If you are looking forward to working or living in Quebec, this article is for you. On October 28, 2021, the Quebec Immigration Department released its 2022 immigration plan, which included accepting immigrants as permanent residents. The Quebec government involved its citizens in its plan by holding a public consultation in the summer of 2019, and the 2020-2022 immigration plan was born.
Quebec's new immigration plan anticipates welcoming between 49,500 and 52,500 immigrants as permanent residents in 2022. The province plans to add an additional 18,000 admissions to its initial numbers to make up for the shortfall in admissions in 2019-2020 due to COVID-19. This means that Quebec could receive approximately 70,000 new residents in 2022. Are you wondering if you qualify for Quebec's immigration residency requirements? Well, eligibility generally depends on the applicant's language skills, age, work experience and ties to the province. It is essential to verify your eligibility before you begin the application process.
Passing the eligibility test is one thing, knowing which category to apply under is another thing entirely. Like any other province in Canada, Quebec must protect its economic interests. That's why the economy is one of the main immigration categories, which essentially shows what you bring to the table. For example, experienced professionals may be eligible for the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), while those seeking employment may be eligible for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (PTEQ).
Although the economic category is not the only one to consider, it is the one that has captured the most immigration slots. Well, about 33,900 expected arrivals will come from the economic category, which represents almost half of all expected immigrants. Here, about 28,800 of the admissions will be skilled workers. This means that immigrants looking to settle in Quebec in 2022 are more likely to do so with a skill to their name, and it would certainly help to have work experience in your profession. And if you want to do business in the province, you may have the chance to get one of the 4,300 slots for self-employed people, investors and entrepreneurs.
Do a quick calculation, and you'll find about 18,600 slots left for new immigrants. You can also obtain permanent residence in Quebec through refugee or family reunification programs, which allow you to apply for refugee status or join your family in the province.
Each year, the Quebec Ministry of Immigration provides the number of immigrants it wishes to admit the following year, including the categories of immigrants who can apply. With the information we have, it is easy for people to apply for immigration residency. Note that Quebec is the only Canadian province that has the freedom to set its immigration admission targets, thanks to its agreement with the federal government in 1991. The beauty of this is that it can choose to increase admissions over the years (the 2022 numbers are much higher than the previous two years!) This means that you probably have a greater chance of gaining residency in Canada through immigration. And it doesn't stop in 2022. If you are not lucky enough to get citizenship, there is a silver lining in the fact that the province intends to increase its immigration targets each year.
Quebec has a special place for immigrants. Its efforts to facilitate rapid integration into society certainly help. What else? The Quebec government has increased the number of foreign workers that companies can hire. There is nothing to stop you from trying your luck and getting an immigration residence!