After selection

After the CSQ: applying for permanent residence with IRCC

Got your CSQ? Here are the steps of the federal permanent residence application with IRCC, and what Québec and Canada each handle.

Published on November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Getting your Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ) is a big milestone, but it is not the finish line. The CSQ shows that Québec has selected you as a skilled worker. It does not make you a permanent resident. That last step happens at the federal level, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Here is how it works, based on the official pages we checked on November 5, 2026.

Two governments, two decisions

Economic immigration to Québec is a shared responsibility.

Québec selects. The Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (MII, formerly MIFI) chooses candidates under its own rules and issues a CSQ to you and to the family members coming with you.
Canada admits. IRCC decides whether you are granted permanent residence. To be admitted, you need a CSQ, a permanent residence application filed with IRCC, and you must pass the medical exam as well as security and criminality checks.

You need both. By accepting a skilled worker CSQ, you also state that you intend to settle in Québec to work there.

Step 1: build a complete application

IRCC sets two conditions for the Québec-selected skilled worker class: you have received a CSQ, and you submit a complete permanent residence application that includes a police certificate.

You apply online through the Permanent residence online application portal, which has been mandatory since September 23, 2022 (another format is available if a disability prevents you from applying online). The Q7000 instruction guide walks you through the forms.

The main items are:

the digital forms IMM 0008, Schedule A (IMM 5669) for you and for each family member aged 18 or older, IMM 5406 and IMM 5562;
the document checklist (IMM 5690) and Schedule 5, your declaration of intent to reside in Québec;
where relevant, IMM 5604 (for a parent who is not accompanying a minor child) and IMM 5409 (common-law union);
a photo of each person included in the application.

Incomplete applications are not processed: IRCC sends them back, and you have to fix them before sending them again.

Step 2: pay the federal fees

In most cases, you pay processing fees for each person, the right of permanent residence fee and the biometrics fee. Biometrics cost CAD $85 per person, or a maximum of CAD $170 for a family applying at the same time. Payment is made online. For the other amounts, check IRCC's fee list when you are ready to pay.

You may also pay third parties for the medical exam, police certificates and, depending on your case, an educational credential assessment.

Step 3: biometrics, medical exam and checks

Once your application is in, several checks follow.

Biometrics. If you are between 14 and 79, you give fingerprints and a photo for every permanent residence application, even if you have done so before. You have 30 days from the date on IRCC's letter.
Medical exam. You and your family members must take it, including those who are not coming with you. IRCC sends the instructions by letter.
Police certificates. Additional certificates may be requested for you and for accompanying family members aged 18 or older.

While you wait, tell IRCC about any major change (contact details, a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption) using its web form. Giving fraudulent information can lead to a refusal, a finding of inadmissibility and a five-year ban on applying.

As for timelines, IRCC notes that its processing times do not include the time Québec took to process your CSQ. Rely on the official tool rather than estimates shared online.

Step 4: the decision and your arrival

IRCC bases its decision on whether you meet the program requirements, whether you have enough money to support yourself and your family when you arrive, your medical results and your police certificates.

If you are approved, you receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, if your country requires one, a permanent resident visa. Check that every detail matches your passport: a COPR cannot be extended and must be used before it expires.

If you are already in Canada, you confirm your status online and receive an electronic COPR. Your permanent resident card is mailed to your Canadian address; if you did not provide one, use the Address notification tool within 180 days. Your signed COPR also lets you apply for a Social Insurance Number.

Working and settling in while you wait

If you already work in Québec, you must keep a valid status throughout processing. IRCC's page on optional work permits describes two routes for CSQ holders: a bridging open work permit if you have already applied for permanent residence, or an employer-specific work permit if you have not yet applied. For people living outside Québec, Québec no longer sends invitation letters for IMP+ work permits; letters received before January 16, 2025 are still processed.

On the Québec side, the free Accompagnement Québec service is open to you once you hold a CSQ, even from abroad. It helps you prepare your settlement, but it does not speed up any immigration process.

Frequently asked questions

My CSQ expired while I was waiting. Do I need to renew it?

According to IRCC, your CSQ stays valid until a decision is made on your application, even if it has expired. IRCC adds that CSQs have not been renewed since 2018.

Can a representative fill in the portal for me?

A representative can advise you, help with documents and deal with IRCC through their own account. They cannot open an account in your name, sign for you or log in with your credentials.

Who do I contact for what?

For selection and the CSQ: the MII. For permanent residence, biometrics, the medical exam and the COPR: IRCC.

Track your file with CSQ Tracker Pro

CSQ Tracker Pro is an independent app, not affiliated with the Government of Québec. Its step-by-step journey tracker helps you keep track of where you are after the CSQ. It also offers an estimated PSTQ score simulator, a list of Arrima invitation rounds taken from Québec.ca, chat rooms for candidates invited on the same date (with automatic translation) and a PEQ eligibility checker.

Official sources

Information checked on November 5, 2026. Rules can change: always check Québec.ca before acting.

General information only, not legal advice. CSQ Tracker Pro is independent and is not affiliated with the Government of Québec, the ministère de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration or IRCC. Québec.ca remains the reference for every rule and form.