How the reopening works: intake periods, no cap in the first
On June 10, 2026, Quebec's Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) issued a press release setting out the timetable for the PEQ's return. Under the arrangement, the program will be reinstated by regulation for two years, from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028.
The reopened PEQ will not accept applications continuously; instead, it will operate through distinct intake periods. The first runs from 8:30 a.m. Eastern on July 2, 2026 until October 31, 2026. MIFI has confirmed there will be no cap in the first period -- every application submitted within the window that meets the criteria will be processed. Once the first period closes, the government will assess the volume received before deciding how subsequent intake periods will open.
The first intake period is reserved for foreign nationals who already met the program's requirements when the PEQ was abolished on November 19, 2025, across both of its original streams: Quebec graduates and temporary foreign workers. In other words, applicants must have obtained an eligible Quebec diploma, or accumulated the required Quebec work experience, before the abolition date.
Speaking at a press conference the same day, Immigration Minister François Bonnardel said the government expects between 8,000 and 12,000 applications in the first period. "We heard the concerns of the workers and graduates who chose Quebec. Many life plans were disrupted," he said. "By temporarily reinstating the program, we are retaining talent that is already well integrated, without compromising our immigration targets."
From suspension to abolition: two turbulent years for the PEQ
Created in 2010, the PEQ long served as a fast track for Quebec graduates and foreign workers to obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) -- eligible candidates could apply directly, with no points-based invitation required. Over the past two years, however, the pathway went from suspension to outright abolition:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 31, 2024 | Graduate stream suspended |
| June 2025 | Worker stream suspended; graduate stream suspension extended |
| November 19, 2025 | Both PEQ streams formally abolished alongside the release of the 2026-2029 immigration plan |
| May 5, 2026 | New Premier Christine Fréchette announces in her inaugural address that the PEQ will be reinstated for two years |
| June 10, 2026 | MIFI publishes the reopening date and detailed rules |
| July 2, 2026 | PEQ reopens; first intake period runs to October 31 |
| July 2, 2028 | PEQ winds down for good; permanent skilled worker selection consolidated under the PSTQ |
The PEQ's abolition was of a piece with Quebec's broader tightening of immigration. The 2026-2029 immigration plan released in November 2025 lowered the annual permanent admissions target to 45,000, of which roughly 29,000 are economic immigrants, and for the first time set target ranges for temporary immigration.
On May 5 of this year, newly sworn-in Premier Christine Fréchette -- who served as immigration minister from 2022 to 2024 -- delivered on a campaign promise in her inaugural address to the National Assembly, announcing that the PEQ would be brought back for two years, though without a start date at the time. The June 10 press release fills in the timetable and operational details.
Eligibility criteria carried over from before the abolition
The government has confirmed that the reopened PEQ's eligibility criteria are identical to those in force when the graduate stream was suspended and the worker stream was abolished. The main requirements are:
- Applicants must demonstrate oral French at level 7 on the Quebec scale (which can be shown through a recognized test, transcripts from French-language studies, or a professional order's licence), while an accompanying spouse must reach oral level 4;
- Graduate stream: applicants must hold an eligible diploma from a designated Quebec educational institution, obtained before November 19, 2025;
- Worker stream: applicants must have accumulated 24 months of eligible full-time Quebec work experience within the 36 months preceding the application, with that experience completed before November 19, 2025;
- Applicants must reside in Quebec and intend to settle there.
It is worth remembering that a CSQ covers only Quebec's selection stage; applicants must then file a federal permanent residence (PR) application with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which includes medical and security screening.
PSTQ invitations scaled back for now
To make room for the PEQ's first intake period, the Quebec government says that from now until October 31, invitations issued through the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) will be reduced accordingly, focusing mainly on candidates working in TEER 4 and 5 occupations and those who have not yet accumulated two years of work experience. From November 2026, PSTQ invitations will resume and be adjusted according to the volume of PEQ applications actually received.
The PSTQ replaced the former Regular Skilled Worker Program in late November 2024 and operates as a points-based invitation system drawing on the Arrima expression-of-interest pool, with four streams: highly qualified and specialized skills; intermediate and manual skills; regulated professions; and exceptional talent. Official figures show the PSTQ has issued 14,615 invitations since December 2025, of which 8,693 candidates declared targeted occupations in priority sectors.
The government also says that over the remainder of the 2026-2029 planning period, it intends to keep the number of CSQs issued between the two programs -- the PEQ and the PSTQ -- roughly equivalent.
A temporary reprieve: the PEQ will still bow out
MIFI's press release is explicit that the reinstatement is a temporary measure: the PEQ will ultimately be retired, at which point the PSTQ will once again become the sole pathway for the permanent selection of skilled workers in Quebec.
Reaction has been mixed. Some immigration lawyers and consulting firms advise eligible candidates to apply as early as possible in the first intake period -- Quebec heads to a provincial election in October 2026, policy direction remains uncertain, and no one should assume the PEQ will stay open for the full two years. The advocacy group Les Orphelins du PEQ ("Orphans of the PEQ"), meanwhile, criticized the reopening as insufficient, arguing the arrangement remains limited relative to the large population affected by the abolition.
For applicants who have studied and worked in Quebec for years with the PEQ as their planned route, the window opening on July 2 is a long-awaited turn of fortune. But with intake periods limited and the program's final exit already written in, those who qualify will need to move quickly.
