5000 Visas to Quebec Skilled Worker Program to reopen soon

Quebec has announced that it will soon start accepting fresh applications for the new intake of next 12 months i.e. March 31, 2018. The province will accept 5000 applications under this intake too.

The date of fresh intake of applications is yet to be announced but the announcement that Quebec will receive 5000 applications was made in the Gazette Officielle du Québec on March 30, 2017.

The province accepts applications under its very famous QSWP through a first-cum-first-serve module. The application process is systematic with online management system Mon projet Québec.

The QSWP is a points based program and points are awarded on the basis of applicant’s age, education, work experience, language proficiency in English/French, relationships in Quebec etc. Recently the points based system was changed by the province.

Minimum required points for single applicant was changed from 49 points to 50 points; Minimum required points for married applicant was increased to 59 from 57; Certain changes on Areas of Training points were also made;

The above changes will affect all applications made under fresh intake i.e. on or after March 8, 2017.

“There are a couple of reasons to be excited about this announcement from Quebec. First, we now know that there will be an intake period, and that 5,000 proactive individuals, and their families, will be able to immigrate to Quebec as a result of this intake,” says an expert.

“Second, we may expect a smoother management process with respect to the Mon projet Québec system, which it is fair to say experienced some technical teething issues when it was first introduced last year. Not only has the government had time to make improvements, but recent changes to the points system may mean that fewer people try to access the system simultaneously. Moreover, this latter factor may also lead to eligible registrants having a greater chance of submitting an application, and ultimately obtaining Canadian permanent resident status.”

The cap system will not affect those who have either a job offer from a Quebec employer or are already living in Quebec on a temporary basis.