published on 25 November 2025 @ 11:10 am · COMMENT
Closure of the Québec Experience Program
On November 6, 2025, Québec’s Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration presented Québec’s Immigration Plan for 2026. One of the key policy changes affecting candidates who intend to apply for permanent residence in Québec is the closure of the Québec Experience Program.
The Québec Experience Program had been a popular pathway to permanent residence for applicants in Québec. There were two program streams: the Québec graduate stream, targeting applicants who earned a post-secondary degree or diploma in Québec; and the Temporary Foreign Worker stream, targeting applicants with at least two years of work experience in Québec. The government of Québec had previously suspended new intake under these programs until November 30, 2025. However, they have now announced that both programs will end on November 19, 2025.
The closure of the Québec Experience Program means that Québec’s new Skilled Worker Selection Program will now be the only available pathway to permanent residence for the majority of Québec-based applicants. Unlike the Québec Experience Program, the Skilled Worker Selection System operates on an invitation-only basis. Applicants create a Declaration of Interest in Québec’s Arrima system and are given a score based on a variety of factors including French proficiency, age, education, and work experience. Québec periodically selects candidates based on overall score, labour market factors, and ties to Québec, such as post-secondary education in Québec or a validated job offer from a Québec-based employer. We suggest that any candidate who is interested in permanent immigration to Québec create a profile in the Arrima system as soon as possible, to maximize the likelihood of being invited to apply prior to their work permit expiry.
The Skilled Worker Selection Program provides the government with more flexibility to respond to labour market needs, and increased control over application intake. However, this comes at the expense of certainty in immigration planning for applicants in Québec. Under the prior Québec Experience Program, applicants in Québec could rely on being able to apply for permanent residence as soon as they met the program eligibility requirements. Under the new selection system, they cannot be sure if or when they may be invited to apply for permanent residence. This lack of certainty affects not just applicants, but also employers in Québec, who require clarity around whether they can retain skilled workers in Québec.
filed under: IMMIGRATIONPERMANENT RESIDENCE