Laval demanding a grandfather clause for PEQ orphans

After Montreal and Quebec City, the City of Laval is also calling for a grandfather clause for immigrants already established in Quebec under the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).

At its meeting on Tuesday evening, the city council unanimously adopted a resolution put forward by Mayor Stéphane Boyer.

In it, Laval’s municipal representatives demand that the Quebec government explicitly recognize “Laval’s distinct economic reality and capacity to welcome immigrants in the application of immigration policies.”

They are asking the Legault government to offer a grandfather clause to immigrants already established in Quebec under the PEQ, adding their voices to those of several other cities and organizations.

“Immigration decisions have direct effects on our local economy,” Mayor Boyer reminded in a statement released after the city council meeting.

“In Laval, poorly adapted uniform measures risk hindering the attraction of talent and investment, while also undermining the predictability our employers need,” he argued.

The PEQ, which offered a fast track to permanent residence for people who had lived in Quebec for a minimum of two years and who met the language requirements, was abolished on Nov. 19. It is replaced by the new Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

The Legault government assures that all applications submitted before the abolition of the PEQ will be processed according to the old rules.

However, many people who arrived in Quebec thinking they would use this route to immigrate, but who had not yet met the conditions to submit an application, now find themselves stuck between two stools.

Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge has so far refused to grant grandfathering rights to these “PEQ orphans”.

He argues that the PSTQ is a better program, since it allows for the selection of permanent residents based on Quebec’s needs rather than processing applications on a “first come, first served” basis.

Last week, Montreal municipal officials, both from Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada’s party and the opposition, also called for a “grandfather” clause for people already established in Quebec.

For his part, Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand has made several public statements to denounce the uncertainty faced by many people who thought they could obtain their permanent residence in Quebec through the PEQ.

Quebec plans to admit approximately 29,000 economic immigrants under the PSTQ this year.

— With information from Samira Ait Kaci Ali

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews