Immigration of skilled workers: an introduction

The information in this article is current as of the posting date. Please note that policies and procedures frequently change. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice. Please book a consultation if you want legal advice that applies to your situation.

In general terms, there are two ways for skilled workers to immigrate to Quebec and Canada.One is to apply at the outset for permanent residence; the other is to enter Canada as a temporary resident, such as a student or temporary foreign worker, and after graduation or one or two years of work, apply for a Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ) and/or permanent residence to Canada.It is necessary to distinguish between persons who wish to establish themselves in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada. This is because Canada’s constitution provides for divided responsibility in immigration matters between the federal government and the provinces.

Prospective immigrants to Quebec must obtain a Quebec Certificate of Selection but still comply with federal requirements regarding health and security. Other provinces have provincial nominee programs that can help in obtaining more points in a federal skilled worker application.

Since 2015, all persons wishing to immigrate to Canada as federal skilled workers must use the Express Entry system.

Persons wishing to be candidates create an on-line profile and enter a pool of potential candidates. The government invites only the highest-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Candidates obtain points for education, paid full-time work experience in the 10 years preceding an application, English and French language skills, age, Canadian experience, a job offer for which an employer has obtained a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), a provincial nomination, a spouse’s education and language skills.

Candidates must obtain Educational Credential Assessments for post-secondary education outside Canada, submit the results of language tests in English and/or French, and provide letters from employers attesting to their work experience.

Please click on the following link for information about applying as a Federal Skilled Worker in Express Entry.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp

Quebec is currently not accepting new CSQ applications unless the applicant has a validated job offer obtained by an employer.

Quebec plans to adopt a declaration of interest system similar to Express Entry. However, it has not yet announced when the new system will begin.

In the interim, Quebec has announced that it will accept 5,000 applications but has not yet announced when it will accept these applications.

We recommend immediately preparing applications and obtaining supporting documents because of the small number of applications that Quebec will accept. This will allow candidates to apply as soon as Quebec receives applications. The supporting documents include evaluation of studies abroad, language test results, letters attesting to work experience and identity documents, and obtaining certified translations of all documents not in English or French.

After obtaining CSQ’s, candidates apply for permanent residence to the government of Canada.

Please click on the following link for information on CSQ applications for skilled workers.

http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/permanent-workers/index.html

As noted above, foreign nationals can enter Canada as a temporary resident, such as a student or temporary foreign worker, and after graduation or one or two years of work, apply for a Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ) and/or permanent residence to Canada. Employers must obtain an authorization to hire a temporary foreign worker to allow a foreign national to obtain a work permit. Employers must advertise the position and show there are no Canadians or permanent residents to fill the position.