Canada, Québec Reopens PEQ Immigration Pathway

Key Point  

• Québec will reopen the PEQ immigration program from July 2 to October 31, 2026, with no cap on applications for eligible foreign workers and graduates as part of a temporary two-year policy transition. 

Programme de l’expérience québécoise  

The Government of Québec announced the temporary reopening of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ), a key immigration pathway for foreign workers and international graduates seeking permanent residence. The program will reopen on July 2, 2026, for a two-year period following its cancellation in November 2025.  

This measure is intended to address uncertainty for individuals who were already progressing toward eligibility under the previous system, while maintaining Québec’s broader immigration reform strategy.  

Initial Application Window and No Cap Confirmed 

Québec confirmed that applications will be accepted during a first intake period from July 2 through October 31, 2026.  

The government has now formally incorporated this reopening into its official immigration rules and confirmed that:

• It will not cap the number of applications accepted
  It will process all eligible applications submitted during this window

Eligibility Criteria 

The first intake period limits eligibility to individuals who met PEQ requirements as of November 19, 2025, before the program’s cancellation.

To qualify: 

• Québec graduates must have obtained an eligible diploma by November 19, 2025 
• Temporary foreign workers must have accumulated at least two years of qualifying work experience in Québec within the previous three years as of that date  

Additional Intake Periods 

While the program will remain open for two years, future intake periods will be scheduled based on demand and Québec’s immigration targets.  

Alignment with Québec Immigration Policy 

The reopening of the PEQ does not replace Québec’s Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), which remains the province’s primary long-term immigration pathway.  

Instead, the PEQ reopening is positioned as a targeted transitional measure aimed at: 

• Supporting retention of foreign nationals already integrated into Québec’s labor market 
• Providing predictability for employers and affected applicants 
• Aligning intake volumes with Québec’s annual immigration planning levels  

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