Quebec released its Immigration Plan for 2018

The prominent news portal for Canada/Quebec immigration updates, CICnews.com has featured today a good news  for Quebec-immigration motivated aspirants. Quebec, a separately operating entity of Canada has released its Immigration Plan, 2018. According to the news highlights, the province is all set to welcome a larger number of skilled workers, businesspersons and family members for Quebec immigration status. Let’s have a deeper insight into the Quebec Immigration Plan for 2018:

Target by figure:

Quebec has announced to issue approximately 29,000 certificates solely under the Skilled Worker Programs in 2018; which includes both Regular Skilled Worker Program and the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ/ Programme de l’expérience Québécoise).

Submission Dates:

In the recent months of this year, Quebec made an announcement in its Gazette Officielle du Québec (a popular listing of legislative and regulatory decisions taken by the Government of Quebec), that possibly the province would welcome up to 5000 new applications before March 2018. While there has been no confirmation of when the intake period would reopen for Quebec immigration, we can hope to go by this news and expect the intake period to be occurring soon. Hence, experts advice that applicants interested and eligible for Quebec immigration must keep their applications ready for a first come first serve submission.

Introduction of a New Functionality:

The Quebec Immigration Plan 2018 also reveals a transition plan of a new immigration system for Quebec. It is believed that Quebec province will now formulate immigration based on a model called “Declaration of Interest” (similar to the Canada Express Entry System EOI). However, there is no confirmation on when and how this functionality may come into effect.

Most suitable programs:

Skilled Workers are the high priority of the province. To bring in the targeted number of immigrants into Quebec, the province will stay focused on inviting applications majorly through the following programs:

1. The Regular Skilled Worker Program: A points based program for candidates who meet points threshold based on core human capital factors and/or spouse human capital factors. Since Quebec’s first priority is candidates with French language skills, having a French language proficiency test passed will be an added advantage to an applicant.
2. PEQ or Programme de l’expérience Québécoise: This is a special program that aids foreign workers or international students to gain a permanent residency in Quebec. Just like a CEC application, an applicant satisfying prerequisites of PEQ always gets higher preference and fast tracked success- generally receiving a positive decision on the submitted CSQ within week.
3. Quebec Immigrant Investor Program: Since the Quebec Immigration Plan for 2018 gives a higher room for businesspersons, investors and entrprenuers (expected issuance of 4,000 to 6,000 certificates), the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program is a particular program for people under business category.

Revealed Figures:

The Immigration Plan 2018 has revealed two set of figures- the target range of candidates who would be selected for CSQ under various categories and the target ranged of applicants who would be admitted into Quebec as permanent residents. Below is the collected statistics from CICnews.com.

Statistics- People to be selected by Quebec & admitted by Quebec in 2018:

BY CATEGORY	NO. OF CANDIDATES TO BE SELECTED	NO. OF CANDIDATES TO BE ADMITTED (this may also include candidates who have already obtained a CSQ before 2018 intake)
Economic immigration	–	Min- 29,200 Max- 30,600
Skilled worker	Min- 26,000 Max- 29,000	Min- 24,300 Max- 25,300
Business	Min- 4,000 Max- 6,000	Min- 4,200 Max- 4,500
Other economic*	Min- 600 Max- 800	Min- 700 Max- 800
Family reunification	–	Min-11,900 Max- 12800
Refugees and people in similar situations	Min- 5,600 Max- 6500	Min- 8,700 Max- 9,500
Refugees selected abroad	–	Min- 6,100 Max- 6,500
Sponsored	–	Min- 4,400 Max- 4,800
Recognized locally	–	Min- 2,600 Min- 3,000
Others***	Min- 500 Max- 700	Min- 800 Max- 9,000
	Total: Min 36,700 to Max 43,000	Total: Min 50,700 to Max 53, 900

*Includes caregivers and other economic class immigrants.

**Includes, in particular, state-assisted refugees and sponsored refugees.

***Includes various selected for humanitarian or public interest reasons.

Note: The numbers are a pure estimation and have been rounded. Hence, there is a possibility that the totals may/may not match the exact sum.