Immigrating to Québec in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Students, Workers, and Young Newcomers

Québec, Canada’s only predominantly francophone province, has a unique immigration system that stands apart from the rest of the country. From specialized programs like the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) to heated debates in the National Assembly over annual newcomer targets, immigration in Québec is shaped by the province’s distinct identity and needs. In recent years, immigration has become a hot-button issue in Québec politics – balancing acute labour shortages against the imperative to preserve the French language and culture. The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, under Premier François Legault, has kept annual immigration levels relatively modest (around 50,000 per year) even as businesses clamor for more workers and the federal government raises its own intake targets. At the same time, Québec has introduced new requirements – like French-language tests for certain workers – and even temporarily froze key immigration programs in 2024 as it recalibrates its policies (https://halifax.citynews.ca/2024/10/31/quebec-freezes-two-major-immigration-streams-citing-pressure-on-services/). Meanwhile, prospective immigrants eyeing Québec face a complex landscape of provincial and federal pathways.

This comprehensive article will delve into Québec’s immigration system as of 2025, explaining how Québec selects its newcomers, outlining the major programs (from skilled workers to family reunification and refugees), and examining how federal immigration streams like Express Entry intersect with (or bypass) Québec. We’ll also explore the ongoing debates: Is Québec accepting enough newcomers to meet economic needs? Are those newcomers integrating in French? What changes are on the horizon as the province plans its immigration levels for 2026 and beyond? By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of how Québec’s immigration process works – and why it remains a subject of intense discussion in La Belle Province.

Québec’s Unique Role in Canadian Immigration

Québec’s immigration system exists within a special framework that gives the province more control over immigration than any other province in Canada. This stems from the 1991 Canada–Québec Accord, a federal-provincial agreement that grants Québec exclusive responsibility for selecting most immigrants destined for the province. In practical terms, Québec selects its own economic immigrants (skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs, etc.) and certain refugees, while the federal government still handles security/background checks and final admission. According to the Accord, Québec sets its selection criteria and processes applicants through its own immigration ministry (the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, or MIFI), issuing a document called the Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) to those it approves (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). The CSQ is essentially Québec’s seal of approval; with it, an applicant can then apply to Canada’s federal immigration authorities (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC) for permanent residence. IRCC’s role is largely to verify medical, criminal, and security admissibility and to officially grant permanent resident (PR) status, but it does not reassess the person’s economic credentials once a CSQ is issued (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html).

One important consequence of this arrangement is that Québec is not part of the federal Express Entry system that manages economic immigration for most of Canada. Express Entry is an electronic points-based system that ranks candidates for federal programs like the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – but it pointedly excludes those intending to live in Québec. If an applicant indicates their destination as Québec, they won’t receive an invitation through Express Entry; instead, they must go through Québec’s own selection process (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/quebec-skilled-workers.html). Conversely, someone already living or working in Québec on a temporary status cannot simply “hop over” to a federal program without changing their intentions. They would have to demonstrate an intent to reside outside Québec to use a federal stream – an awkward scenario that, while legally possible, is generally discouraged unless the person truly plans to move to another province. In essence, Québec-bound immigrants follow a different path: apply to Québec first, obtain a CSQ, then apply federally for PR. This two-step process is a defining feature of Québec immigration.

Why does Québec have this special status? The arrangement is rooted in Québec’s desire to preserve its francophone character and greater autonomy over immigration to achieve that goal. By selecting its own immigrants, Québec can prioritize candidates who speak French and those who demonstrate an ability to integrate into Québec’s culture and labour market. The province even sets annual targets for how many immigrants it will receive, separate from (though within the scope of) Canada’s national targets. For example, Québec’s immigration plan for 2024 and 2025 fixed intake at around 50,000 new permanent residents per year – a level the CAQ government argues is what Québec can successfully integrate, given the importance of French-language assimilation (https://immigration.ca/fr/quebec-keeps-immigration-levels-at-50000-plans-french-test-for-temporary-workers/). Premier Legault has repeatedly emphasized that maintaining French is paramount and that too high a volume of newcomers could threaten the language. In one notable statement during the 2022 election campaign, Legault warned it would be “a bit suicidal” for Québec to accept more than 50,000 immigrants a year, claiming that beyond this threshold the survival of French in Québec could be at risk (https://cultmtl.com/2024/12/the-caq-and-pq-parti-quebecois-battle-for-the-anti-immigration-vote-in-quebec-francois-legault-paul-st-piere-plamondon/).

At the same time, Québec’s approach has sometimes put it at odds with nationwide trends. The federal government has been steadily increasing Canada’s overall immigration levels (targeting over 465,000 newcomers in 2023 and rising to 500,000 in 2025 across the country). Under the Canada–Québec Accord, Québec could similarly raise its share proportionally – yet the province has chosen not to match the federal increase. In fact, with Québec’s population being roughly 23% of Canada’s, a proportional share of a 500,000 national intake would be over 115,000 immigrants per year – far above Québec’s self-imposed 50,000 cap. This disparity sometimes sparks debate between Québec City and Ottawa. Federal officials have subtly encouraged Québec to take in more people to help address labour shortages, but Legault’s government insists on a slower pace. The provincial government argues that integration (especially linguistic integration into French) must take priority, and that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to newcomers. It’s a delicate balance: ensuring Québec gets the talent and workers it needs without tipping the scales in a way that might dilute the francophone character of the province.

In summary, Québec enjoys a singular role in Canada’s immigration system, exercising extensive control over who can settle in the province. If you’re a skilled worker eyeing Montréal or Québec City as your future home, you’ll be dealing with Québec’s immigration ministry first – not the federal Express Entry pool. Now, let’s break down the various pathways to immigrate to Québec permanently, and how they are tailored to the province’s objectives.

Pathways to Permanent Residency in Québec

Québec offers several immigration programs for those seeking permanent residence (PR) in the province. Broadly, these fall under economic immigration programs, family sponsorship, and refugee/humanitarian programs. Each has its own criteria and processes, often distinct from similar programs elsewhere in Canada. Below, we outline the key pathways – focusing on how they work and any recent changes up to 2025.

Economic Immigration Programs: An Overview

Economic immigrants are selected based on their potential to contribute to Québec’s economy. This category makes up the majority of Québec’s intake (around 72% of total admissions planned in 2025 are economic immigrants, reflecting the province’s focus on skilled workers) (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). Within economic immigration, Québec has multiple sub-programs:

• Regular Skilled Worker Program (Programme régulier des travailleurs qualifiés) – the main pathway for skilled workers, using a points system and the Arrima Expression of Interest platform.

• Québec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience québécoise, PEQ) – a fast-track route for candidates with Québec experience, notably international graduates and temporary foreign workers already in Québec.

• Pilot Programs for specific sectors – time-limited programs targeting workers in critical fields like food processing, health (orderlies), and tech.

• Business Immigration – programs for investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals.

Each of these is described in more detail below.

Regular Skilled Worker Program (Arrima and the Points System)

The Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP), often just called the Québec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP), is Québec’s primary immigration stream for skilled professionals and tradespeople. It is open to individuals who have the training, work experience, and skills to succeed in Québec’s labour market. Applicants can be overseas or already living in Québec (for example, on a temporary work or study permit). What distinguishes this program is its points-based selection grid and the use of an Expression of Interest (EOI) system called Arrima.

Under this system, a prospective immigrant first creates a profile in the Arrima online portal, declaring their qualifications (education, work experience, language skills, etc.) and their interest in immigrating to Québec. The Québec immigration authorities periodically invite candidates from the pool to apply for a CSQ. Invitations are typically based on a combination of factors and evolving criteria – for instance, the government might prioritize candidates with certain occupations in demand, those with job offers in Québec, or those with strong French language ability and younger age. The points system serves as a framework: points are awarded for factors such as education level, area of training, work experience, age, language proficiency in French and English, time spent or family in Québec, and whether the candidate has a validated job offer from a Québec employer (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). Unlike the federal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), Québec’s scoring system places particular weight on French proficiency and ties to Québec. Knowing French is a big advantage – in fact, francophone applicants or those with solid French skills are far more likely to score high and receive an invitation. While technically one can apply as a non-French speaker (points can be made up through other factors if strong enough), the reality is that Québec’s selection has increasingly favored francophones. In 2023, the province set a target that roughly 79–80% of economic immigrants must already speak French upon arrival, up from about 70% in previous years (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html).

One major development was the overhaul of the intake system in 2019. Prior to that, Québec often had a first-come, first-served application system (with the notorious “Mon Projet Québec” online application rush in 2017–2018). The CAQ government scrapped a backlog of some 18,000 pending skilled worker applications in 2019 as part of shifting to the new Arrima EOI system – a controversial move that left many applicants in limbo but allowed Québec to start fresh with a more demand-driven selection (https://cultmtl.com/2024/12/the-caq-and-pq-parti-quebecois-battle-for-the-anti-immigration-vote-in-quebec-francois-legault-paul-st-piere-plamondon/). Since then, Arrima has been the gateway: candidates submit EOIs and wait for an invitation to apply (ITA) for a CSQ.

Recent changes in 2024–2025: In late 2024, Québec temporarily suspended issuing new invitations under the Regular Skilled Worker Program as part of a broader effort to control immigration levels. On October 31, 2024, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge announced a freeze on new applications in the RSWP (as well as the PEQ for graduates – more on that later). Essentially, no new skilled worker CSQ applications would be accepted until the system was revamped. This pause was to last until the summer of 2025 while Québec worked on a new multi-year immigration plan (https://halifax.citynews.ca/2024/10/31/quebec-freezes-two-major-immigration-streams-citing-pressure-on-services/). During this period, the Arrima portal remained open for profile submissions, but draws were halted.

The good news for skilled worker candidates is that Québec reopened its skilled worker program in mid-2025 under a slightly updated framework. As of July 2025, the Regular Skilled Worker Program has been relaunched as the Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP) – essentially the same program with a new name and some policy tweaks (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). Notably, Québec introduced a cap to improve diversity: no more than 25% of candidates selected in a year can come from the same country of citizenship. This “country cap” aims to avoid over-reliance on a single source country (for example, limiting one country’s nationals to a quarter of the spots) and ensure a more varied immigrant population (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). Additionally, the government reiterated its French proficiency goals and an intent to invite more candidates willing to settle outside the Montreal area, to better distribute immigration to regions (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). The points grid and Arrima process continue to function, but these policy levers shape who gets chosen from the pool.

For candidates, the bottom line is that the skilled worker pathway remains open but highly competitive. If you have strong qualifications that match Québec’s needs – for example, a degree or work experience in an in-demand field (IT, engineering, healthcare, manufacturing trades, etc.), and especially if you speak French – your chances of obtaining a CSQ through this route are good. If you also have a valid job offer in Québec, it can almost guarantee selection, since the province gives significant priority to workers with Québec employment lined up. On the other hand, if you lack French skills or your occupation is not in demand, you may find it challenging to get an invitation under this program. Québec’s emphasis on “bringing the right people” means selection is not just about hitting a points threshold; it’s also about meeting the province’s current economic priorities and linguistic integration criteria.

It’s worth noting that even during the pause on new applications, Québec continued processing existing ones. Anyone who had already received an invitation and submitted a CSQ application prior to the November 2024 freeze had their file processed as usual (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). By late 2025, with the program active again, prospective immigrants can submit profiles and hope to be among those invited in upcoming rounds. Patience and preparation (especially improving one’s French and securing a Québec job if possible) are key strategies for success in the skilled worker program.

Québec Experience Program (PEQ – Programme de l’expérience québécoise)

The Québec Experience Program, widely known by its French acronym PEQ, has long been a popular fast-track immigration pathway for those who have already planted roots in Québec. The PEQ is often considered the quickest route to permanent residence for eligible candidates, as it traditionally offered accelerated processing. It is designed for two groups: international students who graduated from a Québec institution, and temporary foreign workers who have acquired work experience in Québec. The underlying idea is simple – if you’ve lived, studied or worked in Québec and integrated into the society (especially by learning French), Québec wants to keep you as a permanent resident.

PEQ Streams & Criteria: There are two streams under PEQ – one for Québec Graduates (PEQ – Diplômés du Québec) and one for Temporary Foreign Workers (PEQ – travailleurs étrangers temporaires). The basic requirements include:

• For Québec Graduates: You must hold an eligible diploma from a recognized Québec post-secondary institution (such as a university degree or a technical college diploma). In the past, graduates could apply as soon as they finished their studies, provided they had an intermediate proficiency in French (usually proven by a standardized test or by completing studies in French). However, since 2020, additional requirements were introduced – notably a requirement to have gained some work experience in Québec after graduation (either 12 or 18 months of full-time work, depending on the level of the diploma) and, in a controversial twist, a French language requirement for accompanying spouses (meaning if you are applying with a spouse, the spouse also needed a certain level of French) (CILA, Nov 6, 2024). These changes were part of the CAQ government’s tightening of the PEQ to ensure graduates not only have a credential but also real workforce integration and French ability. That said, there was an important policy reversal in 2023: the Québec government lifted the work experience requirement for PEQ graduates in November 2023 (CILA report, Nov 2024). This sudden change allowed international students who graduated in the years 2021–2023 (and had been waiting to accumulate work months) to apply immediately for a CSQ without having to complete the 12-month work requirement, provided they met all other criteria (degree, French, etc.). The result was a flood of applications in 2024 from recent graduates who became newly eligible overnight. We’ll discuss the impact of that shortly.

• For Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs): The PEQ requires TFWs to have accumulated a certain period of full-time skilled work experience in Québec. Initially, the program required 12 months of work experience in a skilled job (National Occupational Classification level 0, A, or B) within the last few years. In July 2020, the government increased this requirement to 24 months of full-time Quebec work experience in a skilled occupation (https://www.lifetimeimmigration.com/ – summarizing PEQ changes). That change effectively doubled the time a temporary worker needs to toil in Québec before qualifying. Additionally, like graduates, the principal applicant must demonstrate at least an intermediate-advanced knowledge of French (level B2 on the common scale). This can be shown through a French test or certain recognized credentials (for instance, completing certain educational programs in French). Unlike the graduate stream, the worker stream did not impose a French test on spouses – the spouse’s French was only required under the graduate stream’s short-lived 2020 rule. However, both streams do require the applicant to pass Québec’s “values test” (an online exam about Québec’s democratic and societal values, mandatory since 2020 for all economic immigration applicants). The values test is a formality for most – one must answer questions about things like equality of men and women, secularism, and the official language, scoring at least 75% – and multiple attempts are allowed (it’s not meant to be a major hurdle, but rather a symbolic integration step) (immigration.ca, Quebec Publishes New Guidance on Values Test, 2019).

Speed and Benefits of PEQ: Historically, the PEQ was prized because it offered a much faster route to a CSQ than the regular program. At one point, PEQ applications were processed in as little as 20 business days. The documentation required was also simpler (no detailed points evaluation, since merely meeting the criteria sufficed). The idea was that if you’re a proven quantity – you studied or worked in Québec and speak French – Québec will fast-track you to stay. Many international students who came to Montréal’s universities, for example, planned their post-graduation life around the PEQ: they’d get a post-graduate work permit, find a job for a year, improve their French, and then apply through PEQ to seamlessly transition to PR status in Québec. Likewise, foreign professionals on temporary work permits would plan on using PEQ after two years of Quebec work experience.

Political Debates and Changes: The PEQ has seen significant ups and downs in recent years due to political debates. In 2019, the newly elected CAQ government attempted to sharply curtail the PEQ Graduate stream by restricting it only to certain fields of study that were deemed in demand. This move – essentially saying that only graduates in specific areas (like tech, engineering, health) would be eligible, excluding many others – caused an uproar. Students and universities protested that it would tarnish Québec’s reputation and was unfair to those already studying. The government backtracked on the most severe restrictions after public outcry. Instead, they implemented the more moderate changes mentioned earlier in 2020: adding a work experience requirement for graduates and extending the required work period for temporary workers. They also added the spouse French requirement for graduates, which was heavily criticized. (By contrast, other Canadian provinces typically don’t require spouses of principal applicants to prove language ability for immigration programs.)

Fast forward to 2022: during the provincial election campaign, CAQ’s immigration minister at the time, Jean Boulet, made a notorious comment (which he later retracted) that “80% of immigrants to Québec don’t work, don’t speak French, or don’t integrate.” This statement was false (in reality, the majority of economic immigrants do find work and many speak French or are in the process of learning), but it fed into a narrative that existing programs like PEQ might have been too lax in ensuring newcomers integrate. The CAQ won re-election and continued its cautious approach. However, by late 2023, presumably in response to labour needs and the fact that many international students were finishing studies in French or becoming francophone, the government relaxed the PEQ graduate requirements again – removing that work experience requirement that had been in place since 2020. Suddenly in November 2023, an international student who had just graduated (or who had graduated in 2021–2023 but hadn’t applied yet) could apply for a CSQ via PEQ immediately, without waiting to accumulate 12 months of post-grad work. Thousands seized this opportunity in 2024, leading to an unexpected surge in PEQ applications.

The 2024 Surge and Suspension: The impact of easing the rules was dramatic. Québec’s immigration ministry (MIFI) projected it would issue about 14,500 CSQs in 2024 under the PEQ graduate stream, a huge jump from only ~1,958 in 2022 and ~3,643 in 2023 (CILA commentary, Nov 6, 2024). This means ten times as many international graduates were being approved in 2024, largely due to pent-up demand from those who had been locked out by the work experience rule. Consequently, if all those 14,500 CSQ holders went on to get federal approval, it would translate to nearly 15,000 new permanent residents via PEQ (diploma stream) in 2025 – far exceeding the government’s initial plan of around 5,700 for that stream (CILA, 2024). Essentially, the flood of student applicants was blowing Québec’s targets out of the water.

Faced with this surprise wave, the Québec government hit the brakes. On October 31, 2024 (a date that coincided with the announcement of the 2025 Immigration Plan), Minister Roberge suspended intake of new applications under the PEQ – Diplômés (graduate) stream, effective immediately (https://halifax.citynews.ca/2024/10/31/quebec-freezes-two-major-immigration-streams-citing-pressure-on-services/). They also simultaneously suspended new applications in the Regular Skilled Worker stream, as mentioned earlier. This moratorium was described as a “courageous” temporary measure to regain control over the immigration flow. The suspension was set to last until no later than June 2025 (initially they mentioned June 30, 2025 as the latest date), with the idea that by that time the government would have formulated new rules or caps for 2026 and onward.

For international students in Québec, this sudden freeze was disruptive and disheartening. Many who were on the cusp of applying through PEQ found the door slammed shut without warning. Advocacy groups like the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) criticized the lack of advance notice or transition measures – students who were eligible one day suddenly lost their chance the next, having to anxiously wait for the program to reopen (CILA, Nov 2024 commentary). The freeze created uncertainty: would the PEQ reopen with stricter criteria? Would there be a cap? Should students consider moving to another province if Québec’s pathways became too restrictive? These questions loomed large in the immigrant community in late 2024.

Current status (late 2025): The PEQ for graduates remains suspended for new applicants until (at least) November 30, 2025, per the latest updates (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). The government extended the pause a bit longer while conducting public consultations on immigration planning for 2026–2029. The PEQ for workers (the TFW stream) was also suspended for new applications in 2025 and slated to remain so until November 30, 2025 (cicnews.com, 2025). During this suspension, Québec has said that priority for permanent residence will be given to temporary residents already in Québec – which might seem contradictory, but in practice it means they want to select those already here via other programs like the skilled worker (which they reopened) rather than via the PEQ until new criteria are set. The government has hinted at possibly refocusing PEQ when it returns, perhaps imposing new conditions to avoid another surge.

If you are a foreign student or worker in Québec, this essentially means that the beloved fast-track PEQ is in flux. As of 2025, you may have to pursue the Regular Skilled Worker route (through Arrima) to get your CSQ, unless you are able to wait until the PEQ resumes (hopefully with clarity on requirements). It’s a good idea to keep an eye on Québec’s announcements for the PEQ’s reopening. Also, use the time to bolster your French and work experience, which will only help whichever route you take. The turmoil around PEQ underscores a reality of Québec immigration: policies can change quickly with political winds, and candidates need to adapt accordingly.

Despite these bumps, the PEQ remains a cornerstone of Québec’s strategy to retain talent trained or employed in the province. The logic is sound – people who have already lived in Québec, speak the language, and contributed to the economy are excellent candidates for permanent status. It’s likely that once the program’s suspension is lifted and new rules are in place, PEQ will continue to offer a pathway, albeit perhaps with more controlled intake. For example, Québec might introduce an annual cap on PEQ admissions or tweak the criteria (like reintroducing a small work requirement or limiting eligible fields of study) to better align with its targets. Until then, many hopeful graduates and workers are in a holding pattern.

Pilot Programs for In-Demand Sectors

Québec has introduced three pilot immigration programs aimed at addressing critical labour shortages in specific industries. These pilots, launched over 2021–2023, are targeted pathways to PR for workers in certain jobs that are hard to fill with the local workforce. Each pilot program has a limited duration and intake (up to 600 principal applicants per year, per pilot) and a defined set of eligibility rules. As of 2025, the three active pilot programs are:

1. Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in Food Processing – targeting occupations in food and beverage manufacturing.

2. Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Orderlies (Préposés aux bénéficiaires) – targeting patient care attendants, nurses’ aides, and related health workers (orderlies).

3. Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Workers in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technologies and Visual Effects – targeting tech workers, including those in AI and IT sectors and digital animation/visual effects.

These pilot programs were initially established to run for a limited period (from their launch through January 1, 2026) (CanadaVisa, Aug 28, 2025 update). The idea is to test and address sector-specific needs via dedicated PR pathways. Let’s briefly outline each:

• Food Processing Workers Pilot: This program provides a route for temporary foreign workers in Québec’s food production industries (like meat and poultry processing, dairy, beverage manufacturing, etc.) to become permanent residents. To qualify, candidates must have at least 24 months of full-time work experience in eligible jobs in Québec’s food processing sector within the 36 months prior to applying. Eligible occupations are specific and include industrial butchers, food processing labourers, machine operators in food production, etc. (National Occupational Classification codes like industrial meat cutter, food processing labourer, etc. are listed). Applicants also need a minimum education (at least a high school diploma or equivalent), and they must demonstrate French proficiency at an advanced intermediate level (level 7 on Québec’s scale, roughly equivalent to B2)(CanadaVisa – Quebec Pilot Programs page). Given the nature of these jobs, this pilot is crucial for Québec’s large agri-food industry, which has struggled to find enough workers in meat-packing plants and similar facilities. The pilot acknowledges these roles as essential but traditionally low-wage and not easily attracting immigrants through other skilled programs (since many are classified as semi-skilled). By carving out a pilot, Québec essentially says: “If you come work slaughtering chickens or cleaning in a food plant for two years and you learn French, we’ll reward you with a PR pathway.” Up to 600 such workers plus their families can be selected each year under this pilot.

• Orderlies Pilot: The healthcare sector, especially long-term care, faces chronic labour shortages in Québec. The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the crucial role of orderlies (préposés) – the workers who provide frontline care to the elderly or patients in hospitals and nursing homes (helping with hygiene, feeding, basic comfort). Québec launched this pilot to offer a PR avenue for those already working in Quebec as orderlies, nurses’ aides, or patient service associates. There are two streams within this pilot: a “work” stream for those with purely work experience, and a “work-study” stream for those who did some related studies. Common requirements are having at least 24 months of Quebec work experience as an orderly (with some allowance if part of it was abroad in a similar field, as long as 12 months were in Quebec), holding a diploma related to the occupation (at least one year program, often a vocational diploma in patient care), and meeting the French language requirement (advanced intermediate level). As with other pilots, general conditions like being over 18, intending to settle in Québec, and proving financial self-sufficiency for a short initial period apply. This pilot is significant because it not only helps Quebec fill urgent caregiving positions but also was seen as a humane gesture – many asylum seekers and immigrants during the pandemic worked in care homes heroically. The program can help those already giving to Quebec’s society to stay permanently.

• AI, IT and Visual Effects Pilot: Montréal is internationally recognized as a growing hub for artificial intelligence and tech innovation. Companies in AI research, software development, and even the visual effects/animation industry (which overlaps with video game design and film post-production) often compete globally for talent. To bolster this sector, Québec’s pilot program in AI and IT offers a pathway for highly skilled tech workers. It’s a bit different from the other two pilots; it likely has sub-streams for AI (possibly requiring a job in AI or a related advanced degree, sometimes even tailored to attract French-speaking AI researchers), and for IT/visual effects workers who have Quebec work experience. Typically, candidates might need a combination of high qualifications (like a master’s degree in a relevant field for the AI stream or a diploma plus work experience for the IT/VFX stream), a job or job offer in Quebec in those fields, and French proficiency (though I recall that for AI, there might be an exception or a lower French requirement if it’s a francophone who studied in English – the rules were a bit nuanced). In any case, the tech pilot aims to bring in 600 talented individuals per year who can contribute to Quebec’s knowledge economy. It’s also a signal that Quebec is open to high-tech workers from abroad – provided they integrate into the primarily French-speaking milieu of Montreal’s tech scene (which itself is quite bilingual, but the government wants French speakers).

All three pilot programs require demonstrating at least intermediate French. This underscores Québec’s consistent message: even if you’re filling a crucial labour gap, speaking French is a must for staying long-term.

Timeline and Status: The pilots were introduced around 2021 and had an initial mandate of 5 years (set to expire by 2026). In late 2024, Québec briefly closed intake when annual quotas were met, but reopened these pilot programs on January 13, 2025 for new applications (cicnews.com, “Quebec re-opens three immigration pilot programs...”). This reopening indicates that the pilots are ongoing and candidates in those targeted industries can continue to apply in 2025. The government will evaluate whether to extend or adjust these pilots beyond 2026 based on their success. For now, they remain an important piece of the puzzle in addressing labour shortages: Québec is basically saying “if we really need you, we’ll create a tailored pathway for you.”

For workers in these sectors, the pilot programs are golden opportunities. For example, a butcher or food processing laborer who might not qualify under the regular skilled worker program (perhaps due to lower formal education or the job being considered lower-skill) can nevertheless achieve PR through the Food Processing pilot. Similarly, an AI specialist who might qualify under the regular program anyway might find the pilot a more straightforward or assured route if the criteria match their profile. The key is that applicants must already be working in Québec (or have recent Quebec work experience) in those fields – these are not programs you apply to from overseas without Quebec experience, generally. They’re meant to convert temporary workers in those jobs into permanent residents.

Business Immigration Programs

Québec also runs several business immigration programs for individuals who have the financial means and entrepreneurial or investment skills to contribute to the province’s economy. These include streams for investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed workers. However, this is an area that has seen considerable change and, in some cases, suspension.

• Québec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP): This was once Québec’s flagship business program – and in fact, one of the world’s most popular investor immigration schemes. Under the QIIP, people with significant net worth could obtain permanent residence by making a large passive investment (formerly around CAD $1.2 million, which would be returned after 5 years, plus having a net worth of at least $2 million). The program brought tens of thousands of wealthy immigrants (many from China, for instance) to Canada via Québec over the decades. However, it also drew criticism because many investor immigrants would fulfill landing formalities in Québec but then quickly move to Toronto or Vancouver, contributing little to Québec’s society while Québec reaped the investment funds. The CAQ government put the QIIP on hold in 2019, citing concerns that it wasn’t benefiting Québec enough and that it needed reform. As of 2025, the Investor program remains suspended. There have been talks of revamping it (possibly increasing requirements, demanding actual active investment or stronger ties to Québec), but no new applications have been accepted for several years now. So, for practical purposes, the investor direct route to Québec is closed at the moment.

• Entrepreneur Program: Québec offers an entrepreneur stream, which historically has had a couple of components. In recent iterations, there have been two streams: one (Stream 1) for entrepreneurs who are supported by a business incubator/accelerator or university entrepreneurship center in Québec (often tech startups fall here), and another (Stream 2) for those who want to start or buy a business in Québec and have a certain amount of investment capital and deposit. Stream 2 required significant financial resources (including a start-up deposit of $200,000 if the business is outside Montreal, or $300,000 if in Montreal, plus a net worth of at least $900,000, among other criteria). In contrast, Stream 1 didn’t have a minimum net worth or investment, but you needed acceptance into a recognized incubator program and a solid innovative business project. The entrepreneur program is small – Québec only takes on the order of 25–50 entrepreneurs per year in its plan. Like other programs, entrepreneurs must meet French language and values test requirements unless exempted (some business applicants might be able to delay French until later or prove intention to learn, but overall, speaking French is highly encouraged for their integration as well). The entrepreneur pathway remains open, though subject to periodic moratoriums on some streams depending on intake. It’s an option for those who truly plan to launch a business in Québec.

• Self-Employed Worker Program: This is a program for individuals who will come to Québec to practice a profession or trade on their own account (self-employed), such as independent artisans, athletes, or consultants. Requirements include having relevant work experience in the activity you intend to do in Québec, a minimal amount of financial assets (to ensure you can settle and purchase any equipment needed), and an intention to create your own employment. Québec sets an intake cap for this too (often very small, e.g., 50 or so per year). This program has also been relatively low-volume and sometimes intake is suspended if quotas are met.

Québec’s business programs emphasize that the applicant must actually commit to Québec’s economy. For entrepreneurs, this means actively managing a business in Québec. For self-employed, it means practicing your craft in Québec. The days of simply cutting a cheque and getting a PR (as the old Investor program allowed) are gone or at least on pause. The CAQ government has been particularly wary of programs that don’t promote long-term integration (Premier Legault has expressed skepticism of investors who might not reside in Québec and of businesses that don’t create real jobs for Quebecers).

As a result, business immigration currently accounts for only a tiny fraction of Québec’s total intake (as shown in Québec’s 2025 plan, only about 400–500 admissions are slated to be business immigrants, out of 50,000 total) (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). By comparison, in the early 2010s, the investor program alone could bring in thousands in a year. This reduction shows Québec’s shift toward prioritizing skilled workers and those already in the province. If you’re an aspiring investor or entrepreneur, Québec can still be a destination if you fit the entrepreneur or self-employed criteria, but be prepared to actively participate in the province’s economic life (and likely demonstrate French ability, as integration is key).

Family Reunification in Québec

Family reunification is another pillar of immigration, allowing Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their close family members for PR. In Québec, the family sponsorship process is a shared responsibility: the federal government sets the basic categories and does the processing of PR applications, but the Québec government plays a role in determining the sponsorship eligibility for Québec residents and ensuring immigrants meet Quebec-specific conditions.

The main categories under family class are spouses/common-law partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, and certain other familial relations in specific circumstances. If you are a Canadian PR or citizen living in Québec and you want to sponsor a family member abroad, you must first submit a sponsorship application to IRCC (the federal side). Once the federal part is approved in principle, the file is referred to Québec. Québec’s immigration ministry then requires the sponsor to sign an undertaking and applies its own conditions before issuing a CSQ for the sponsored person (yes, even sponsored family members get a CSQ, as a formality of Québec accepting them under its quota). The undertaking is a contract where the sponsor promises to provide for the basic needs of the sponsored relative for a certain number of years (to avoid them needing social assistance). The length of undertaking in Québec differs for various family types (for a spouse it’s 3 years, for a parent it’s 10 years, etc.), and these are the same as in the rest of Canada, but Québec’s process ensures the sponsor meets income requirements where applicable and agrees to these conditions.

One noteworthy point is that Québec sets its own targets for family class immigration, though it cannot refuse family class applicants who meet federal requirements outright (except by not issuing the CSQ, but in practice that’s rare unless the sponsor is ineligible). In 2024–2025, Québec planned for about 10,400 family reunification admissions per year(this includes spouses, kids, and parents/grandparents) (immigration.ca news, Nov 2, 2023). Québec’s share of family class immigrants is thus roughly 20% of its total intake.

Recent issues and debates in family sponsorship: The most controversial aspect has been parent and grandparent sponsorship. Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) is federally capped and operates typically via a lottery system each year for sponsors. Québec participates in that, but once a Quebec sponsor is selected and applies, they need a Québec undertaking as well. The CAQ government has been less enthusiastic about bringing in large numbers of older immigrants (who may not speak French and who may eventually draw on health and social services). In fact, media reports in 2023–2024 noted that Québec had effectively halved the number of parent/grandparent sponsorship approvals it would accept. An article by Cult MTL in late 2024 pointed out that earlier that year the CAQ “slashed family reunification applications by half,” leaving many families separated (https://cultmtl.com/2024/12/the-caq-and-pq-parti-quebecois-battle-for-the-anti-immigration-vote-in-quebec-francois-legault-paul-st-piere-plamondon/). What this likely refers to is Québec deciding to reduce its intake of parents and grandparents – for example, if previously Québec would accept say 4,000 parents a year, they might have cut it to 2,000. The justification from the government’s perspective might be that bringing in a large number of non-working older immigrants does not help with labour shortages and could put pressure on health systems, and if those parents don’t know French, it doesn’t align with the linguistic integration goals. On the other hand, for immigrant communities, being able to reunite with parents is a huge quality-of-life issue. The cutbacks drew criticism that Québec was being unduly harsh and ignoring the humanitarian aspect of family unification.

Spousal sponsorship, by contrast, remains generally steady and demand-driven. Québec cannot and does not cap spouses – if you marry or have a long-term partner, you have the right to sponsor them, and Québec will issue the CSQ as long as you meet basic sponsorship criteria (no criminal ineligibility, not on social assistance, etc.). The number of spouses admitted each year just fluctuates with demand and processing speed, often in the range of several thousand.

A peculiarity now is the “francisation” expectation for sponsored spouses. While Québec cannot refuse a sponsored spouse for not speaking French (language isn’t a requirement in family class), the province does offer free French courses to all newcomers, and the government often emphasizes that immigrants in all categories should learn French to integrate. Under a new law (Bill 96, adopted in 2022 to reinforce French language), government services in English to immigrants are only guaranteed for the first 6 months after an immigrant’s arrival; after that, communications will be in French (with some exceptions for health, etc.). This means even sponsored family members are implicitly encouraged to pick up French quickly after arrival to navigate daily life in Québec.

In summary, family reunification in Québec functions within the federal framework but through a Québec lens. The process has an extra step (the CSQ for the sponsored person), and policy-wise, Québec has tried to manage the flow, especially of parents/grandparents, aligning with its overall annual targets. If you plan to sponsor a family member to Québec, be aware of the additional provincial paperwork and the possibility of longer wait times if quotas are restrictive (particularly for parents). Also, be prepared to help your loved ones integrate into Québec society, which effectively means helping them learn French and understand Québec’s culture. The province does want families to be together – the inclusion of 10,000+ family members in its yearly plan attests to that – but it also expects that even family immigrants will adapt to the francophone environment.

Refugee and Humanitarian Immigration

Québec’s humanitarian immigration includes refugees, whether resettled from abroad or asylum seekers who land in Québec and make a claim. As with other categories, there’s a shared jurisdiction aspect: the federal government handles asylum claims and the global refugee resettlement program, but Québec negotiates how many refugees it will take and even runs its own refugee sponsorship programs.

There are two main components to refugee immigration in Québec:

• Resettled Refugees from Abroad: These are people who have been designated as refugees (often by the UN Refugee Agency) and are being resettled to Canada from overseas, either under Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) programs or Private Sponsorship. Québec has an agreement to take a certain number of refugees each year. In 2025, for instance, Québec’s plan was to admit roughly 6,600–7,200 refugees and people in similar situations (like protected persons) (https://www.canadavisa.com/quebec-immigration-plan.html). Within that, about 2,500 might be government-assisted and another ~1,000 privately sponsored, with the rest being asylum claimants who were accepted. Québec’s immigration ministry works with federal authorities to select refugees abroad, often prioritizing French-speaking refugees or those with a connection to Québec. Private groups in Québec (churches, NGOs, ethnic communities) can sponsor refugees, but Québec has its own system for approving sponsorship groups and a cap on how many they can sponsor. In fact, Québec recently suspended the intake of applications for private refugee sponsorship (program for refugees abroad – collective sponsorship) until the end of 2027 (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). This suggests that there was a backlog or concern about the number of such applications, possibly to prevent overload on settlement resources. This move was part of the June 2025 announcements by Minister Roberge to control all categories of immigration.

• Asylum Seekers (Refugee claimants): These are people who come to Québec (often by land border or air) and request refugee protection upon or after arrival. Québec has seen a large share of Canada’s asylum seekers due to the infamous Roxham Road crossing on the Canada-US border south of Montreal. For several years up to early 2023, tens of thousands of asylum seekers, often from Haiti, Latin America or Africa, entered Canada irregularly through Québec, exploiting a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement (which until 2023 only applied at official border posts). At its peak, Québec was handling a huge influx – the province’s stats agency reported that as of January 2024, there were over 560,000 temporary immigrants in Québec (this figure includes not just asylum seekers but also international students and temporary workers), and notably 54% of Canada’s asylum seekers were arriving in Québec (https://halifax.citynews.ca/2024/10/31/quebec-freezes-two-major-immigration-streams-citing-pressure-on-services/). This disproportionate share put pressure on Quebec’s housing, French classes, and social services, and became a political issue. The Legault government demanded Ottawa redistribute asylum claimants to other provinces and provide more support. In March 2023, a new agreement between Canada and the U.S. closed the irregular crossing at Roxham Road, which has since reduced the flow dramatically (as now asylum seekers caught crossing anywhere along the border can be sent back). Still, Quebec deals with many asylum cases that are in process from previous years.

Premier Legault and Minister Roberge have been vocal that while they have compassion for refugees, they want the federal government to limit the number of asylum seekers in Québec, arguing the province doesn’t have capacity to integrate them all (especially if they speak neither French nor English initially). In October 2024, Legault even suggested Ottawa forcibly relocate half of the asylum seekers to other provinces – a comment that drew controversy (https://cultmtl.com/2024/12/the-caq-and-pq-parti-quebecois-battle-for-the-anti-immigration-vote-in-quebec-francois-legault-paul-st-piere-plamondon/). The federal Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, responded that Québec has every right to set its PR numbers, but also hinted Québec should articulate a plan regarding temporary residents and asylum seekers if it is concerned (CityNews Halifax, Oct 31, 2024). As of 2025, this remains a point of federal-provincial negotiation.

Once an asylum seeker is accepted (i.e., deemed a Convention Refugee or protected person after their hearing), they can apply for permanent residence. Those numbers then count towards Québec’s “refugee” intake, but note: Québec cannot refuse someone who has been granted asylum by Canada’s independent tribunal. The Quebec role might be to provide integration support (like French classes, housing) to those refugees once status is obtained. Québec’s emphasis on French extends here too: there are initiatives to quickly enroll refugees in French courses. The challenge is significant because many asylum seekers coming via the U.S. have been from non-francophone countries (Nigeria, Colombia, Haiti – though Haitians often speak some French or Creole). Ensuring they learn French is vital for their employment and integration.

In humanitarian terms, Québec has also occasionally offered special programs – for example, after the 2020 Beirut explosion, Québec facilitated immigration for some affected people from Lebanon (which has historic ties to Quebec). Or a program to regularize status of certain asylum seekers who worked in healthcare during COVID (the federal government with Quebec’s agreement did this for some undocumented workers who served as orderlies in 2020). These one-off measures show that Québec, while strict on numbers, does acknowledge humanitarian contributions.

Integration support: Refugees, like all immigrants to Québec, have access to free French language instruction. Québec actually provides full-time French courses with financial allowances to new immigrants (including refugees) to help them integrate. The budget for francisation has been increased in recent years, although critics argue it’s still not fully reaching all who need it. (One journalist pointed out that although Ottawa gave Québec $775 million for immigrant integration in 2023–24, the provincial immigration ministry’s total budget was around $478 million – implying not all federal funds earmarked were spent on services (Cult MTL, Dec 10, 2024)). Ensuring refugees get proper language and job support is an ongoing effort.

In summary, Québec’s refugee intake is a smaller but important component of its immigration. The province strives to maintain its humanitarian commitments while also pushing to spread the responsibility across Canada. Refugee resettlement is more within Québec’s planned control (they aim for perhaps 3,000 or so resettled refugees annually), whereas asylum flows have been unpredictable. As we move forward, if Québec succeeds in tightening temporary entries and focusing on francophone refugees, we may see a scenario where the majority of newcomers, even refugees, speak French on arrival or shortly thereafter. That vision aligns with the government’s 80% French-speaking target across all immigration categories.

The Federal–Québec Dynamics: Express Entry and Beyond

Given Québec’s autonomy, one might wonder how the federal immigration system interacts with Québec’s. As mentioned, Express Entry, the flagship federal system for economic immigration, largely bypasses Québec. If a candidate in Express Entry indicates an intention to live in Québec, their profile won’t be picked for federal programs. Express Entry is designed for the other provinces, each of which also has their own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) that feed into Express Entry. Québec, by choosing its own immigrants, doesn’t partake in PNP or Express Entry.

For someone already working or studying in Québec on a temporary status, the typical pathway to PR is through Québec’s programs (RSWP/Arrima or PEQ, etc.), not federal ones. However, life is nuanced: what if a temporary resident in Québec decides they wouldn’t mind settling elsewhere in Canada? It does happen. For example, an international student in Montreal who speaks fluent English but struggles with French might assess that their chances of PR are better if they move to, say, Ontario or British Columbia after graduation and apply through Express Entry (under the Canadian Experience Class or an Ontario PNP). There’s nothing illegal about changing one’s intended province. The Canadian Constitution guarantees mobility rights – a permanent resident can live in any province, regardless of where they were “selected” for. The key is intention at the time of application. If you apply through Express Entry, you are implicitly declaring you intend to reside outside Québec. IRCC can look at factors like your current residence, employment, or ties to assess if that intention is believable. So, if you’re living and working in Québec but apply for Express Entry, you might need to show evidence (like a job offer or family ties in another province, or at least a plan to move) to convince the visa officer that you will indeed go elsewhere upon getting PR. Otherwise, your application could be refused for misrepresentation of intent.

There is also the reality that some Québec-selected immigrants later move to other provinces after getting PR, and vice versa (some federally selected immigrants move to Québec). This interprovincial migration is hard to police due to mobility rights. Québec’s hope is that by selecting people who truly want to be in Québec (especially francophones), they’ll stay. But there’s always some attrition: e.g., a newcomer might initially settle in Montreal but then get a better job in Toronto and leave. That said, studies have shown many Québec economic immigrants do stay, especially if they speak French or have family in Québec.

Another intersection is with federal programs for temporary workers. While Québec controls selection for PR, the process for coming as a temporary foreign worker or international student involves federal approvals (work permits, study permits) often with Québec’s input for work permits (like the Labour Market Impact Assessment process has a Quebec stream). One emerging discussion is how the ballooning number of temporary residents (students and workers) should be managed. The federal government sets policies on study permits and work permits, but Québec in 2024-2025 started voicing that it wants a say in those too, because temporary residents also impact language and services. Minister Roberge in 2025 proposed establishing targets for temporary residents in Québec and even suggested reducing certain temporary worker numbers in Montreal by 50% (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). For example, limiting the influx of international students to smaller private colleges (which was a concern due to housing shortages and some questionable institutions attracting huge volumes of students). This is a developing area: Québec may negotiate with Ottawa to have more control or coordinated management of temporary migration, not just permanent.

Bridging the Gap: One positive collaboration between federal and Québec authorities is the introduction of the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) for CSQ holders. Traditionally, in the rest of Canada, if you have an application for PR in process via Express Entry or PNP, you could get a BOWP to continue working while waiting. Québec applicants didn’t have that option for a long time, because they weren’t in Express Entry and had to wait for federal processing after CSQ which could take over a year. Recognizing this gap, in August 2021 IRCC extended bridging work permits to Québec skilled workers with a CSQ and federal application in process (https://www.cicnews.com/ – Aug 2021 news). Additionally, a special program called IMP+ (International Mobility Program Plus) was created to issue open work permits to CSQ holders who are outside Québec, so they can actually move to Québec and start working while their PR is in progress (https://www.quebec.ca/ – “Apply for an open work permit before PR, IMP+”). Each year a certain quota of these IMP+ permits are given (for example, 7,000 in 2022) to facilitate arrival of selected immigrants. These measures have been very helpful for employers and immigrants: if you’ve been selected by Québec and you’re just waiting on federal paperwork, you shouldn’t be stuck unable to work or forced to leave – you can continue contributing in Québec in the interim.

Express Entry’s indirect effect: It’s also worth noting that Canada’s overall immigration trend (with Express Entry and PNPs ramping up numbers) affects Québec indirectly. If the rest of Canada brings in many more immigrants, Québec’s relative demographic weight in Canada can decline if it doesn’t keep up. Québec has long been protective of maintaining its share of Canada’s population (around 23%). In fact, the 1991 Accord explicitly mentions that Québec’s immigration should be set such that its demographic weight is preserved and even that Québec can exceed its proportional share to recruit francophones. So, when Québec sticks to 50k while Canada goes to 500k, Québec’s share falls below its population percentage. Some in Québec worry this could eventually diminish Québec’s influence at a national level (fewer MPs relative to other provinces, for instance). The CAQ’s perspective, however, is that taking more than 50k could endanger French, so it’s a trade-off they’re willing to make.

On the flip side, the large number of newcomers going to other provinces could present a magnet: if those immigrants struggle to find jobs or community elsewhere but see opportunity in Québec (especially Montreal, a big city), they might move to Québec after a few years. There’s no legal barrier to that. Québec relies on its distinct society (language, culture, laws like Bill 101 requiring children of most immigrants to attend French school) to integrate those who come. But it’s certainly an interesting dynamic that as Canada opens wider the immigration tap, Québec is trying to calibrate its own intake carefully.

In practical terms, if you are a skilled worker in Québec with hopes for PR, your most straightforward path is via Québec’s programs. Only consider a federal route if you genuinely are open to leaving Québec or if you are facing an untenable roadblock in the Québec system (for instance, if PEQ is closed and you don’t qualify under Arrima, some have indeed moved to Ontario and applied for PR there). It’s a personal decision, but moving provinces solely for PR can be disruptive. Québec’s system might be slower or stricter in some ways, but it is designed to integrate you into the province’s society. And if you’ve already built a life in Québec – job, friends, community – it often makes sense to stay the course and obtain your PR through Québec’s channels. The good news is, once you do become a permanent resident (whether through Québec or another province), you have full mobility rights in Canada.

Citizenship and Beyond: On a related note, the path to Canadian citizenship is the same for Québec immigrants as any others. After you get PR and fulfill residency requirements (usually 3 years of physical presence out of 5), you can apply for citizenship. Québec has no separate citizenship process – it’s all federal. Upon becoming a Canadian citizen, you’ll have the same rights as other Canadians, including voting in federal and provincial elections (and ironically, one could vote in Québec elections even if one’s French is limited – though by then most immigrants from Québec likely have learned a fair bit of French). Québec does require that children of most new immigrants (as non-anglophone Canadian citizens) attend French-language public schools, a measure to ensure the next generation grows up in French. This law (part of Bill 101) is another way Québec integrates newcomers, through their kids.

In summary, the relationship between Québec and federal immigration streams is a bit like two parallel roads that occasionally intersect. For permanent immigration, Québec’s road is separate. For temporary immigration and broader policy concerns, Québec is increasingly trying to influence the federal road as well. For the individual immigrant, it’s crucial to navigate the correct pathway based on your destination province – if that’s Québec, pay attention to Québec’s rules first and foremost.

Language and Integration: The French Factor

No discussion of Québec immigration is complete without emphasizing the central importance of the French language. Québec is a francophone society in a predominantly English-speaking North America. The survival and vitality of French in Québec is at the heart of nearly all immigration policy decisions in the province. This manifests in various ways:

• French Proficiency Requirements: Most of Québec’s economic immigration programs require applicants to know French at an intermediate or advanced level. The skilled worker points system heavily rewards French skills (one can earn up to points for French proficiency, making it difficult to reach a competitive score without French). The PEQ explicitly demands a French level of at least B2 (upper-intermediate) in speaking (and also an understanding of spoken and written French, depending on the test). The pilots, as we saw, require “advanced intermediate” French. Even for those not required to know French upfront, the expectation is they will learn it. For example, an accompanying spouse in the PEQ (graduate stream) at one point had to show French ability; while that rule was contentious and not applied to other programs, it signals how serious Québec is about not just the principal immigrant but their family integrating in French.

• Québec Values and Language Test: Since January 2020, Québec mandates that economic immigrants (including principal applicants and their accompanying adult family members) pass an attestation of learning Québec values. This is essentially a short online course/test that covers key values enshrined in Québec’s Charter of Rights: e.g., gender equality, the secular nature of the state, the need to respect Quebec’s official language (French), etc. One of the five “key values” listed is explicitly “Québec is a francophone society” (as per the official guide). Immigrants must acknowledge and understand that value, which underscores that choosing Québec means committing to living in a French-speaking environment. The test isn’t hard – common sense and a bit of reading of the provided guide will suffice for most – but it’s symbolic of Québec’s integration approach.

• Language Legislation (Bill 101 and Bill 96): Québec has long had laws to promote French in public life. Bill 101 (the Charter of the French Language), passed in 1977, makes French the language of work, education, commerce, and government in Québec (with some accommodations for the English-speaking minority). What this means for immigrants: if you settle in Québec, your children must attend French-language school unless you (the parent) received your own schooling in English in Canada (which most new immigrants haven’t). So, the default is all immigrant kids go to French school – ensuring they become fluent in French and integrate into the francophone community (while usually still learning English as a second language in school). Bill 101 is a major reason immigrants in Québec often do learn French, because their kids come home doing homework in French. In workplaces, there’s a right to work in French; larger companies are required to operate in French, so many employers will prefer or require employees to speak French or at least be willing to learn.

  In 2022, the CAQ government passed Bill 96, which strengthens these French language laws. For immigrants, one notable clause is that new permanent residents will only be able to receive official government communications in a language other than French for their first 6 months after obtaining PR. After six months, everything official will be in French (with some exceptions like health services). The idea is to give a grace period for newcomers to pick up basic French, then gently force them to use it by making French the default language of interaction with government. This policy has been controversial – critics say six months is a very short time to learn a new language to the level of dealing with taxes or legal documents. The government, however, sees it as an incentive for rapid francisation. In practice, it remains to be seen how strictly this is enforced, but it certainly sends a message that French is not optional.

• Francisation Services: On the supportive side, Québec invests in free French courses for immigrants. The Ministry (MIFI) offers full-time and part-time classes. Immigrants attending full-time French classes can even receive a stipend (around $200 per week, plus childcare allowance) to help them focus on learning. There are also specialized workplace French courses. The government partners with community organizations and educational institutions (like local school boards) to deliver these language classes across the province. So while Québec demands French, it also tries to provide the means to acquire it. Still, with increased immigration, there have been waiting lists at times for certain French classes, and some newcomers fall through the cracks if they jump straight into survival jobs and don’t take classes. The CAQ often cites success stories of immigrants who embraced French and are thriving, versus the challenges when language remains a barrier.

• Cultural Integration: Beyond language, Québec encourages immigrants to participate in the cultural life – whether it’s celebrating Fête Nationale (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day) or learning about Québec history. The values test touches on culture (for example, it references the equality of women and men, a value held strongly in Québec especially in the context of religious symbols debates). New immigrants are given a guide to life in Québec. The province also has integration programs where recent arrivals are paired with locals (through programs like “Accompagnement Québec”) to help navigate things like finding a family doctor, understanding workplace norms, etc., all in a French-language context.

It’s important to note that not all immigrants to Québec start off fluent in French – many arrive with basic or no French and then learn it. Especially in family and refugee categories, there will be those who need to learn from scratch. The emphasis on French can be both a source of stress and an impetus for achievement. Many immigrants do rise to the challenge, becoming bilingual or even trilingual (with their mother tongue, French, and often English too). This linguistic integration is seen by Quebecers as vital to social cohesion. Indeed, when surveys are done on attitudes towards immigration in Québec, the number one concern often cited is “will they integrate into French society?” rather than things like economic competition. Hence the political focus on French language knowledge – it is a proxy for integration.

Premier Legault and his ministers frequently highlight statistics about the language of use at home or work. They’ve pointed out with alarm that certain indicators show a decline in French usage in Montréal. For instance, the proportion of people speaking French at home in Montreal has slightly dropped due to the growing immigrant population that might speak other languages at home (even if many of them also speak French outside). The government has declared “French is in decline; all indicators are red” (as stated by Jean-François Roberge, who in 2023 took on a dual role dealing with both immigration and French language) (immigration.ca news, Nov 2, 2023). This sense of urgency pervades policy – from requiring temporary workers staying long-term to pass a French test, to capping immigration if French percentages dip.

French test for Temporary Workers: On that note, a new rule was introduced that some Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) will need to pass a French language test to renew their work permit if they wish to stay longer than three years in Québec (immigration.ca, Nov 2, 2023). Essentially, the CAQ government signaled: if a temporary worker comes for a short stint, fine, but if they plan to be here medium-term or transition to PR, they should learn French by the three-year mark. This applies to certain categories of workers (likely those under provincial jurisdiction or who might seek Quebec selection – details were being ironed out through 2024–25). International students, similarly, have been told that if they want to make Québec home after studies, French is a must. Legault put it succinctly in 2023: “The message will be very clear for students and workers: in the future, if you want to come to Quebec for more than three years, if you want to be received as a permanent immigrant, you need to speak French” (Legault, announcement of 2024 plan, as quoted in immigration.ca, Nov 2, 2023).

So, practically, how does this affect an aspiring immigrant? If you’re considering Québec, invest in learning French. Even a basic level before you arrive will help, and once you’re there, immerse yourself. Not only will it improve your odds in the immigration process, it will enrich your social and professional life. While you can get by in English in certain circles (downtown Montreal, tech companies, academia), you’ll always hit a glass ceiling in Québec without French. Plus, Québec genuinely wants you to succeed and stay, and they see embracing French as the way to do that. On the other hand, if you absolutely have no interest in learning French, you might be happier choosing an English-speaking province for immigration – it’s a self-selection that many make.

Finally, it should be mentioned that Québec’s stance on language has inspired other provinces and the federal government to pay more attention to francophone immigration too. The federal government has a goal to increase francophone immigration outside Québec to 4.4% of total intake, to support the French-speaking minorities in other provinces. So increasingly, being a French-speaking immigrant is a big advantage anywhere in Canada. But in Québec, it’s not just an advantage – it’s nearly a prerequisite and certainly a core principle of the whole immigration system.

Balancing Labour Shortages with Cultural Preservation: The Ongoing Debate

Immigration policy in Québec is a tug-of-war between two major forces: economic needs (especially labour market demands) and cultural/linguistic preservation. The province is trying to find the sweet spot where it can welcome enough newcomers to sustain its economy and population, but not so many (or not so indiscriminately) that it feels the French language or social cohesion is threatened. This balancing act is at the heart of the ongoing debates in Québec circa 2025.

Labour Shortages and Economic Pressures

Québec, like much of Canada, has been experiencing labour shortages in a number of sectors. The population is aging (the Baby Boom generation has begun retiring en masse), the birth rate is low, and there simply aren’t enough young Quebecers to fill all the jobs being vacated or created. Unemployment in Québec hit historically low levels in recent years – at times below 5% – indicating a tight labour market. Even with some economic softening in 2024, employers across Québec continue to report difficulties in hiring, particularly for certain skilled trades, IT positions, engineering roles, healthcare jobs, and more. Rural regions feel it even more acutely; for example, factories or farms in smaller towns struggle to find workers, and often the local population is shrinking as youth move to cities.

Business groups have been loud and clear: they need more immigrants to fill jobs. Organizations like the Conseil du patronat (Québec’s employers’ council), the Fédération des chambres de commerce (Chamber of Commerce Federation), and sector-specific associations have lobbied the government to raise immigration levels or at least streamline pathways to bring in foreign talent. They point out that labour shortages can constrain economic growth, delay projects, or force companies to relocate. For instance, Québec’s manufacturing sector has tens of thousands of vacancies; Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters warned that failing to bring in workers could hurt production (CityNews Halifax, Oct 31, 2024). The tech sector in Montreal is competing with global firms for AI specialists – if immigration isn’t open enough, those specialists might go to Toronto or Silicon Valley instead. The healthcare system desperately needs nurses, lab technicians, personal support workers – some health institutions have turned to recruiting abroad (often targeting francophone countries like Tunisia or Cameroon to get French-speaking staff).

The provincial government is not deaf to these concerns. It has responded by creating the targeted pilot programs (as discussed, for food processing, healthcare orderlies, and tech workers) to address specific shortages. It also negotiated with the federal government to facilitate more temporary foreign workers: for example, Québec has a list of occupations that are “facilitated” for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), meaning employers in those roles can hire from abroad faster due to known shortages. That list has been expanded to include dozens of jobs from welders to video game artists. Québec also agreed to some federal initiatives like the Global Talent Stream, which quickly brings in highly skilled tech workers on work permits – but with the twist that now those who stay beyond 3 years should know French.

However, while business groups often call for significantly higher permanent immigration (some suggest 60,000 or more per year), the CAQ government has largely held the line. In fact, in late 2023 when Premier Legault announced the plan to keep levels at ~50k for 2024–25, he acknowledged the pressure from businesses but decided not to budge (https://immigration.ca/fr/quebec-keeps-immigration-levels-at-50000-plans-french-test-for-temporary-workers/). He argued Québec had to prioritize integration capacity. The government’s viewpoint is that simply raising numbers might solve some short-term labour gaps, but if those newcomers don’t speak French, it could create a long-term challenge for the French language and social unity. They often cite examples of Europe where they believe integration was mishandled with large influxes (Legault has referenced the importance of avoiding “ghettos” or parallel communities).

There’s also an urban-rural dimension. Most immigrants gravitate to Montreal (as newcomers do to big cities worldwide). Montreal, being Québec’s metropolis, can absorb more people, but even there issues like housing shortages have become pressing. By 2023–2024, rents and real estate in Montreal climbed significantly, and vacancy rates were low. Some pointed fingers at increased immigration and international students adding demand to housing (though experts note that housing supply and policy are the real problem). Still, the CAQ used that argument to justify capping or reducing certain flows – e.g., they introduced a plan to limit the number of international students in Montreal-area colleges, arguing some private colleges were growing too fast by attracting huge numbers of foreign students and straining housing availability.

Québec is trying to steer immigrants to regions outside Montreal as well. They have provincial initiatives to promote the regions and even some immigration criteria favoring those who intend to live in smaller cities or towns. For example, Arrima can give points or have draws targeting those who applied to a region. The idea is to channel newcomers to places like Québec City, Sherbrooke, Saguenay, or Trois-Rivières, where the local population decline could be offset and where labour shortages are also critical (like in agriculture or resource industries). It’s a challenge, though: immigrants themselves often prefer the economic and social opportunities of Montreal.

Cultural and Linguistic Preservation

On the other side of the debate is the concern for protecting Québec’s identity. Premier Legault’s CAQ is a nationalist (but not separatist) party that campaigned on ensuring French remains the common language and that immigration does not dilute Québec’s culture. They capitalize on a sentiment among a segment of Quebecers who worry that if immigration is too high or if newcomers don’t integrate, Québec could start to feel less “Québécois” and more like just another North American territory. This is tied up with historical context – the francophone majority in Québec has at times felt fragile, surrounded by English. The memory of losing demographic share (the Anglo community was once much more dominant in Montreal pre-1970s) and the decline of French in places like Louisiana or even the rest of Canada serves as a cautionary tale.

A startling, if somewhat misleading, claim by the hardline Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was that at current trends, francophone Quebecers could become a minority in their own province in a matter of decades. This notion (disputed by demographers) nonetheless feeds a narrative that French is under siege, and mass immigration could hasten that if most newcomers speak other languages at home. Even the federal Minister of Official Languages (who is ironically a Montreal anglophone) noted in 2023 that she understood Quebec’s caution, as French is indeed the only official language in Canada that’s declining in use.

This cultural angle leads to policies such as: requiring French for immigrants (we’ve covered that extensively), keeping overall numbers at a level the province feels it can handle (50k instead of, say, 80k), and focusing on quality/integration over quantity. The CAQ’s approach has been sometimes described as “immigration de la mesure” (immigration in measured amounts). They want immigrants, but on their terms.

The political discourse has seen both CAQ and PQ (Parti Québécois) competing over who can be tougher on immigration in the name of protecting French. The PQ, which is more hardline, has proposed lower targets (around 35,000 per year) and even floated ideas like a values and French test after a few years of residence with the consequence of expulsion if failed (an idea from years ago which even CAQ thought was too extreme at the time). The CAQ hasn’t gone that far, but by pausing programs and potentially considering reductions post-2025, they are signaling that if needed they will shrink inflows to maintain integration goals.

There is also the public opinion factor. Polls in Québec have shown mixed feelings: many Quebecers support immigration in principle, especially if immigrants speak French; but they also express concerns about capacity (housing, healthcare, etc.) and identity. In 2023–24, with inflation, housing costs, and healthcare woes in the news, it became politically convenient to scapegoat immigrants for some of these issues – even if the links are not so clear-cut. As noted in the Cult MTL article (Dec 2024), some politicians blame immigrants for everything from housing shortages to teacher shortages, even when evidence doesn’t support those claims. This rhetoric can make the public more wary and thus more supportive of stricter immigration controls. CAQ and PQ tapping into those sentiments helps them in elections, to the dismay of immigrant advocates who feel this fosters xenophobia or at least an unwelcoming atmosphere.

Recent Developments: 2025 and Beyond

In early June 2025, as mentioned, Minister Roberge unveiled proposed guidelines for 2026–2029. What’s telling is the range of scenarios: they put out for consultation three possible annual targets – 25,000, 35,000, or 45,000 permanent immigrants per year (cicnews.com, Jun 5, 2025). In other words, they are seriously contemplating lowering the levels from the current ~50k. The “25k” scenario would be a dramatic cut (half the current level), likely championed by those most concerned about identity. The “45k” scenario is closer to status quo minus a bit. These scenarios were to be debated in public consultations, where businesses, unions, community groups, and citizens would give input. It shows CAQ is at least considering a course that no other region in Canada is – actively reducing immigration in the face of shortages, something business groups strongly oppose.

At the same time, the plan emphasizes focusing on those already here. The logic is: we have a large number of temporary residents (students, workers); instead of continually bringing more new people from abroad, first transition those who are already contributing and often already speaking some French into permanent residents. That’s not an anti-immigrant stance per se – it’s more about selection source. It might mean if you’re an international student graduating from a French program in Québec or a temporary worker speaking French, you’ll have an even stronger chance to get PR (because they want to prioritize you) – as long as the programs are open to do so.

On the temporary residents front, Québec in 2024 introduced or advocated caps: for example, they temporarily halted new low-wage temporary foreign worker hires in the Montreal region for the latter half of 2024 (to curb reliance on foreign labour in jobs that perhaps could go to locals, and to push employers to raise wages). They also drafted a bill to limit international student enrollment in certain private colleges (particularly those with dubious practices or where they felt numbers were too high). Marc Miller, the federal immigration minister, pointed out that Québec has made temporary residents “a political issue” and challenged them to actually come up with a plan to manage those numbers (CityNews, 2024). We might see coordination where Québec could, for example, set an agreement with Ottawa to issue fewer study permits for certain institutions or funnel more students to French-language programs. Interestingly, Québec does want more francophone students – they offer tuition exemptions to international students who study in French outside Montreal, as a way to attract young francophones who might stay eventually. So it’s not a blanket “no” to students; it’s selective encouragement.

The Human Aspect: In these debates, sometimes lost are the human stories of immigrants who are here, building lives, and the contributions they make. For instance, thousands of immigrants worked heroically in healthcare during COVID. Many immigrants start businesses that create local jobs. And importantly, immigration has rejuvenated Montreal and other communities in many ways – culturally and economically. There’s a reason Montreal’s tech scene is vibrant: it’s partly because international students from McGill/Concordia/Polytechnique etc. stayed and started companies or took skilled jobs. Rural towns have seen schools stay open because immigrant families settled there. Successive Quebec governments, including CAQ, do acknowledge these positives, but it’s a matter of convincing the broader public that immigration = growth and can be done in harmony with French language.

The CAQ often cites integration statistics to justify slowing down – like how many immigrants enroll in French classes, how well they fare in the job market compared to others, etc. If they see metrics improving (e.g., higher percentage speaking French, better employment rates), they might feel vindicated in their careful approach. If the economy starts suffering from lack of labour, the pressure will mount from the other side.

As of late 2025, Québec is at a crossroads: keep the current level or adjust downward? The public consultation results and the political climate (approaching the next provincial election in 2026) will heavily influence this. If CAQ feels secure and the public leans toward more restriction, they might trim the numbers. If they get a lot of pushback (especially if unemployment stays low and help-wanted signs abound), they might hold near 50k or even allow a modest increase with conditions (like we saw with the one-time bump to 67k in 2025 because they claimed 80% of those will speak French, thereby making it “less threatening”).

Another wrinkle is the Parti Québécois resurgence. The PQ, under PSPP, has taken an even harder line on immigration (and that has boosted their polling among some voters). CAQ will be keen not to be outflanked on that issue. So politically, there’s incentive for CAQ to show they’re “in control” of immigration. Freezing the PEQ and skilled worker intake in 2024 was one dramatic way to show control. The PQ in opposition still criticizes CAQ for the fact that actual immigration in 2024 hit about 60k (because of unforeseen surges in PEQ, etc.) – they say CAQ failed to keep its word initially. Now CAQ’s response is this tightened plan going forward.

Concluding Thoughts on the Debate

The debate is far from just numbers – it’s about what kind of Québec people want to see in the future. Advocates for more immigration argue that Québec can welcome more people and integrate them, pointing to the many immigrants who do learn French and become Quebecers. They stress that immigrants are not a threat to French if proper francisation resources are provided; rather, immigrants can bolster the French fact in North America by adding to Québec’s population – especially if Québec selects francophones from around the world (Francophone Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, etc. are sources of many Quebec immigrants). They also argue that diversity enriches Québec culturally and that new Quebecers often embrace the language with passion, raising bilingual children who will carry French forward.

On the other side, those urging caution or reduction frame it as a matter of survival: they fear a Montreal where one can live entirely in English or another language and French becomes secondary. They note challenges in Montreal’s downtown where retail and service sectors sometimes default to English due to tourists and some immigrant communities – this raises alarms for them. They often cite that integration is not automatic – it requires effort and will on both sides, and if numbers are too high, they fear ghettos (enclaves) will form where French isn’t spoken. They also bring up capacity: housing, schools, and health care need to expand to accommodate growth, and that takes time and money.

The government is sort of in between: wanting economic benefit from immigration, but wanting to micromanage it to ensure linguistic outcomes.

A real-world example of this tension: international students in English universities. McGill and Concordia (Montreal’s big English-language universities) attract thousands of foreign students. CAQ in late 2023 announced it would significantly hike tuition for out-of-province and international students attending English universities in Quebec, effectively doubling it. The rationale was to disincentivize so many international (and Canadian anglophone) students from coming, because they often stick to English circles and some stay after graduation, potentially not integrating into French (McGill in particular has a lot of students who might not learn much French during their stay). The universities argued this policy is misguided and would hurt Montreal’s economy and innovation (https://immigration.ca/ – McGill and Concordia said it may deter international talent). This move typifies CAQ’s approach: fine-tune levers (like tuition) to indirectly influence the linguistic composition of newcomers (in this case, fewer non-francophone students, more francophone students perhaps going to French universities instead).

It’s a bold social experiment in a way – using immigration policy to engineer linguistic outcomes. Few places in the world tie immigration so tightly to language.

To wrap up the debate: Québec needs people, but Québec needs French-speaking people (or those willing to become French-speaking). So the compromise formula has been: maintain a moderate intake, filter for language as much as possible, and encourage economic immigrants already here. The coming years will show if that formula holds, or if adjustments are needed either to boost the economy (by raising immigration despite language fears) or to appease identity concerns (by cutting immigration even at the cost of some economic growth).

Navigating the Québec Immigration Maze: Tips for Prospective Newcomers

For individuals considering Québec as their new home, the landscape may seem complex. Here’s a quick recap and some practical advice:

• Determine the Right Program: Are you a skilled professional from abroad, a student in Québec, or a temporary worker in Québec? Your situation will dictate the pathway. If you’re overseas with strong French skills and in a high-demand occupation, consider the Regular Skilled Worker (Arrima) stream. If you’re already in Québec on a temporary status, look into PEQ (once it reopens) or the skilled worker program’s criteria. If you fall into one of the pilot program categories (say you’re already an orderly or AI specialist in Québec), that could be your ticket. Business people should explore the entrepreneur or self-employed streams if relevant.

• Language, Language, Language: Start learning French yesterday. Even a basic level (A2 or B1) can help you get by initially and shows your commitment. Aim for B2 level for any of the economic programs. Use free resources, Alliance Française courses, online tools like TV5Monde’s apprendre le français, etc. If you’re in Québec, take advantage of the government classes – they’re not only educational but also a great way to meet other newcomers.

• Stay Informed on Policy Changes: As this article demonstrates, Québec’s immigration rules can change rapidly. Always check the official Québec immigration website (quebec.ca/immigration) for the latest info, or consult reputable news sources (CIC News, Immigration.ca updates, etc.). Changes in requirements or program status (open/closed) could affect your strategy. For example, if you were planning on PEQ but it’s suspended, you might need to pivot to Arrima or a federal option.

• Timing and Targets: Québec’s system isn’t just first-come-first-served; it’s strategic. If you’re in a category that’s paused (like PEQ graduate stream in early 2025), use the time wisely – gather documents, improve your profile, and be ready to apply when it reopens. Keep an eye on announcements around mid-2025 and late-2025 as the new plan for 2026+ gets finalized – it might bring new rules (like possibly caps per country, or changes in points). For Arrima, maintain your profile and update it with any improvements (new diploma, better French test result, etc.). If you haven’t been invited, consider ways to boost your score or attractiveness (maybe a Quebec job offer? or pursuing a short program of study in Québec to get local credentials).

• Consider Regional Opportunities: If you’re open to it, look beyond Montreal. Québec City, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, and others have growing immigrant communities and sometimes lower competition for jobs and cheaper cost of living. Québec’s government is keen to settle people in regions, and you might find a warmer welcome and more support in a smaller city that is actively trying to attract newcomers. There are community initiatives in regions to help integrate immigrant families (for instance, in places like Drummondville or Rivière-du-Loup, local agencies work hard to retain newcomers).

• Plan for Integration: Immigration doesn’t end with getting the visa – that’s just the beginning. Prepare mentally to integrate: join community groups, mix with Quebecers (one tip is to join activities like volunteering, sports, or hobby clubs – it forces you to practice French and build a network). The more you engage, the smoother your journey. Québec society is generally friendly, and many Quebecers appreciate when immigrants show interest in learning about their culture. Don’t be shy to celebrate Quebec holidays, try the poutine and tourtière, and learn some Quebec slang (it will endear you to locals and help in understanding informal French).

• Employment Prep: If you’re a skilled worker, research your industry in Québec. Some professions are regulated (engineers, nurses, etc.) and might require credential recognition or permits – factor that into your plan, as it can take time to re-license. Networking is key in Quebec’s job market; leverage LinkedIn, go to industry meetups (lots in Montreal’s tech and startup scene), and possibly use immigrant employment services that can connect you with mentors or workshops. Knowing French is vital in many fields, but in some international sectors (like certain IT companies or research labs) English might suffice – still, any French you know will set you apart.

• Use Available Resources: Québec has free services for newcomers: Integration assistance offices (CAL), immigrant-serving organizations like OCASI equivalents in Quebec (e.g., TCRI members), etc. They provide orientation sessions, one-on-one counselling, and sometimes matching with a Quebec “buddy” family. Avail these services – they can guide you on everything from renting an apartment to enrolling kids in school.

In conclusion, immigrating to Québec means signing up not only for the benefits of living in a dynamic, culturally rich part of North America, but also for the responsibility of adopting its language and values. The province extends a hand to those who are willing to make Québec their home in more than just a geographical sense – it’s about joining the Quebec family, la famille québécoise. If you’re ready to say “Bonjour, Hi!” and eventually mostly “Bonjour”, Québec offers a world of opportunity, from the historic charm of its cities to the natural beauty of its landscapes, a strong social support system, affordable education, and a distinct cultural scene (music, festivals, cuisine) that is unique on the continent.