In a move that will delight employers with operations in la belle province, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration (MIFI) confirmed on 25 June that the popular Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience québécoise, or QEP) will be reinstated for a two-year window from 2 July 2026 to 2 July 2028. The details were summarised in Crown World Mobility’s weekly bulletin. The QEP was abruptly shelved in late 2025 as part of a wider overhaul aimed at lowering net immigration. Under the revived scheme, qualifying Quebec graduates and skilled temporary foreign workers (TEER 0–3) who obtained their diploma or work tenure before 19 November 2025 can once again apply for a Certificat de sélection du Québec—an indispensable first step to permanent residence. No global intake cap will apply during the initial 2 July-31 October 2026 window, but MIFI will throttle invitations under the parallel Regular Skilled Worker stream to avoid processing overload. Applicants must meet French-language benchmarks (level 5 written, level 7 oral) and show financial self-sufficiency.
![Quebec Experience Program to reopen 2 July, easing PR pathway for graduates and workers]()
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists can also provide hands-on support to employees and HR teams navigating the Quebec Experience Program application process—from compiling French-language test results to preparing financial documentation. Visit https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to see how our digital platform streamlines Canadian immigration filings and keeps applicants on track with real-time status alerts.
Graduates have a three-year grace period from the date of diploma issuance, while workers need at least 24 months of in-province experience. HR teams should immediately audit employee populations in Montreal and Quebec City to identify staff who became ineligible last year and can now re-enter the PR funnel. Why it matters: employers in Quebec have struggled to retain international talent after the QEP’s suspension pushed workers into slower, points-based pathways. The temporary reopening restores a predictable, employer-friendly route and may reduce churn just as the province competes for engineers ahead of major battery-plant investments. The province has hinted that the QEP could be replaced by a skills-focused selection model after 2028; organisations should therefore encourage eligible employees to file within the two-year window to hedge against future policy swings.
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists can also provide hands-on support to employees and HR teams navigating the Quebec Experience Program application process—from compiling French-language test results to preparing financial documentation. Visit https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to see how our digital platform streamlines Canadian immigration filings and keeps applicants on track with real-time status alerts.
Graduates have a three-year grace period from the date of diploma issuance, while workers need at least 24 months of in-province experience. HR teams should immediately audit employee populations in Montreal and Quebec City to identify staff who became ineligible last year and can now re-enter the PR funnel. Why it matters: employers in Quebec have struggled to retain international talent after the QEP’s suspension pushed workers into slower, points-based pathways. The temporary reopening restores a predictable, employer-friendly route and may reduce churn just as the province competes for engineers ahead of major battery-plant investments. The province has hinted that the QEP could be replaced by a skills-focused selection model after 2028; organisations should therefore encourage eligible employees to file within the two-year window to hedge against future policy swings.
