PEQ eligibility in 2026: what to check before the October 31 deadline

PEQ eligibility depends on which stream fits your history and whether your documents meet the current criteria. A Quebec diploma or job alone does not establish eligibility, so start with the official rules and build a clear record of your studies, work, status, residence and French. And the current window is short: the Government of Quebec receives PEQ applications in Arrima from July 2 to October 31, 2026.

At a glance: what to check before applying

• Choose the stream: distinguish the Québec Graduates stream from the Temporary Foreign Workers stream.
• Check the dates: the required diploma or work experience must have been obtained as of November 19, 2025, and applications close on October 31, 2026.
• Match evidence to criteria: organize education, work, residence, immigration status and French documents separately.
• Reconstruct the timeline: identify overlaps, gaps and changes in study or employment rather than relying on a single total.
• Separate selection from permanent residence: Quebec selection and the federal permanent-residence process are distinct stages.

The dates that matter

• Program reopened from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028.
• Current intake period: July 2 to October 31, 2026, in Arrima.
• Reference date: diploma or work experience obtained as of November 19, 2025.
• Number of applications: no cap for this period.

You can apply to the PEQ even if you already received an invitation or applied under the PSTQ. Both applications are then processed in parallel, and fees apply to each. See PSTQ or PEQ.

Start with the stream and the rules that apply to your situation

The Québec Graduates stream focuses on qualifying education completed in Quebec. The Temporary Foreign Workers stream focuses on qualifying employment in Quebec, so the right starting point depends on whether your case rests on a credential, work history or both.

Before assessing either route, read the Government of Quebec’s current PEQ instructions and check relevant IRCC information about federal immigration. Program availability, eligibility criteria, document rules and application procedures can change, so confirm what applies when you plan to submit.

PEQ eligibility is a requirement-by-requirement assessment, not an automatic result of graduating in Quebec or holding a Quebec job. Our PEQ eligibility review examines the relevant conditions against an applicant’s study or employment history, helping identify which details need closer attention.

Check whether your Quebec studies fit the graduate stream

Studying in Quebec by itself does not establish eligibility for the Québec Graduates stream. According to the Government of Quebec, you need:

• an eligible diploma obtained as of November 19, 2025: a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate; a technical DEC; or a DEP of at least 1,800 hours, alone or followed by an ASP;
• the diploma obtained within the 36 months before your application;
• a stay in Quebec mainly to study for at least half of the program;
• legal status in Quebec when you apply;
• French: level 7 or higher in oral skills and level 5 or higher in written skills, on the Quebec scale;
• no scholarship that requires you to return to your home country.

Build a study file that lets a reviewer understand what you completed and where. Depending on the current document checklist, useful records may include:

• Your diploma or official completion attestation.
• Academic transcripts and program information identifying the credential and institution.
• Records that help establish where and how you completed the program.
• Study permits and related status documents covering the relevant study periods.

Keep employment during studies and internships distinct from employment after graduation when you prepare your timeline. A job or placement does not automatically count toward a work criterion; assess it under the rules for the stream and the period in question.

If your education history includes a program change, interrupted studies or different study formats, record each phase separately. This makes it easier to compare the facts with the program conditions instead of relying on a general description such as having studied in Quebec.

Assess work history by occupation, authorization and actual duties

For the Temporary Foreign Workers stream, the Government of Quebec requires:

• at least two years of work experience in Quebec in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs, acquired as of November 19, 2025;
• at least 24 months of that experience within the 36 months before your application: full time (30 hours or more per week), paid and legal;
• a job that meets those same criteria when you apply;
• legal status in Quebec as a temporary foreign worker or a participant in a youth exchange program;
• French: level 7 or higher in oral skills.

For each job, record the employer, location, dates, hours, whether the work was paid, your work authorization and your actual duties. Compare those duties with the relevant National Occupational Classification and TEER criteria, because a job title alone may not accurately describe the occupation.

Whether part-time work, self-employment, unpaid placements or internships count depends on the applicable stream criteria, the nature of the activity and whether it was authorized when performed. For the workers stream, the experience must be full time, paid and legal.

Build a period-by-period employment timeline if you changed jobs, worked while studying or had gaps. Do not double-count overlapping periods, and assess each period against the current criteria before combining eligible experience.

Employment letters should explain duties and work conditions clearly. Where relevant, organize contracts, pay records and work-authorization documents alongside the letters so the dates, role and authorization can be understood together.

We also validate work experience or diplomas: occupational classification, hours and legality, or the credential itself. That kind of review suits applicants whose eligibility depends on accurately classifying a job or matching a diploma to the current Quebec criteria.

Verify Quebec residence, status and French evidence

Create a residence timeline and gather dated records tied to the periods relevant to your case. Leases, utility bills, official correspondence and other documents showing a Quebec address can help establish where you lived during a particular study or work period.

Keep study permits, work permits and other immigration-status records beside the matching dates in your timeline. Check that the activity you are claiming was authorized under the conditions that applied at the time, since a permit’s validity and its conditions can affect how a period is assessed.

French test results must be two years old or less when you apply. Accepted tests include the TCF-Québec, TCF-Canada, TEFAQ, TEF, DELF and DALF. Depending on your case, a transcript showing at least three years of full-time studies in French, or a diploma or permit from a Quebec professional order, may also serve as proof. The most common trap: an expired result, or a written level that is too low for the Graduates stream.

Conditions for everyone

• Intend to settle in Quebec to work in an eligible sector, for a business you do not control.
• Sign a financial self-sufficiency contract covering your needs and your family’s for at least three months.
• Obtain the attestation of learning about democratic values and Quebec values, within 60 days of the ministry’s request.
• An accompanying spouse or partner needs oral French at level 4 or higher.

Assemble evidence before preparing the Arrima application

Turn each eligibility criterion into a document checklist. Organize records under credential and study history, residence, immigration status, employment and French evidence, then flag missing or inconsistent dates before preparing forms.

Use consistent names, dates and timelines across the application and supporting documents. If a genuine gap, change of employer or study interruption explains an apparent inconsistency, describe it clearly and support the explanation with relevant records.

Follow the current Quebec instructions for preparing and submitting a PEQ application in Arrima. The fees are $940 for the principal applicant and $201 for a spouse or partner and for each dependent child. Before submitting, compare the final file with the latest official checklist rather than relying on a saved copy of an older form or document list.

A Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ) is part of Quebec’s selection stage; it is not Canadian permanent-resident status. After Quebec selection, applicants must follow the separate federal permanent-residence process: see the steps after the CSQ.

Common mistakes when checking PEQ eligibility

• Missing the reference date: a diploma or experience obtained after November 19, 2025 does not qualify for this intake.
• Assuming every Quebec diploma qualifies: match the credential, institution and program to the current graduate-stream criteria.
• Relying on a job title or total time in Quebec: compare actual duties, authorization and work conditions with the applicable occupation and stream requirements.
• Counting every kind of work automatically: the workers stream requires full-time, paid, legal experience.
• Confusing selection with work permission: a PEQ application or a CSQ does not by itself change temporary status or authorize work.
• An expired or insufficient French result: results must be two years old or less, at the right oral and written levels.
• Waiting until the last week: gathering documents and test results takes time before the October 31 deadline.

When your history includes overlapping studies and work, changing permits or unclear employment duties, organize those dates and supporting records together before comparing them with the relevant criteria.

See also: the PEQ, PSTQ: streams, French and invitations, post-graduation work permit, CAQ for studies, work permits, Express Entry.

Conclusion: verify PEQ eligibility with the right evidence

The details to verify for PEQ eligibility are the stream-specific criteria, the dates and conditions attached to your studies or jobs, your status and residence evidence, and accepted proof of French. Use current official instructions, assemble records around each requirement, keep Quebec selection separate from the federal permanent-residence process, and file before October 31, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

I graduated in December 2025. Can I apply?

For this intake, the diploma must have been obtained as of November 19, 2025. A diploma obtained after that date does not allow you to apply under the Graduates stream in the 2026 intake. The PSTQ may be another route to assess.

Do documents in a language other than English or French need to be translated for a PEQ application?

Usually, documents in another language need a translation into English or French in the format required by the authority reviewing them. Follow the current Quebec application instructions for translator qualifications and any supporting documents required with the translation.

Can I keep working while my PEQ application is being processed?

Only if your existing work authorization allows it. Filing a PEQ application does not itself extend a permit, and a CSQ is not a work permit.

I already applied to the PSTQ. Should I also apply to the PEQ?

It is allowed. Both are processed in parallel, and neither speeds up the other. Since fees apply to each, decide based on how strong your file is in each program.

Can my spouse or dependent children be included?

Yes, where the Quebec and federal rules allow, and each family member must be declared and documented. An accompanying spouse or partner needs oral French at level 4 or higher, and fees of $201 apply per spouse and per dependent child.

For a focused review of how your study, work and status records fit together, book a consultation or describe your situation for an assessment.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• Québec — Quebec Experience Program (French)