Skilled Worker Selection Program (Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés – PSTQ)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa / Program name	Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)
Stay	Permanent residence pathway
Cost	$940 principal; $201 per dependent
Eligibility timing	Expression of interest valid 12 months
Work rights	Work permit options while awaiting PR
Study rights	Not stated in the source
Medicare / Health coverage	RAMQ eligible; possible 3-month wait
Travel facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family provisions	Spouse and dependent children eligible
Selection certificate (CSQ)	Valid for 24 months

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Purpose

The Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) enables skilled foreign workers who wish to settle and work in Québec permanently to be selected for a Québec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec – CSQ), leading to an application for permanent residence with the federal Canadian government.

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General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible under the PSTQ across all streams, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Intend to settle and work in Québec in a job you are capable of performing.
• Work for an employer over which you do not exercise legal or de facto direct or indirect control.
• Not work in ineligible sectors:
  • Payday loans, cheque cashing, or pawnbroking.
  • Sexually explicit/pornographic products, nude/erotic dancing, escort services, or erotic massage services.
• Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency for at least the first 3 months following permanent resident status by signing a Financial Self-Sufficiency Contract (scales PDF).
• Obtain the Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values within 60 days of notice (applicable to applicant and all accompanying family members aged 18 and older).
• Comply with any return conditions imposed by a previous scholarship in Québec, if applicable.

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Program Streams and Specific Criteria

The program operates under four distinct streams based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and TEER/FEER categories:

Stream 1: Highly Qualified and Specialized Skills

• Target Occupations: FEER categories 0, 1, or 2 (unregulated or practiced where a licence is not required).
• Work Experience: At least 1 year of full-time (or equivalent paid part-time) experience in your main occupation within the past 5 years. Compulsory degree internships are recognized up to a maximum of 3 months.
• Education: Diploma leading directly to the profession from a full-time program of at least 1 year (DEP, ASP, AEC, DEC, or university degree). Québec diplomas require at least 900 hours (secondary/college) or 30 credits (university).
• French Language: Minimum Level 7 oral and Level 5 written on the Échelle québécoise. Accompanying spouses must demonstrate Level 4 spoken French.

Stream 2: Intermediate and Manual Skills

• Target Occupations: FEER categories 3, 4, or 5 (unregulated or practiced where a licence is not required).
• Work Experience: At least 2 years of full-time (or equivalent) paid experience in the past 5 years, including at least 1 year in Québec in the main occupation. Up to 1 year of non-Québec experience in the same broad NOC category is eligible. Compulsory internships recognized up to 3 months.
• Education: High school diploma equivalent (DES) or a 1-year full-time post-secondary vocational/technical diploma (DEP, ASP, AEC). Québec diplomas require at least 600 hours (high school), 900 hours (college), or 30 credits (university).
• French Language: Minimum Level 5 spoken French on the Échelle québécoise. Accompanying spouses must demonstrate Level 4 spoken French.

Stream 3: Regulated Professions

• Target Occupations: Occupations listed on the List of Regulated Professions (PDF).
• Professional Recognition: Must hold one of the 11 accepted documents issued by the Québec regulatory authority (licence to practise, or proof of partial/full equivalence recognition issued within the last 5 years).
• French Language:
  • FEER 0, 1, 2: Level 7+ oral and Level 5+ written.
  • FEER 3, 4, 5: Level 5+ spoken.
  • Accompanying spouse: Level 4+ spoken.

Stream 4: Exceptional Talent

• Eligibility: Proven track record of exceptional expertise in strategic economic sectors, research, arts, or sports, with at least 3 years of practice in the main occupation during the past 5 years (compulsory internships recognized up to 3 months).
• Endorsement: Must have an accomplishment on the Official List of Achievements (PDF) or a formal opinion from a recognized partner:
  • Strategic economic sectors: Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie (MEIE)
  • Research: Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ)
  • Arts: Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec (CALQ)
  • Sports: Institut national du Sport du Québec (INS)

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Expression of Interest and Scoring System

1. Submission: Free online filing through the Arrima portal. You have 90 days to complete and submit an EOI draft once initiated.
2. Validity: An EOI remains valid for 12 months from the date of submission. It cannot be extended, but a new EOI can be submitted after expiration.
3. Scoring Criteria: Profiles are ranked using criteria including:
   • Human capital: French proficiency, age, work experience, education level.
   • Labour market priorities: Labour market diagnosis, Québec work experience, Québec diploma, validated job offer (inside/outside Montréal metropolitan area), stay outside Montréal.
   • Spousal factors & adaptability: Spouse French proficiency, age, Québec experience/education, family members in Québec, study stay in Québec.
4. Employer Connection: Applicants can opt into the Portail employeurs within Arrima to allow Québec employers to view profiles for recruitment.

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Application Fees

Fees for permanent selection examination (effective January 1, 2026; adjusted annually on January 1):

Applicant Category	Fee (CAD)
Principal Applicant	$940
Spouse / Common-law partner	$201
Each dependent child	$201

• Payment: Must be paid in full in Canadian dollars by credit card. Fees are non-refundable regardless of the application outcome.

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Application Steps and Timelines

[File Expression of Interest (Arrima)] 
               │
               ▼
   [Receive Official Invitation]
               │
               ▼ (30 days to accept or decline)
[Accept Invitation in Arrima Account]
               │
               ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
               ▼ (Within 60 days)                            ▼ (Within 1 year)
[Submit Application: Streams 1, 2, 4 &]       [Submit Application: Stream 3 without]
[Stream 3 with existing regulatory proof]     [existing regulatory proof]
               │                                             │
               └──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┘
                                      ▼
                      [Pay Fees & Upload Single PDF]
                                      │
                                      ▼
              [Complete Values Attestation (within 60 days)]
                                      │
                                      ▼
                        [Receive CSQ Selection]
                                      │
                                      ▼
           [Apply for Federal Permanent Residence (IRCC)]

Response and Submission Deadlines

• Accepting an Invitation: Must respond within 30 days in Arrima. Failure to respond renders the EOI null and void.
• Document and Application Submission:
  • Streams 1, 2, 4, or Stream 3 (with regulatory proof in hand): 60 days from the date of acceptance.
  • Stream 3 (without regulatory proof): 1 year from the date of acceptance to engage the regulatory body and file.
• Document Deficiencies: If submitted documents are rejected or incomplete, applicants are given 60 days to rectify them before refusal.

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Post-Selection Status and Transition to Permanent Residence

Once you receive your CSQ (valid for 24 months):

• Federal Application: You must submit an application for Canadian permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
• Work Permit Options While Awaiting PR:
  • From abroad: May apply for an open work permit under the International Mobility Program Plus (IMP+).
  • Inside Canada (without PR acknowledgment of receipt): Employer-specific, LMIA-exempt work permit.
  • Inside Canada (with PR acknowledgment of receipt): Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
• Settlement Obligations & Transitions:
  • Apply for a permanent Social Insurance Number (SIN) upon obtaining PR status.
  • Apply for a health card through RAMQ (note: a 3-month waiting period may apply during which private insurance is recommended).
  • Convert driver's licences: foreign driver's licences remain valid for a maximum of 6 months after receiving permanent status.

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Adding or Removing Family Members

• During Processing: Spouses and dependent children can be added or removed online through Arrima. Additional processing fees apply for added members. Form ME-0032-2309 is required if a minor child is accompanied by only one parent.
• After CSQ Issuance: Send the completed form ME-0133-2607 by mail to the Direction du regroupement familial et de l’enregistrement in Montréal (do not send fees upfront; the Ministère will invoice separately).

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Important Warnings

• Representation: Hiring an immigration representative is optional and provides no preferential treatment. Representatives must be registered with the Ministère and linked via Arrima.
• Misrepresentation & Fraud: Submitting false or misleading information will lead to refusal or cancellation of the CSQ and can result in a 5-year ban on all Québec immigration applications.
• Occupation Changes: Your permanent selection application must strictly match the primary occupation declared in your EOI when invited. If you change occupations after invitation, you must decline the invitation and update your EOI.