PEQ in 2026: where does the Québec Experience Program stand?

For years, the Québec Experience Program (PEQ) was the most direct route to permanent selection for Québec graduates and temporary foreign workers. Its status has shifted several times recently, and a lot of what circulates online is out of date. Here is what the official Québec.ca pages say as of November 5, 2026. Note that the PEQ pages are currently published in French only.

The short version: new applications are no longer accepted

• November 19, 2025: the PEQ closes. Official pages refer to the program's closure on that date, and the July 2026 announcement mentions its abolition.
• July 2, 2026: an application intake period opens in Arrima at 8:30 a.m.
• October 31, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (Montréal time): that intake period ends.
• Since then: you can no longer apply. The permanent selection application forms are no longer available.

As for a possible reopening, the program page, updated on October 29, 2026, says there is "no decision taken on a possible new period" (our translation). So we will not make any predictions.

One procedure is still possible: asking to add or remove a family member. It applies to files still being processed and to files that have already led to a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ).

Who could apply in 2026

The reopening only covered people who met specific intake criteria on a fixed date, November 19, 2025:

• Québec Graduates stream: a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, a technical DEC, or a DEP of at least 1,800 hours (alone or followed by an ASP), obtained in Québec.
• Temporary Foreign Workers stream: at least two years of work experience in Québec in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job under the National Occupational Classification.

No cap was set on the number of applications. The selection conditions are those in force before the November 2025 closure, with one exception: for graduates, the requirement to have studied in French, which had been added while that stream was suspended, was removed.

The general conditions include being at least 18, having oral French at level 7 or higher on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français, and committing to cover your basic needs (and your family's) for at least three months after obtaining permanent residence. Graduates also had to show written French at level 5. An accompanying spouse needs oral French at level 4.

Processing fees in 2026 were $940 for the principal applicant and $201 for a spouse and for each dependent child. They are not refundable.

If you applied before October 31

If your application went in on time, here is what the Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (MII, formerly MIFI) has announced or published:

• Admissibility first. The ministry checks that the application meets the intake criteria, then examines it against the selection conditions of the stream.
• Timelines. The ministry warned that a large volume of applications received over four months could lengthen processing. The former six-month processing commitment was not renewed.
• Values attestation. A request for the attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values arrives in your Arrima inbox. You and the family members concerned (a spouse aged 16 or older, dependent children aged 18 or older) have 60 days to obtain it, or the application is rejected. You skip this step if the attestation was obtained in the previous two years.
• Valid status. You must keep a valid temporary resident status throughout processing.
• PEQ and PSTQ side by side. If you also have a PSTQ application, both are processed in parallel, with no priority for either, and the fees paid for each are not refunded.

The possible outcomes: selection (with a CSQ), or a letter of intent to refuse or reject that you can answer within the stated deadline. An administrative review may be requested under certain conditions.

What now? Your options

The PEQ page itself points to another route: declaring your interest in Arrima for the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

• The expression of interest is free and remains valid for 12 months.
• Profiles are ranked with a points system, and the ministry invites candidates stream by stream.
• Several ranking criteria directly concern people who have lived in Québec, such as holding a Québec diploma and the amount of work experience in Québec.
• An invitation does not guarantee selection: you must then meet all of the program's conditions.

Meanwhile, if you are in Québec, make sure your permit stays valid. And be wary of anyone promising you guaranteed access to the PEQ: new applications are closed.

Frequently asked questions

Will the PEQ reopen?

The ministry says no decision has been made. Check the official program page rather than rumours.

I missed the October 31 deadline. Can I still send my application?

No. The forms are no longer offered. The active route is a PSTQ expression of interest in Arrima.

Can I add my spouse to a PEQ application I already submitted?

Yes. Requests to add or remove family members are still accepted, following the ministry's procedure, both before and after the CSQ is issued.

Track your file with CSQ Tracker Pro

CSQ Tracker Pro is an independent app, not affiliated with the Government of Québec. Its PEQ eligibility checker compares your situation with the published criteria; since intake is closed, a positive result does not let you submit an application. The app also offers an estimated PSTQ score simulator, a list of Arrima invitation rounds taken from Québec.ca, a step-by-step journey tracker and chat rooms for candidates invited on the same date, with automatic translation.

Official sources

• Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ), in French
• PEQ selection conditions, in French
• Conditions for temporary foreign workers, in French
• Conditions for Québec graduates, in French
• Submitting a PEQ permanent selection application, in French
• PEQ intake period opening, July 2, 2026, in French
• Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)
• Filling out an expression of interest
• Invitation to submit a permanent selection application (PSTQ)

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