Quebec Immigration to accept 70,500 new immigrants in 2022

Abhishek Rai
[Published 30 Mar, 2022 | 12:45 PM]
About Author - 8 min read
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70,500 fresh immigrants will be accepted by Quebec Immigration in 2022 according to the latest Plan for Immigration Intake presented in the Quebec National Assembly. The announcement was made by Jean Boulet the Deputy Immigration Minister. It includes 52,500 fresh immigrants as per the earlier plan and 18,000 for catering to the deficit of immigrants owing to the pandemic. The statistics for rebalancing are high as it has been predicted by Quebec Immigration that it will be unable to achieve its immigration target for 2021.

In 2020, the MIFI - Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration announced accepting 54,500 new immigrants in 2021. It included 7,000 immigrants to cater to the scarcity witnessed in 2020 at the peak of the pandemic. However, it has now been revealed that Quebec will be able to only accept at the most 47,100 new immigrants this year and the number could decline to 43,100 as well.

Jean Boulet has said the Government of Quebec remains firmly committed to making sure that immigration assists in the major recovery of the economy of Quebec. It also has to contribute to the vitality of our regions and the French language, he added. We have devised a responsible plan for immigration inclusive of essential measures for countering the impact of the pandemic on arrivals. It also includes measures for ensuring integration and francization of immigrants, explained Boulet.

The Federal Government has to accelerate the processing of Permanent Residence applications to enable immigration in addressing the existing scarcity of workers, said the Minister.

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Breakdown of 2022 Quebec Immigration Intake

Economic Class

The Economic stream of immigrants will continue to be the largest group under Quebec Immigration. They are likely to contribute up to 66% of the total intake for 2022 or 46,000 immigrants inclusive of the Quebec skilled worker program and Quebec Investor Program. The Quebec Province is likely to accept 27,800 economic class immigrants this year.

Family Reunification

Family class immigrants will constitute 16% of the overall figures for 2022 which implies 11,600 fresh arrivals. It is a slight increase over the 11,400 newcomers expected to arrive in 2021.

Refugees

Quebec Immigration aims to accept a maximum of 9,000 refugees next year inclusive of rebalancing statistics. It is an increase compared with 6,300 in 2021 and constitutes 13% of the overall statistics.

Other Immigrants

Quebec province is likely to accept 3,100 new immigrants in 2022 in the category of ‘Other Immigrants’, which is 4% of the total numbers. It anticipates welcoming 1,600 immigrants under this category in 2021.

The additional intake in 2022 according to MIFI will permit speeding up Permanent Residence applications’ processing through the Special Program for Asylum Seekers. These applications were filed during the period of the pandemic. The Ministry has said the applications backlog of overseas students through the QEP - Quebec Experience Program will be cleared as well. It will thus favor the economic immigration of candidates who are residing in Quebec already with good proficiency in French, it added.

Quebec investing $ 20 Million plus for Immigrants’ Settlement Services

The Quebec Province will be investing $ 20 Million plus for its Immigrants’ Settlement Services in the next 3 years declared Nadine Girault the Immigration Minister of Quebec. He said the assimilation of immigrants is a collective responsibility that necessitates the collaboration of all stakeholders in Quebec society.

The Government of Quebec remains extremely committed to assisting the immigrant's incomplete participation in the labor market and society in Quebec said the Minister. In collaboration with the NGOs and community, we can develop a favorable environment for immigrants that boost the social and economic vitality of the province, he added. 

The current funding is the second round inclusive of $ 7.4 million for seventy-eight projects aimed at immigrants in 17 regions of Quebec. This is through the Community Support Program that was proclaimed in February 2021. In the last 2 years, the province has made investments in immigrants’ settlement services through 74 service centers across Quebec.

Newcomers critical for the growth of business

Earlier in 2021, Quebec allocated extra funds of $15 million for settlement services in the regions of the province. This was from the $246 million investments made into programs for attracting and retaining immigrants in Quebec.

The Immigration Minister has said that alluring and preserving immigrants in our communities specifically in remote regions helps in the growth of businesses due to the skilled workers. It also assists in addressing the scarcity of workers in many sectors of our economy, added the Minister. 

Quebec is buoyant about immigration and recently increased by twice the ceiling on % of hiring of temporary foreign workers by specific sectors of the economy. The limit has been increased from 10% of the workforce to 20%.

Jean Boulet the Labor Minister of Quebec has said that businesses in the province now have TFWP as an option for addressing the scarcity of workers. We are assisting businesses facing immediate requirements of workers through the flexibility in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, he added.

Temporary Open Work Permits for skilled workers

Quebec is also providing Temporary Open Work Permits to skilled workers who have filed an application for Permanent Residence. These have a validity of 2 years and are renewable for an extra 1 year if the worker stays in Quebec province. The provisional Work Permits are also provided to the spouses of the applicants irrespective of the type of employment of the spouse.

The Quebec province has also declared that a fresh Permanent Residency pathway through IMP - International Mobility Program will be offered. It will permit 7,000 workers annually to arrive in the province without the requirement of the LMIA - Labor Market Impact Assessment.

Nadine Girault the Immigration Minister of Quebec has said that the government has addressed the issues of businesses and temporary foreign workers in Quebec. We have thus devised various agreements as a major step in promoting the economic development of the province, its regions, and its businesses. The applications process for overseas workers has thus been eased, he informed.

In the month of September, Quebec Immigration offered 536 ITAs to Healthcare workers and Educators having job offers out of Montreal Urban Region. This was its second major draw in the month conducted through the online ARRIMA EOI - Expression of Interest system.

Quebec province has now offered 2, 655 ITAs from 12th August and had offered only 545 ITAs in the entire 2021. QSWP - Quebec Skilled Worker Program is a renowned immigration program for skilled worker applicants of Permanent Residence. It is similar to the FSWP - Federal Skilled Worker Program that operates under the Express Entry Program. Overseas nationals seeking to immigrate through QSWP have to first announce their interest in moving to Quebec. This is by filing an EOI - Expression of Interest form through the online portal ARRIMA.

Immigration Process through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program

Candidates have to first file an EOI through the online portal ARRIMA. Then these profiles are offered scores depending on diverse factors like work experience, language proficiency, education, and age. The profiles of the highest-scoring candidates can be offered ITA for Permanent Residence through frequently conducted draws by Quebec Government.

Candidates who receive an invitation to immigrate to Quebec via QSWP have to then submit a complete application form for Permanent Residence through the portal Mon Projet Quebec. The portal permits the applicants to complete the application, make an online payment, track the application status, modify the application, and access personal e-mail during the process. Successful candidates are offered a CSQ - Quebec Selection Certificate through QSWP. They can then file an application for Permanent Residence with the Government of Canada. IRCC - Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada conduct criminal background and medical exams during the process of approving the application.

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Eligibility for QSWP

Candidates are required to secure adequate points under the selection grid of Quebec Immigration for qualifying for CSQ via QSWP. The grid consists of 9 factors as follows:

• Education
• Age
• Work experience
• Knowledge of English and French
• Authentic job offer
• Family and stay in Quebec
• Characteristics of Spouse
• Ability to be independent financially
• Existence of children

Single/unmarried applicants are required to secure a minimum of 50 points under the system. Candidates having a common-law partner or spouse have to secure a minimum of 59 points. Nationwide Visas is a top Immigration Consultancy for Canada having 15 plus years of industry experience. Our immigration services and assistance are offered through ICCRC accredited Immigration Consultants. We have emerged as one of the highly reliable Immigration Consultancy globally since our inception. If you aspire to move to Canada through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program or any other immigration program for skilled workers, the first step is to have a thorough assessment of your profile. Our team of experts and consultants will devise a customized immigration strategy to maximize the success of your application.