Family Sponsorship Quebec Immigration
Quebec Just Announced New Spousal Sponsorship Quota, But the Window Won’t Stay Open Long
After more than a year of waiting, Quebec’s family sponsorship quota reopened on July 2, 2026.
If you’ve been holding off on sponsoring your spouse/partner or submitting the Quebec undertaking because the intake was closed, the window is open again, but based on what happened last time, it likely won’t stay that way.
Here’s everything you need to know about what changed, when you can apply, and what to do right now.
What Happened: A Quick Recap
Quebec introduced a cap on family sponsorship applications in June 2024, a first for the province. The original two-year intake period (June 2024 to June 2026) accepted a maximum of 13,000 applications split between spouses and parents/grandparents.
The quota filled far faster than anyone expected. The cap for spouses and adult dependent children was reached by July 9, 2025, and the cap for parents and grandparents by July 22, 2025 — less than 14 months into a 24-month window.
From that point until July 2, 2026, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) stopped accepting new applications entirely.
Reaching the cap early created a year's worth of backlog and a long, frustrating wait for families who were ready to apply but locked out of the system.
What Changed for the New Intake Period (July 2026–June 2028)
According to MIFI’s official announcement, over the new two-year period, Quebec will accept a maximum of 15,700 applications for undertakings to sponsor family members for permanent residence: 13,300 for spouses and partners, and 2,400 for parents and grandparents.
That’s a modest but meaningful increase from the previous cap of 13,000. Here’s what else changed:
Adult Dependent Children are Now Exempt from the Cap
Applications to sponsor dependent children, including those aged 18 or older, orphaned children, and children being adopted, are no longer subject to the intake caps. This is a significant improvement from the previous period, when adult dependent children counted against the quota. Requests to add family members to an existing application are also exempt.
A Phased Intake Schedule Prioritizes Those Who've Waited the Longest
Rather than opening all at once and filling within days, MIFI has introduced a rolling intake calendar. This calendar is based on the date your IRCC sponsorship eligibility letter or acknowledgment of receipt was issued. The earlier your letter date, the earlier you can submit.
Applications Over the Cap Will be Returned Immediately
Any applications for sponsorship undertakings received in excess of the cap will be returned without processing, and their fees will be refunded. There’s no waitlist. If the cap is reached before your intake window opens, you will have to wait until the next period to submit.
We should note that you can and should still submit your initial application to the federal system, which also offers the option of a Spousal Open Work Permit for some candidates.
The Intake Schedule: When Can You Submit?
This is the most important section in this article. Find your IRCC letter date in the right column, then check the left column to see when your submission window opens.
You can submit as of: If your IRCC letter is dated on or before:
July 2, 2026 July 31, 2024
September 1, 2026 January 31, 2025
November 1, 2026 June 30, 2025
January 1, 2027 August 31, 2025
March 1, 2027 October 31, 2025
May 1, 2027 November 30, 2025
July 1, 2027 December 31, 2025
September 1, 2027 February 28, 2026
November 1, 2027 May 31, 2026
January 1, 2028 August 31, 2026
March 1, 2028 December 31, 2026
Source: MIFI – Rules governing the reception of applications
Immigration Tip 💡
Applications submitted before your eligible window opens will be deemed inadmissible and returned without processing. Check your date carefully and do not submit early.
Will the Quota Fill Up Again?
Almost certainly, yes. The question is when.
The increase from 13,000 to 15,700 is encouraging, and the phased schedule means demand won’t all land at once as it did in 2024.
But here's the underlying reality: there is now a full year's worth of pent-up demand sitting in the backlog.
MIFI will work through older applications first, which is fair, but it also means the available spots will absorb years of accumulated demand before new applicants get access.
If your IRCC letter date falls in a later window (late 2026 or into 2027), you should still prepare your application now so you’re ready to submit the moment your date arrives.
What About Federal Processing?
Quebec spousal sponsorship involves two separate, and sometimes concurrent processes:
- The federal sponsorship process through IRCC
- The provincial undertaking through MIFI
Federal processing through IRCC is not subject to Quebec’s intake cap; it continues regardless. This matters for one important reason: sponsored spouses residing in Canada with valid immigration status may be eligible for a Spousal Open Work Permit while their applications are being processed.
If your spouse is currently in Canada on a valid visitor visa, work permit, or study permit, they may be able to apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit. This will allow them to work for most Canadian employers while the permanent residence application moves through the system.
Learn more about Spousal Open Work Permits →
Quebec's Process Is Different, and More Complex
It’s worth underscoring for anyone unfamiliar with Quebec immigration: sponsoring a spouse in Quebec is not the same as sponsoring one in other Canadian provinces. Quebec requires an additional step that other provinces don’t.
Before the sponsored person can be granted Canadian permanent residence, they must first obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) from MIFI. Only after receiving the CSQ can they finalize the federal permanent residence stage.
This dual-track structure, provincial undertaking through MIFI and federal sponsorship through IRCC, followed by a CSQ before the permanent residence stage, makes Quebec spousal sponsorship one of the more complex family sponsorship processes in Canada.
A missing document or incorrectly timed submission can result in your application being returned without any processing.
Learn more about Quebec spousal sponsorship →
Ready to Move Forward?
The reopening of Quebec’s spousal sponsorship quota is good news, but the window is narrow, and the stakes are high. A returned application doesn’t just cost you time; it potentially pushes you into a future intake period that may not open for another two years.
Canadim’s immigration lawyers work exclusively on Canadian immigration, and our Quebec spousal sponsorship team knows this process in detail. We’ll make sure your application is prepared to visa office standards, correctly timed, and submitted the moment your window opens.
Book a consultation with a Canadim spousal sponsorship lawyer →
About the Author
Jennifer Ganeshanathan
Jennifer is a Canadian immigration lawyer who has spent over a decade helping people navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives — moving to Canada. A graduate of the Université de Montréal, Jennifer is fully bilingual in English and French and brings deep expertise in family sponsorship, work and study permits, and skilled worker immigration.
She practices at Canadim, where she works closely with clients across Canada and around the world.
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