New briefing details Quebec’s 2026 immigration targets and push for French-language rules

A freshly posted chapter of IRCC’s transition binder outlines the federal government’s evolving relationship with Quebec under the 1991 Canada–Quebec Accord. The document confirms that Quebec plans to admit 45,000 permanent residents in 2026—roughly 12 % of Canada’s federal target—and continues to press Ottawa for a reduction in temporary residents and asylum claimants. Most significant for global mobility teams is Quebec’s call for mandatory French-language proficiency for select temporary foreign workers by 2028, a request Ottawa is “pursuing through regulatory changes.” If implemented, employers hiring into Quebec may need to add language testing to their onboarding budgets and timelines. The briefing also notes that Quebec received an $867 million federal grant for settlement services in 2025-26, a figure that can only rise under the Accord’s formula. Businesses relocating staff to Montreal or Quebec City should therefore expect continued provincial investment in integration services—even as admission caps tighten. Meanwhile, Quebec argues it shoulders a disproportionate share of asylum seekers and wants a “more equitable distribution” across provinces. Any federal redistribution could change where refugee claimants, and eventually work-eligible newcomers, settle—affecting labour pools in sectors such as agriculture and hospitality. With the province now setting its own temporary-resident targets, mobility managers must monitor parallel federal and Quebec rules to avoid compliance gaps, especially around work-permit categories like the International Mobility Program.