The CSQ: Québec's selection, before permanent residence.

Québec has a special immigration agreement with the Government of Canada. To settle in Québec as a skilled worker, you must therefore first be selected by Québec, then apply for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The CSQ is the document that confirms this selection.

Visa Canada Rouge, an immigration consulting firm in Montréal, helps you choose the Québec selection program that fits your profile, then prepare the federal application once the CSQ is issued.

CSQ, CAQ, permanent residence: don't mix them up

• The CSQ (Certificat de sélection du Québec): Québec's permanent selection. It comes before the permanent residence application.
• The CAQ (Certificat d'acceptation du Québec): a temporary authorization to study or, in some cases, work in Québec. See our page on the CAQ for studies.
• Permanent residence: granted by IRCC, after the CSQ, once admissibility is confirmed.

Our guide studying in Québec: the CAQ, the study permit and the right order explains the temporary side.

Programs that lead to a CSQ

The Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)

The main pathway. You submit an expression of interest in Arrima, Québec invites candidates based on its needs, then you submit a permanent selection application. Four streams, with specific French levels depending on the stream. The PSTQ replaced the former Regular Skilled Worker Program. See our PSTQ page.

The Québec Experience Program (PEQ)

Temporarily reopened: applications are accepted until October 31, 2026 for certain Québec graduates and temporary foreign workers who met the requirements as of November 19, 2025. See our PEQ page and our guide PSTQ or PEQ.

Business programs

Québec has its own processes for investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed workers, with their own conditions and intake periods. Check their status on quebec.ca when you plan your project.

Selection on humanitarian grounds

When IRCC approves in principle a humanitarian and compassionate application from someone living in Québec, Québec carries out its own selection and issues a CSQ if the person is selected. See our humanitarian grounds page.

After the CSQ: the permanent residence application

According to Québec, once you receive your CSQ you must continue your immigration process with the Government of Canada and apply for permanent residence. IRCC states that you can apply as a Québec-selected skilled worker if you:

• hold a Québec Selection Certificate;
• submit a complete permanent residence application, including police certificates.

IRCC then assesses admissibility: health, security, history, accuracy of information. The CSQ doesn't replace these checks. Our guide CSQ received: next steps with IRCC covers this stage.

Federal fees are $1,590 for the principal applicant and for a spouse or partner, including the right of permanent residence fee ($990 without it), and $270 per dependent child, plus biometrics if required. Check IRCC's fee list when you pay.

Adding or removing a family member

Québec lets you add or remove an accompanying family member with a form sent by mail, at no charge; processing takes several weeks. Report these changes before the federal application moves forward.

Working while you wait for permanent residence

Québec reminds applicants to keep a valid work permit while the permanent residence application is processed. Depending on your situation:

• You're in Québec and have already applied for permanent residence: a bridging open work permit may be possible. See our guide to the bridging open work permit.
• You hold a CSQ but haven't applied for permanent residence yet: an employer-specific work permit may be an option.
• You live outside Québec: Québec no longer sends invitation letters for the International Mobility Program Plus (IMP+) open work permit. Only people invited before January 16, 2025 are processed under that program.

A permit that expires while you wait can cost you the right to work: plan the renewal as soon as the CSQ arrives. See also our work permit page.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Believing the CSQ gives you status: it replaces neither permanent residence nor a work permit.
• Delaying the federal application: the next steps, and sometimes your right to work, depend on it.
• Letting a temporary permit expire while you wait.
• Forgetting to report a family change (marriage, birth, separation).
• Aiming for a closed program: the pilot programs and the former Regular Skilled Worker Program no longer accept applications.

What we do for you

• Choose between the PSTQ, the PEQ or another pathway based on your profile and your French
• Prepare the expression of interest or the Québec selection application
• Prepare the permanent residence application as soon as the CSQ arrives
• Plan your work permit while you wait

To take stock, book a consultation or describe your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Does the CSQ make me a permanent resident?

No. The CSQ confirms Québec's selection. You then apply for permanent residence to IRCC, which checks admissibility.

What's the difference between the CSQ and the CAQ?

The CSQ is about permanent immigration; the CAQ is a temporary authorization to study or, in some cases, work in Québec.

Can I work with just a CSQ?

The CSQ doesn't authorize work. You need a valid work permit; depending on your situation, a bridging open work permit or an employer-specific permit may be possible.

Does the IMP+ still exist?

Québec no longer sends invitation letters for this open work permit. IRCC only processes applications from people invited before January 16, 2025.

How much does the federal application cost after the CSQ?

$1,590 for the principal applicant and for a spouse or partner (including the right of permanent residence fee), $270 per dependent child, plus biometrics if required.

Can my spouse be added after the CSQ?

Québec lets you add or remove an accompanying family member with a form sent by mail, at no charge. The change must also be reflected in the federal application.

Official sources: Government of Québec, "Après avoir obtenu votre Certificat de sélection du Québec" (in French, July 24, 2026), "Programmes pour les travailleurs qualifiés" (in French, January 13, 2026) and "Immigrer au Québec de façon permanente" (in French); IRCC, "Quebec-selected skilled workers", "Optional work permits" and "Citizenship and immigration application fees" (September 21, 2026). Accessed October 11, 2026.