program) is an accelerated program for selecting skilled workers, which allows individuals to obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec with a view to gaining permanent residence. This program is intended for Québec graduates or future graduates and temporary foreign workers who hold a skilled job and who meet certain conditions, such as demonstrating advanced intermediate knowledge of spoken French.
The Programme de l’expérience québécoise does not involve a selection grid and does not take into account the spouse’s or de facto spouse’s characteristics.
Quebec Graduates
You must satisfy all of the conditions of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise at the time of submission of your application for a Certificat de de sélection du Québec:
- have the intention of settling in Québec to hold a job;
- have lived temporarily in Québec with the primary goal of studying and have respected the conditions of your stay;
- have lived in Québec for at least half of the duration of your study program;
- hold an eligible Québec diploma or expect to complete your study program within six months of the date of submission of your application;
- demonstrate advanced intermediate knowledge of oral French;
- undertake to provide for your needs and, where applicable, those of your spouse or de facto spouse and dependent children included in your application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec, for a minimum period of 3 months;
- be at least 18 years old and hold a valid passport and, if you are submitting your application from Québec, be legally residing in Québec at the time of submission of your application.
Temporary Foreign Workers
You must satisfy all of the conditions of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise at the time of submission of your application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec:
- have the intention of settling in Québec to hold a job;
- have lived temporarily in Québec with the primary goal of working and have respected the conditions of your stay;
- be legally in Québec as a skilled temporary foreign worker or under a youth exchange program (for example, through a Working Holiday, Young Professionals or International Co-op Internship permit);
- have occupied a full-time job at the management, professional or technical level for at least 12 of the 24 months preceding the submission of your application;
- occupy a full-time job at the management, professional or technical level (levels O, A or B under the National Occupational Classification) at the time of submission of your application;
- demonstrate advanced intermediate knowledge of oral French;
- undertake to provide for your needs and, where applicable, those of your spouse or de facto spouse and dependent children included in your application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec, for a minimum period of 3 months;
- be at least 18 years old and hold a valid passport.
Quebec immigration authorities expect the assessment of applications under the PEQ to be completed on a fast-track basis.
It is important to note that all applications from individuals who have obtained a CSQ are then processed in a separate priority queue at the federal level.
(Source: MIDI website)