On June 5, 2025, Québec’s Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration, Jean-François Roberge, presented proposed immigration guidelines for 2026 to 2029 to the National Assembly. These proposals will now be open for public consultation, allowing individuals and organizations to provide feedback.

For the first time, Québec has proposed setting specific targets for temporary immigration — including foreign workers and international students. The province aims to reduce the number of permit holders under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Student Program (ISP) by about 13% by 2029 compared to 2024.

The goal is to ease pressure on Québec’s capacity to receive and integrate newcomers while still addressing regional labour shortages.

For permanent residence, the government has proposed three potential scenarios:

• Option 1: 50% reduction (compared to the 2019–2024 average) → 25,000 newcomers per year
• Option 2: 30% reduction → 35,000 newcomers per year
• Option 3: 10% reduction → 45,000 newcomers per year

In all scenarios, priority will be given to individuals who are already living in Québec, speak French, and can meet labour market needs.

The following immigration programs are temporarily suspended:

• Québec Experience Program (PEQ):
  • Graduate stream: suspension extended until November 30, 2025
  • Temporary foreign worker stream: suspended as of today, also until November 30, 2025
• Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective Sponsorship):
  • Suspension extended until December 31, 2027

Note: Applications already submitted, or those related to adding family members (e.g. children or spouses), are not affected by these suspensions.

Starting in July 2025, Québec will begin issuing invitations under its new permanent immigration program: the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

Initial invitations will be sent to those already living in Québec who:

• Have studied or worked in regional areas
• Speak French
• Work in occupations facing labour shortages
• Have exceptional talents

To be eligible, candidates must have submitted a declaration of interest through the Arrima system. Those who submitted their profiles before November 29, 2024, must update their information.

The public consultation is now open. Those who wish to participate can submit a brief or complete an online questionnaire on the Québec National Assembly website by August 15, 2025.

Individuals and organizations are invited to share their feedback on the proposed immigration plan. Submissions can be made in the following ways:

• Complete the online questionnaire available on the Québec National Assembly website
• Submit a brief to the Commission des relations avec les citoyens (Committee on Citizen Relations)

Québec operates its own unique immigration system, separate from other provinces, making its recent proposals to reduce numbers and adjust temporary admissions particularly noteworthy across Canada. The province places strong emphasis on French language proficiency and regional settlement. Those considering applying should closely follow ongoing discussions and official decisions as they unfold.

※Visa JP Canada does not handle Quebec cases. This article is a summary of the official announcement by the Québec government. For full details, please refer to the official government sources. 

Click here for the official announcement (in French)