No quota on PEQ applications ‘one of the few good aspects’ of program’s return, immigration lawyer says
Posted June 11, 2026 3:16 pm.
The provincial government is reopening the Quebec Experience Program, or PEQ, for two years, giving some temporary foreign workers and graduates another pathway to permanent residency after the program was suspended last fall.
Eligible applicants will be able to start submitting applications July 2.
Viviane Albuquerque, an immigration lawyer with Mobilitys, Inc., joined CityNews to break down what this means for those hoping to stay in Quebec.
Is this announcement a little too late for some people?
Yes. This reopening is a little too late for some individuals. First, this reopening is supposed to be a catch-up measure for those individuals that are eligible for the PEQ program before it was closed without any warning. So for those individuals that became eligible after November 19, or for those individuals that have expired status since then, then unfortunately they are not included in this catch-up measure.
Does this reopening help anyone whose permit is going to expire soon?
Not necessarily. What needs to be clear is that submitting an application via the PEQ for a CSQ (certificat de sélection du Québec) does not grant status in Canada. So while we will eventually open a path for permanent residency, it does not give the opportunity for you to stay in Canada in the short term. What has been discussed and what the government has announced is that there will be a temporary measure that would allow individuals to apply for a work permit. So they could stay in Canada pending the CSQ applications. But this work permit is with the federal government and we have not yet received an official announcement with regards to this work permit. So applying for a CSQ via the PEQ does not give you status in Canada. However, there is the opportunity for you to apply for a work permit yet to be announced and this work permit will give status in Canada.
There’s also no quota. So how significant is that?
From an administrative perspective, this is good news. That’s actually one of the few good aspects of this reopening. There are no quotas because individuals are not going to be trying to come to submit applications first come, first served, and then the system will crash, which creates a lot of uncertainty and unfairness in the application process. However, the minister did indicate (Wednesday) there will be target number of CSQs who will be accepted every year between 8,000 to 12,000. So we don’t know if and how we’ll control the outflow of CSQ issues. For example, if more than 8,000 to 12,000 people submit an application for CSQ, will those individuals be processed within this year or we have to wait for next year or the year after for the target immigration plan. So it’s every calibration. The fact there is no quota, it’s good news, but we still have a lot of uncertainty whether CSQs will be processed this year or next year based on the internal numbers the government has been indicated.
And how can applicants prepare ahead of the July 2 reopening?
They need to act now. They need to start gathering the documentation. They need to make sure that the French exams are valid, their status in Canada is valid. And they need to wait until June 17 when the government will be announcing the forms and will be publishing the additional information on how to submit applications. Then from June 17 to July 2, we have two holidays. We don’t have a lot of time.
