Documents to prepare for your PSTQ permanent selection application

Once an invitation lands in your Arrima account, the clock starts. You have 30 days to accept it and then, in most cases, 60 days from acceptance to submit your permanent selection application with the supporting documents and the fee. Only people invited under Stream 3 who do not yet have proof from their regulatory authority get one year. In practice, the best time to start collecting paperwork is before the invitation arrives.

This guide groups the documents that Québec's Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (MII, formerly MIFI) may ask for. The final list is the one displayed in your online application.

The rule: only what applies to you

Some documents are required from everyone; others depend on your family situation, your background or your stream. If you cannot obtain a document, the Ministère will consider a substitute document or a written explanation, and you can also send a document after the application has been submitted.

The answers in your expression of interest are carried over into the application. Review them, update anything that has changed and fill in the additional sections.

Identity and family situation

For you and every person included in the application:

• the pages of a valid passport showing identity, issue and expiry dates and any changes;
• a birth certificate issued by the civil registry;
• an identity photo.

If your spouse or partner is coming with you, add the spouses' declaration form (A-0521-CF) and proof of the relationship. Married couples provide the marriage certificate, at least two documents about the wedding itself (notice, photos, receipts, etc.) and at least two proofs of living together, one recent and one at least a year old (lease, bank statements, utility bills). Common-law partners provide at least four proofs of living together, two recent and two at least a year old.

Some situations involving children need an extra document: consent from the other parent (form ME-0032-2309) for a minor travelling with only one parent, a medical certificate for a dependent child aged 22 or over, or a full adoption certificate.

Status and past stays

Plan to include residence permits from the last 10 years for countries where you were neither a citizen nor a permanent resident, plus every work or study permit issued by IRCC over the same period. If your latest permit has expired, attach the federal document confirming that you have maintained your status.

Education

For you and your partner: diplomas (or a certificate of completion if the diploma has not been issued yet) and transcripts for each year of study. Depending on your case, add a statement of program length, a list of courses, proof of distance-learning arrangements, the verification report for a degree issued in China, or the conditions attached to a scholarship. A comparative evaluation of studies is not required for Streams 1 and 2.

Work experience

A detailed résumé is required. For each salaried job over the last five years:

• an employment letter on company letterhead with the job title, dates, location, weekly hours, salary, main duties, employer contact details and a handwritten signature from a supervisor or HR;
• at least six pay slips (two from the start, two from the middle, the two most recent);
• social contribution records (in Québec, the RL-1 and T4 slips) and, for a job in Québec, your notice of assessment.

Internships, self-employment and running your own business each come with their own documents (internship agreement, service contracts, business registration, financial statements). A regulated occupation also requires proof that you are authorized to practise.

Stream-specific documents

Under Stream 3, a document from the regulatory authority is mandatory: an authorization to practise in Québec, or proof of partial or full recognition dated no more than five years before you apply. Under Stream 4, you need an opinion from one of the Ministère's partners (valid for 24 months) or proof of an achievement on the Ministère's list.

French, residence and forms

An accepted French test or diploma is required, even if French is your first language, and results must be two years old or less when you apply. Depending on your profile, add at least two recent proofs of residence in Québec, or documents about a family member living in Québec. Two forms complete the file: the financial self-sufficiency contract (A-0522-OF) and the declaration on democratic values and Québec values (A-0520-VF). After you apply, you will have 60 days to obtain the values attestation if you do not already hold one.

Formats, translations and signatures

• Documents are scanned in colour and compiled into a single PDF file. They must be legible, complete and accurate.
• Anything not in French or English must come with a translation by a recognized translator, showing the translator's name and seal. Everything is translated, seals and signatures included.
• In Canada, the translator must belong to OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB, or work for the embassy or consulate of the issuing country. Different rules apply abroad, so read them before hiring someone.
• In Arrima, signatures must be handwritten, either drawn on screen or scanned. Typed or digital signatures are refused.

A missing document or the wrong format triggers a letter of intent to reject. You then have 60 days to fix the problem; after that, the application is rejected.

Staying organized

• Keep one folder per person and per category, with clear file names.
• Ask for employment letters early: former employers can be slow to reply.
• Book a translator as soon as you are invited, or earlier.
• Make sure the dates in your résumé, employment letters and expression of interest match.
• Keep a copy of everything you send.

False or misleading information can lead to the application being rejected, along with any new application for five years.

FAQ

Do I have to send every document on the list?

No. Only the documents that match your situation are expected, and the online application tells you which ones.

Can a bilingual friend translate my documents?

No. The translation must come from a translator recognized under the Ministère's rules and carry the translator's name and seal.

Track your file with CSQ Tracker Pro

CSQ Tracker Pro is an independent app and is not affiliated with the Government of Québec. It offers a step-by-step journey tracker so you can record where you are, the list of Arrima invitation rounds taken from Québec.ca, and chat rooms for candidates invited on the same date, with automatic translation.

Official sources

• Submitting an application for permanent selection through the Skilled Worker Selection Program
• Documents to be submitted as part of an application for permanent selection
• Rules regarding required documents and formats
• Demonstrate your knowledge of French through the PSTQ
• Requirements that need to be met under the PSTQ
• Examination of the permanent selection application
• Receiving an attestation of learning about the democratic values and Québec values
• Le ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration poursuit sa mission au service des personnes immigrantes (in French)

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