PEQ after October 31, 2026: a plan for Quebec graduates and workers

If you were counting on the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), October 31, 2026 matters. Quebec reopened the PEQ for two years, from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028, but it only receives applications from July 2 to October 31, 2026. That date is the end of an intake window, not the end of the program. For most graduates and temporary workers who miss it, or never qualified for it, the next step is the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ). Here is how to tell which side of the line you’re on and what to do next, based on quebec.ca pages checked on October 27, 2026.

The short version

Question	Answer
Is the PEQ abolished on October 31, 2026?	No. The program is open until July 2, 2028. What ends on October 31 is the period during which Quebec receives applications.
Who can still apply before October 31?	People who met the intake criteria as of November 19, 2025 (an eligible Quebec diploma, or two years of TEER 0–3 work in Quebec) and every other condition of their stream.
What do I look at next?	The PSTQ: an expression of interest in Arrima, a possible invitation, then an application for permanent selection.
Is the PSTQ just the PEQ under another name?	No. It works by invitation, with four streams set by your main occupation. Our PSTQ or PEQ comparison explains the difference.
Does my immigration plan extend my permit?	No. Your work or study permit is a separate matter and must stay valid on its own.

What Quebec actually announced

Quebec’s PEQ page carries an important notice. The PEQ is reopened for two years, from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028, with the same selection conditions that applied before each stream was suspended. Then comes the part people miss: to help meet its immigration targets, the minister made an application management decision, under which an application for permanent selection can be received in either stream only from July 2 to October 31, 2026.

So there are two dates, and they mean different things. July 2, 2028 is how long the program exists. October 31, 2026 is the last day an application can be received under the current decision. Nobody can tell you today whether another intake window will open before 2028. Only quebec.ca and notices from the ministry count; treat anything else, including social media posts and “insider” rumours, as noise.

One more change you’ll start to see: the ministry is now called the Ministère de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration (MII), a name announced on October 22, 2026; some forms still show the old one. It was previously known as the MIFI. The programs and services carry on under the new name.

Are you inside the October 31 window?

Two tests apply. First, the intake criteria: you must have met them as of November 19, 2025. Second, every selection condition of your stream, assessed when you apply.

Quebec graduates

• As of November 19, 2025, you held a Quebec bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate, a technical DEC, or a DEP of at least 1,800 hours (alone or followed by an ASP).
• You obtained the diploma in the 36 months before applying, and you stayed in Quebec mainly to study for at least half of the program.
• You are in Quebec legally when you apply.
• Your French is at level 7 or higher orally and level 5 or higher in writing on the Quebec scale.

The trap here is the date. A master’s finished in December 2025 doesn’t open the PEQ in this window, even though you studied in Quebec for two years. If that’s you, skip straight to the PSTQ section below.

Temporary foreign workers

• As of November 19, 2025, you had at least two years of work experience in Quebec in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs.
• That experience covers at least 24 of the 36 months before you apply, full time (30 hours or more a week), paid and authorized.
• You hold a job that meets the same criteria when you apply, and you are in Quebec legally as a temporary worker or a youth exchange participant (working holiday, young professionals, international co-op internship).
• Your French is at level 7 or higher orally.

The trap here is the TEER category. It follows the duties you actually performed, not your job title. Someone hired as a “coordinator” whose daily work matches a TEER 4 occupation doesn’t meet the criterion, however long they stayed.

Both streams share common conditions: the intention to settle in Quebec to work, a financial self-sufficiency contract, Quebec’s attestation of learning about democratic values and Quebec values, and French at level 4 oral for an accompanying spouse or partner. Our PEQ page lists everything.

If you qualify: a five-day sprint

If you meet both tests and haven’t applied, the next few days are about getting a complete application received, not a perfect one in December. A prepared file that isn’t received by October 31 doesn’t count.

1. Day 1: confirm eligibility. Check your diploma type and date, or each job’s TEER category, hours and dates. Be honest with yourself; a doubtful criterion should be checked with someone qualified, not hoped away.
2. Day 2: French. Find your test result or other accepted proof and check that it meets the level for your stream and is still accepted.
3. Day 3: evidence. Graduates: diploma, transcripts, proof of the program and completion date. Workers: employment letters with duties, hours and dates, and proof of pay.
4. Day 4: status. Note your permit’s expiry date. The PEQ application won’t extend it.
5. Day 5: submit and save. Follow the ministry’s instructions, and keep the confirmation that your application was sent.

When it announced the reopening, Quebec also said you can apply to the PEQ even if you already have a PSTQ invitation or application. The two files are handled separately, and fees apply to each.

If you don’t qualify, or miss the date: the PSTQ

For most people, the PSTQ is the route after October 31. It starts with an expression of interest in Arrima, Quebec’s online platform. Quebec invites candidates from that bank, and an invitation lets you apply for permanent selection. Quebec decides your stream from the main occupation you declare.

PSTQ stream	Who it fits	French (Quebec scale)
Stream 1: high qualification and specialized skills	TEER 0, 1 or 2 occupations; 1 year of experience in the occupation within the last 5 years	Level 7 oral, level 5 written
Stream 2: intermediate and manual skills	TEER 3, 4 or 5 occupations; 2 years of experience, at least 1 in Quebec, within the last 5 years	Level 5 oral
Stream 3: regulated professions	Occupations on the ministry’s list of regulated professions	Level 7 oral and 5 written (TEER 0–2); level 5 oral (TEER 3–5)
Stream 4: exceptional talent	Outstanding expertise, recognized achievements, 3 years in the occupation	No French requirement

Two profiles come up often after the PEQ window.

The recent graduate. Stream 1 doesn’t ask for Quebec work experience, but it does ask for at least one year in your main occupation within the last five years, and mandatory internships from your program can count for up to three months. A Quebec diploma must also meet a minimum length: 900 hours at secondary or college level, or 30 credits at university. The gap for many graduates is simply the year of experience, which is why a post-graduation work permit matters so much.

The worker in a TEER 3 to 5 job. Stream 2 asks for two years of experience, at least one of them in Quebec, and French at level 5 oral. Many workers who never fitted the PEQ’s TEER 0–3 rule fit here, provided their duties match the occupation they declare.

Getting the NOC code right is the foundation. Our PSTQ page describes the streams, and our article on PSTQ points and Arrima ranking explains how invitations are decided. For the mechanics of the platform, see Arrima and PSTQ invitations.

Your permit is a separate project

Whatever route you take, keep two files open in your head: the selection file and the status file. Neither moves the other. Graduates should look at their post-graduation work permit options; workers should check their work permit and how it is tied to their employer. Some PSTQ candidates who meet specific conditions can also look at the 12-month work permit for PSTQ candidates, open until December 31, 2026.

Students should keep the Quebec and federal pieces apart: the CAQ for studies and the study permit are two separate authorizations. If an employer needs to hire you through an LMIA, see our page on the LMIA in Quebec, and point your employer to our employers page.

Visitor status can cover a stay, but it is neither a work permit nor a path to permanent selection. Our visitor visa page explains its limits.

After selection: the CSQ and permanent residence

A successful PEQ or PSTQ application ends with a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). The CSQ is Quebec’s yes; permanent residence still needs a federal application to IRCC, which checks admissibility. Our article Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ): what it is and how to get one and our page on permanent residence cover that stage.

If you would honestly be happy outside Quebec, federal programs like Express Entry are an option, but they require you to intend to live outside Quebec. Francophone Mobility can help with a job outside Quebec, though it doesn’t replace permanent selection. Sponsorship is a separate route again: see spousal sponsorship in Quebec and family sponsorship.

A checklist for the next three months

1. Decide where you want to live. Quebec or elsewhere changes every program on the list.
2. Pin down your main occupation. Write your real duties, then find the NOC code and TEER category that match them.
3. Test your French. Separate speaking and writing and compare each with your stream’s threshold. If you’re short, book classes now.
4. Map your permit dates. Write down every expiry date in your household and plan renewals independently of selection.
5. Watch quebec.ca. Intake periods, criteria and transition measures are announced there, and only there.

If your history includes a refusal or another complication, deal with it separately before you apply: our pages on visa refusals, inadmissibility and complex cases are a good place to start. For a wider view, see our page on immigrating to Quebec.

Conclusion

October 31, 2026 closes the PEQ’s intake window; it doesn’t close the program. If you met the criteria on November 19, 2025, get a complete application received before the deadline. If you didn’t, the PSTQ is the road ahead: an Arrima profile, a possible invitation, and a French level set by your main occupation. Either way, keep your permit valid and keep an eye on quebec.ca for any new intake period.

Frequently asked questions

Is the PEQ closing for good on October 31, 2026?

No. Quebec reopened the PEQ from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028. What ends on October 31, 2026 is the period during which applications are received. Any new intake would be announced on quebec.ca.

I graduated after November 19, 2025. Can I use the PEQ?

Not in this intake window: the diploma had to be obtained by November 19, 2025. Look at the PSTQ stream that matches your main occupation.

Can I apply to the PEQ and the PSTQ at the same time?

Yes. You can apply to the PEQ even if you already have a PSTQ invitation or application. The two files are handled separately, and fees apply to each.

Will my PEQ or PSTQ application extend my work permit?

No. Selection and temporary status are separate. Renew or change your permit on its own timeline.

Does a PSTQ invitation mean I have a CSQ?

No. The invitation lets you apply for permanent selection; Quebec then makes its decision, and a CSQ follows only if you are selected.

I’m in a regulated profession. Which PSTQ stream applies?

Stream 3 covers occupations on the ministry’s list of regulated professions. Experience in the job doesn’t replace any licence or authorization you need to practise in Quebec.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 27, 2026:

• Québec — Quebec Experience Program, reopening notice (in French)
• Québec — PEQ selection conditions (in French)
• Québec — Skilled Worker Selection Program requirements (in French)
• Québec — The ministry’s new name, October 22, 2026 (in French)
• Québec — Temporary reopening of the PEQ, June 17, 2026 (in French)