PEQ: the intake has been closed since October 31, 2026.

The PEQ offers a route to Québec selection for eligible graduates of Québec institutions and temporary foreign workers with qualifying Québec experience. Québec reopened it from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028, but a management decision by the minister limited the intake to July 2 through October 31, 2026. That window is now closed.

Visa Canada Rouge, an immigration consulting firm in Montréal, can review an application you already filed, look at your options under the PSTQ and check your eligibility if a new intake is announced. The Government of Québec's PEQ page (in French) remains the reference for the rules in force.

The 2026 intake at a glance

• Intake period: from July 2 to October 31, 2026, in Arrima (closed)
• Program reopening: from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028; no new intake period has been announced
• Reference date: the required diploma or work experience had to be obtained as of November 19, 2025
• Number of applications: no cap for that period

If you applied during the intake, your application carries on: watch for messages from the Ministry in your file. After October 31, 2026, requests to add or remove family members remain possible for files with no decision yet or that led to a CSQ.

During the intake, you could apply to the PEQ even with a PSTQ invitation or application. The two applications are handled separately, neither speeds up the other, and fees apply to each.

The 2026 requirements

These are the requirements that applied during the 2026 intake. They remain a useful reference if Québec announces a new one, but only its announcement will say which conditions and dates apply then.

Québec Graduates stream

• An eligible diploma obtained as of November 19, 2025: a bachelor's, master's or doctorate; a technical DEC (college diploma); or a DEP (vocational diploma) of at least 1,800 hours, alone or followed by an ASP (attestation of vocational specialization)
• The diploma was obtained within the 36 months before applying
• You stayed in Québec mainly to study for at least half of the program
• You were legally in Québec when applying
• French: level 7 or higher oral and level 5 or higher written (Québec French-language proficiency scale)
• You hadn't received a scholarship requiring you to return to your home country

The date criteria applied together: a program completed after November 19, 2025 didn't qualify for the 2026 intake. If your status after graduation raises questions, see our post-graduation work permit page and our guide graduated in Québec: next steps.

Temporary Foreign Workers stream

• At least 2 years of work experience in Québec in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs, obtained as of November 19, 2025
• This experience had to amount to at least 24 months within the 36 months before applying, and be full-time (30 hours or more per week), paid and legal
• Holding a job that met these same criteria when applying
• Being legally in Québec as a temporary foreign worker or as a participant in a youth exchange program (working holiday, young professionals, internship)
• French: level 7 or higher oral

A job title alone doesn't establish that experience qualifies: the duties performed, the TEER classification, the dates, the hours and the legal work authorization all matter.

Common requirements

• Intend to settle in Québec to work in an eligible sector, in a business you don't control
• Sign a financial self-sufficiency contract: support yourself and your family for at least 3 months
• Obtain the attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values, within 60 days of the Ministry's request
• Accompanying spouse or partner: French at level 4 or higher oral

Proving your French

Test results had to be 2 years old or less at the time of the application. Accepted tests included the TCF-Québec, TCF-Canada, TEFAQ, TEF, DELF and DALF. Depending on the case, transcripts showing at least 3 years of full-time studies in French, or a diploma or permit from a Québec professional order, could also serve as proof. French also matters for the PSTQ, where each stream sets its own level.

Documents for a PEQ application

For an application already filed, or if a new intake is announced, the final document list depends on your profile and on the Ministry's instructions. Depending on your situation:

• passport and documents showing your current legal status in Québec;
• for graduates: the diploma, transcripts and program dates;
• for workers: employer letters showing duties, dates, hours, pay and work authorization;
• French test results or other accepted evidence;
• documents for a spouse or partner and dependent children, where applicable.

Keep names, dates and work or study histories consistent across forms and records. Our guide to PEQ eligibility and the 2026 intake goes through each check, and the PEQ after October 31 explains what comes next.

Fees

• Principal applicant: $940
• Spouse or common-law partner: $201
• Dependent child: $201

These were the 2026 fees; they can change, so check the amount Québec publishes whenever you apply.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Believing you can still apply. Since October 31, 2026, the PEQ no longer receives applications; be wary of anyone who says otherwise.
• Confusing the end of the intake with the end of the program. The program stays reopened until July 2, 2028, but only an announcement from Québec would open a new intake.
• Waiting for a new intake and doing nothing. You can declare your interest in the PSTQ in Arrima right now.
• Letting your temporary status lapse. A permanent selection process doesn't extend a study or work permit on its own.
• Assuming nothing can change for your family. Requests to add or remove family members remain possible for files with no decision yet or that led to a CSQ.

After selection: the CSQ, then the federal application

If an application is accepted, Québec issues a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ). The CSQ isn't permanent residence: you then apply separately to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which assesses admissibility under its own requirements. See IRCC's page on Québec-selected skilled workers and our guide CSQ received: next steps.

The PSTQ: the route open today

The PSTQ is Québec's other permanent selection pathway. It goes through an Arrima expression of interest and a Québec invitation before the selection application. Your stream depends on your main occupation, and each stream sets its own French level. Our guide PSTQ or PEQ compares the two programs, and our PSTQ page walks through the steps.

What we do for you

• Review a PEQ application you already filed: messages from the Ministry, requested documents, adding or removing a family member
• Assess your profile for the PSTQ and prepare your Arrima expression of interest
• Check your French, your work experience (TEER category, hours, legality) or your diploma
• Check your eligibility if Québec announces a new PEQ intake
• Keep your temporary status valid throughout

To discuss your situation, book a one-hour online consultation or describe your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply to the PEQ?

No. The intake period ended on October 31, 2026, and the Government of Québec says applications can no longer be submitted under this program. No decision has been made about a new intake period.

I applied before October 31. Can I add my spouse or child?

Yes. Requests to add or remove family members remain possible after October 31, 2026, for files with no decision yet or that led to a CSQ, according to the PEQ page updated October 29, 2026.

Has the PEQ been abolished?

No. The program remains reopened from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028; what was limited to July 2 through October 31, 2026 was the intake. Any new intake period would be announced by the Government of Québec.

I graduated in December 2025. Could I have applied?

No. For the 2026 intake, the diploma had to be obtained as of November 19, 2025. The PSTQ may be a pathway to assess.

Does a CSQ make me a permanent resident?

No. The CSQ confirms Québec's selection. You must then apply separately to IRCC for permanent residence.

What can I do now if I want to settle in Québec?

The Government of Québec points to the PSTQ: an expression of interest in Arrima, a possible invitation, then an application for permanent selection. Keep your temporary status valid in the meantime.

Official sources: Government of Québec, "Programme de l'expérience québécoise" and "Présenter une demande de sélection permanente dans le cadre du PEQ" (quebec.ca, updated October 29, 2026), "Conditions de sélection — Diplômés du Québec", "Conditions de sélection — Travailleurs temporaires", "Connaissance du français dans le cadre du PEQ" (updated June 17, 2026) and "Réouverture temporaire du PEQ" (June 17, 2026); IRCC, "Québec-selected skilled workers". Accessed September 14, October 11 and November 2, 2026.