Quebec Immigration Levels Plan 2026 Revealed Key Highlights and Targets

Shiwangi Srivastava
[Published 07 Nov, 2025 | 05:16 AM]
About Author - 5 min read
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On November 6, 2025, the Quebec government officially released their latest immigration level plan for 2026-2029, which highlights the major changes in the newest immigration strategy.

According to the latest 2026 immigration plan of Quebec, they will mainly target permanent residents or give PR to those who are already in Quebec. This province invites 47,000 a maximum of candidates and a minimum of 43,000 new immigrants in the upcoming year.

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Quebec Target Ranges of 2025 and 2026

The latest target mentioned in the Quebec Immigration plan has a reduction in both the minimum and maximum admission ranges as compared to the previous year's admission target.

That includes:

Quebec will Invite Permanent Residents in 2026

This province is expected to admit 45,000 permanent residents next year. It will represent 54% of new admissions for those who are already coming under the temporary resident category.

The permanent resident’s admission targets will be broken down as follows:

• Economic immigration: 27,500 to 30,100
• Family reunification: 9,600 to 10,400 
• Refugees and people in similar situations: 5,500 to 6,000
• Other immigrants: 400 to 500

Quebec aims to welcome between 27,050 and 29,500 skilled workers as permanent residents under the economic immigration category.

However, Quebec mainly aims for the new immigrants to speak French and is keeping immigration levels in line with earlier plans, which considered admitting between 25,000 and 45,000 PR in total.

Quebec will Invite Temporary Residents in 2026

Similar to the permanent residence target, this province also provided minimum and maximum target ranges for temporary resident admissions in the coming year.

In the latest update of the Quebec immigration plan, annual admission targets of up to 55,700 foreign workers and 68,500 international students were announced. The totals account for both new entrants and individuals in Quebec seeking to renew or extend their permits.

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Quebec Key Measures of Immigration Plan for 2026-2029

To better align immigration with Quebec’s social and economic needs, the government has introduced several major changes and program closures for those who want to apply for Canada PR. Most of these will take effect in late 2025 and early 2026.

1. End of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ): The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), a popular and fastest pathway to permanent residency for temporary workers and international graduates, will officially come to an end on November 19, 2025.

It will be replaced by the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), which will become the main route for skilled workers to obtain permanent residency.

The new PSTQ focuses on:

• Graduated from Quebec institutions
• Professionals willing to live long-term in rural regions
• French-speaking candidates who can integrate easily into local communities

2. Closure of Immigration Pilot Programs: All permanent immigration pilot programs, including those for food processing workers, caregivers, and professionals in AI, IT, and visual effects, will end on January 1, 2026.

These specialized programs will be merged into the PSTQ system to simplify and centralize Quebec’s immigration structure.

3. Pause on Refugee Collective Sponsorship

• Quebec will continue the pause on new applications under the Refugee Abroad Program (Collective Sponsorship) until December 31, 2029.
• During this period, the focus will shift to helping refugees already in Quebec settle and integrate successfully.

4. LMIA Suspension in Montreal and Laval: To control population growth in already crowded areas, Quebec is extending the suspension of specific Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in Montreal and Laval until December 31, 2026.

This measure aims to redirect foreign workers toward regions facing labour shortages, promoting balanced economic growth across the province.

5. French Language Requirement for Foreign Workers: Starting December 17, 2025, temporary foreign workers renewing their Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) after three years of work will need to prove Level 4 French proficiency (based on Quebec’s official language scale).

This rule highlights Quebec’s commitment to promoting French as the primary language and ensuring linguistic integration for all temporary residents.

Canada remains one of the world’s top destinations for immigrants, welcoming newcomers every year. The Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026–2028 aims to strengthen the economy and create long-term benefits for both immigrants and the country.

Source: quebec.ca