On October 31, the Quebec government introduced their 2025 Immigration Plan, outlining proposed measures to reduce the number of temporary immigrants in the province and control the growth of permanent immigration to preserve the province’s francophone identity. The provincial government is temporarily pausing two major immigration streams, which comprise the majority of Quebec’s economic immigrants. Effective immediately, it will no longer accept any new permanent residency applications until June 30, 2025.
In an attempt to regulate immigration, the provincial government is restricting the number of Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs) awarded to immigrants, an essential document for achieving permanent resident status. This will effectively freeze immigration pathways through the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) graduate stream and the Regular Skilled Workers Program (RSWP), targeting foreign students and workers attempting to attain permanent residency in Canada.
Since the program’s introduction in 2010, the PEQ has been indispensable in facilitating the path to permanent residency for international students in Quebec. Established to make it easier for employers to hire qualified graduates already familiar with the province, the program primarily serves graduate students who have studied in Quebec for at least two years. But in recent reforms, international students — specifically anglophones — are finding it increasingly difficult to find a permanent home in Quebec. New requirements include advanced French proficiency
for primary applicants and application caps from specific countries, making the program much more selective. With this suspension in place, the number of students obtaining permanent residency in Quebec is projected to drop from 19,000 to 15,000 in 2025.
The RSWP, set to transition to the Skilled Worker Selection Program at the end of the month, has allowed immigrants to reside permanently in Quebec, given a declaration of interest in immigrating to the province for work. Foreign workers and students have been targeted with harsh rhetoric and animosity in the face of Canada’s housing crisis and are now faced with the possibility of losing both their jobs and their homes.
Immigration Minister Jean- Francois Roberge claims that pausing both programs will allow Quebec to gain more control over immigration and further limit the number of admissions of immigrants under permanent programs. This comes after years of claims that immigrants settling in the province has been detrimental to Quebec’s language and culture. The projected rate of immigration for 2025 is actually much higher than the projections of previous years – but now with the goal of admitting upwards of 80% francophone immigrants.
The province claims to be committed to a “balanced, diverse immigration strategy,” but many believe the suspension of the PEQ and the RSWP is in stark contrast to this. The new immigration plan has caused uproar from opposing parties; the Legault government has been slammed by leaders of the Parti Quebecois and the Quebec Liberal Party, both of whom have criticized the policy as an inadequate solution to the province’s immigration issues.
Migrants already living and working or studying in Quebec have been protesting across the province, saying that the new policies are detrimental. For many, their short-term status is precarious, and this suspension threatens their safety. Workers or students seeking asylum in Montreal have banded together with support from the Immigrant Workers Centre and Migrante Quebec, among other organizations, to protest the suspension and advocate for respect and acceptance from the community. International students have rallied across the city, pressuring the Ministry of Immigration to re-evaluate the suspension. Foreign workers continue to make their voices known by calling for recognition by the government and planning strikes to prove their indispensable roles within the economy and the community.
Canada continues to limit immigration pathways for those seeking asylum in permanent status. The Quebec government’s immigration policy will further complicate the lives of international students and foreign workers throughout the province who want Quebec to become their forever home.