The Government of Quebec has announced the temporary reopening of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), restoring a key pathway to permanent residence for eligible foreign workers and international graduates after the program’s suspension in late 2025.

The province said applications under the PEQ will be accepted between July 2, 2026, and July 2, 2028, providing a renewed immigration option for thousands of temporary residents seeking to settle permanently in Quebec.

The first intake period is scheduled to run from July 2 to October 31, 2026.

Provincial authorities said the initial phase is designed primarily to accommodate individuals whose immigration plans were disrupted following the program’s closure in November 2025.

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What they are saying

The PEQ is one of Quebec’s most popular immigration streams, offering a faster route to permanent residence for foreign nationals who have acquired work or educational experience within the province. The program has historically been favored by international students and skilled workers already integrated into Quebec’s labour market.

  • To qualify under the first intake round, applicants must have met all PEQ eligibility requirements before November 19, 2025.

Under the Temporary Foreign Worker stream, candidates must have completed at least two years of eligible work experience in Quebec by the November 2025 deadline. The experience must fall within occupations classified under Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories 0, 1, 2, or 3.

Requirements for the Immigration program

For the Graduate stream, applicants must have obtained an eligible Quebec diploma before November 19, 2025. Existing French-language requirements remain unchanged, according to provincial authorities.

  • A notable feature of the reopening is the absence of an application cap during the first intake period. Quebec has confirmed that all eligible applications submitted between July and October 2026 will be accepted for processing.
  • Authorities estimate that processing times will average between six and seven months.
  • At the same time, Quebec announced plans to temporarily reduce invitations issued under its Skilled Worker Selection Program, known as the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), while PEQ applications are being processed.

The province indicated that PSTQ invitations will initially focus on candidates in Stream 2, which covers TEER 4 and 5 occupations, as well as applicants under the Exceptional Talent category.

Officials said invitation volumes under the PSTQ could be adjusted from November 2026 depending on application demand and processing capacity.

What you should know

Earlier, Quebec announced a 20% reduction in the number of international students that post-secondary institutions can admit for the upcoming academic year. The move is part of the province’s wider strategy to manage population growth and immigration intake.

According to reports by CBC News, Quebec’s Immigration Ministry published revised enrollment caps in the province’s Official Gazette, significantly reducing the number of international student applications that colleges and universities can accept.

The new quotas are expected to affect admissions across Quebec’s collegiate and university networks, with authorities indicating that university enrollment levels for international students will largely be maintained at 2024 levels rather than allowing further expansion.