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Quebec Immigration Program

Quebec business program (Currently closed and is under revision)

The Province of Quebec has its own business immigration program. There are three programs through which an applicant may qualify for the Quebec Business Immigration Program. These include an Entrepreneur Program, an Investor Program and a Self-Employed Worker Program.

Quebec Investor Program: Currently Closed and is under revision)

Applicants with sizable financial resources may be more inclined to apply under the Investor program and contribute to Quebec 's economic development through investment. These applicants must:

  1. Have a legally acquired, minimum net worth of CAD $1,600,000.
  2. Have at least three years of management and business experience.
  3. Invest a CAD $800,000 in Investissement Quebec or one of its subsidiaries in the Province of Quebec for five years. This amount will be refunded to the applicant without interest following completion of the five years OR finance that deposit from a Canadian bank with a prepaid interest of approximately CAD $180,000.
  4. Have intention to reside in the Province of Quebec.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program:(Currently closed and is under revision)

Applicants with an entrepreneurial spirit may be interested in the Quebec Entrepreneur Program. Applicants in this program should develop a business plan that will create jobs in Quebec. In addition, they must:

  1. Have a lawfully acquired net worth of at least CAD $300,000
  2. Have at least three years of management experience
  3. Control of at least 33 1/3% of the capital of an eligible Canadian business
  4. Manage the corporation actively and continuously
  5. Create at least one full-time equivalent job for Canadian citizens or permanent residents other than the applicant and his or her family.

Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program(Currently closed and is under revision)

The Quebec Self Employed Worker Program is ideal for applicants intending to create their own employment. Applicants to this program must:

  1. Become self-employed in an occupation under his or her account.
  2. Lawfully acquired a minimum net worth of CAD $100,000.
  3. Have at least two years of experience as a self-employed worker in the same occupation that will be undertaken in Quebec.
Quebec Skilled Worker Program

Quebec Skilled Worker / Professional applicants intending to reside in Montreal or another city in the Province of Quebec are selected based upon a different set of criteria than applicants who wish to settle elsewhere in Canada.
An applicant can qualify for the Quebec Skilled Worker category if they hold either a validated job offer in Quebec or possess experience in a targeted area of training. As of March 20 2012, there are limitations on who may submit an application under the Quebec Skilled Worker category.

* PLEASE NOTE: Beginning August 1st, 2013, the Government of Quebec will place a cap of 20,000 on application intake for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program. Individuals with an offer of employment are not subject to this cap.

Applicants who are successful under the Quebec Immigration selection system are issued a Quebec Selection Certificate, followed by a Canadian Permanent Resident (Immigration) Visa.
To qualify for a Quebec Selection Certificate, Skilled Worker / Professional applicants must score enough points under the Quebec Immigration selection system below. A single applicant must score at least 49 points based on the criteria below. An applicant with a spouse or common-law/conjugal partner must score at least 57 points.

The Quebec Immigration selection factors may be summarized as follows:

- Education Up to 12 points (Cutoff Score = 2 points)
- Area of Training Up to 16 points
- Validated Employment Offer Up to 10 points
- Work Experience Up to 8 points
- Age Up to 16 points
- Language Proficiency Up to 22 points
- Stay and Family in Quebec Up to 8 points
- Spouse's Characteristics Up to 16 points
- Children Up to 8 points
- Financial Self-Sufficiency 1 point (Cutoff Score = 1)
- Language test results must be submitted along with immigration applications to be awarded points for language proficiency:
- Up to an additional 6 points may be awarded upon the interview for Adaptability. With these points awarded, a single applicant must score a minimum of 55 points.
- An applicant with a spouse or common-law/conjugal partner must score at least 63 points.

Quebec Skilled Worker / Professional applicants must then successfully complete medical and security examinations conducted by the Canadian government in order to be granted a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.

Quebec Experience Class:

Under the Quebec Experience Class (Programme de l'experience Quebecoise, or PEQ), there are two categories: one for foreign students, and another for Temporary Foreign Workers.

Applying to immigrate to Quebec under any category is a two-step process in which an applicant first applies for Certificat de Selection du Quebec (Quebec Selection Certificate, a document that allows the holder to immigrate to Quebec, commonly known as a CSQ). Once the applicant obtains a CSQ, he or she must then submit their application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for federal approval before their Canadian Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa can be issued.
Federal immigration authorities are responsible for processing criminal and medical checks.

Foreign students will be eligible to apply under this program if they:

- Have obtained a degree or diploma from an educational institution recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Education;
- Have studied in Quebec for at least 1,800 hours (two years); and
- Show that have successfully completed an intermediate level French course at a Quebec educational institution, if their studies were not completed in French.
- Temporary Foreign Workers in Quebec will be eligible to apply under this program if they:

- Have 12 months of Quebec work experience in a skilled, managerial or professional occupation in the 24 months prior to their application:
- Are employed and show legal status in Quebec at the time of their application; and
- Show that have successfully completed an intermediate level French course at a Quebec educational institution, or provide results of a standardized French proficiency test. Alternatively, they can show that they have satisfied the French language requirements of the professional order governing their occupation in Quebec.

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 processed in their own priority queue at the federal level.