Quebec Pauses PEQ Immigration Streams

On June 5^th, 2025, the Government of Quebec announced the temporary suspension of two immigration streams under the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ), an immigration program that helped temporary workers and international students fast-track their way to permanent residency.

As of June 5, Quebec will no longer accept new applications from Temporary Foreign Workers through the PEQ program. Additionally, the ongoing suspension of the Quebec Graduates stream, which was originally paused on October 31, 2024, has been extended as well. Both suspensions will remain in effect until November 30, 2025.

Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge explained that the decision is partly due to a record influx of 416,000 non-permanent residents in Quebec in 2024, which has mainly impacted major urban centers. It is also part of Quebec’s immigration strategy to help meet long-term goals, such as easing pressure on the housing market and addressing local labor shortages.

Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) confirmed that, despite the halt on new applications, all applications submitted before the suspension date will continue to be processed, adding family members remain unaffected, and individuals who already received a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) can still move forward with the federal process for permanent residency.

In addition to the suspensions placed on the PEQ, Quebec is also introducing a French language requirement for temporary foreign workers who want to renew their work permits after three years in Quebec. This does not apply to agricultural workers, who are exempt from this requirement.

The suspension of the PEQ Temporary Foreign Workers stream and the Quebec Graduates stream until November 30^th, 2025, signifies Quebec’s growing focus on strategically managing its immigration levels to best suit the province’s needs.