Abolition of PEQ: Quebec municipalities union, businesses call for urgent immigration measures

A united front formed by municipal officials, business leaders, unions, CEGEPs, and students is calling for an immediate grandfather clause for student workers eligible for the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) before its abolition last November.

The Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), which replaces it, is not working, they lamented during a press conference at the Quebec City Armoury on Friday.

In a rare show of force, union leaders and business representatives nevertheless stood on the same platform to express the same demand.

“You can’t change the rules of the game in the middle of the game,” argued CSN president Caroline Senneville.

Le Devoir reported on Friday that fewer than five selection certificates had been issued in seven months under the PSTQ and that 5,000 invitations had been sent out since July.

As a result, thousands of workers and students who are already settled and integrated here may soon have to pack their bags because they have not received their invitation under the PSTQ and have not been able to renew their federal work permits in time.

They are therefore also demanding that Ottawa speed up the renewal of work permits for temporary workers.

“The ping-pong game between the federal and provincial governments is enough,” lamented Frédérik Boisvert, president of the Quebec City Chamber of Commerce.

“The reality of the social problems we will face is that, at present, we are seeing grocery stores and restaurants in certain regions that are in danger, that are at risk, as well as businesses in the tourism sector. That is the reality in Quebec’s regions,” argued Guillaume Tremblay, president of the Quebec municipalities union (UMQ) and mayor of Mascouche.

“And if we don’t respond to the call with what we are asking for today, our regions of Quebec are currently in danger.”

“There are people on Marketplace right now selling their washing machines, their cars, anything you can think of, because we’ve let them down. It’s shameful. These are people who invested thousands of dollars to come here,” added Boisvert.

“This is an attempt to sabotage the image of Quebec and Canada. We won’t recover from this anytime soon. Everyone (abroad) is saying it now: we are no longer people of our word, we are no longer reliable.”

After weeks of controversy and pressure, the CAQ government has not officially changed its position, but Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge has said he is studying “transition scenarios.”

CAQ leadership candidate Christine Fréchette has committed to granting grandfathering rights to foreign workers and students who were already in the country when the PEQ was shut down. They would therefore be able to apply under the old rules.

But the common front does not want to wait until the end of the CAQ leadership race: in two months, it will be too late, according to them.

“We must act immediately,” insisted Boisvert.

Pressure has been mounting on the CAQ government since the abolition in November of the PEQ, which was designed as a fast track to obtaining the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) and permanent residence for temporary foreign workers and foreign students who have graduated in Quebec.

CAQ leadership candidate Christine Fréchette has pledged to grant grandfathering rights to foreign workers and students who were already in the country when the PEQ was shut down. They would therefore be able to apply under the old rules.

Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge even mentioned “transition scenarios” for a future premier and to “calm the climate.”

The Parti Québécois (PQ) is also proposing a grandfather clause for temporary immigrant workers selected by the Quebec government, representing approximately 40,000 temporary workers.

For his part, François Legault suggested that if the PEQ were reinstated, 350,000 temporary foreign workers currently in Quebec could be eligible for grandfathering.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon even suggested that if an expanded grandfather clause were offered, no fewer than 600,000 people could apply to the PEQ and obtain permanent residence.

Québec solidaire (QS) denounced these estimates as exaggerated.

In a motion tabled on Thursday, QS MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard indicated that the PEQ had selected 5,915 people in 2022, 9,313 in 2023, 20,201 in 2024, and 18,532 as of Oct. 31, 2025.

But St-Pierre Plamondon engaged in a debate with municipal officials earlier this week, asking them to clarify their demands, namely who should be eligible for the grandfather clause.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews