Quebec holds first Arrima draw of 2021

Quebec issued invitations to apply for selection under the Regular Skilled Worker Program to 95 immigration candidates on January 26.

Invitations were issued to candidates who had an Expression of Interest (EOI) in Quebec’s online registration portal, Arrima.

Two categories of candidates were invited in the last draw. Candidates in the first category were required to have a validated job offer. The second categories included individuals who were in Quebec as a diplomat, consular officer, representative of the United Nations or any intergovernmental organization with operations in Quebec. The draw could have also included people who are members of the staff of any such official, as these occupations are also covered under Section 26 of the Quebec Immigration Regulation.

To immigrate to Quebec under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP), candidates must first submit an EOI through Arrima. The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) reviews the bank of profiles and issues invitations to those who meet specific criteria based on labour market needs in Quebec.

Quebec’s immigration programs are managed by the province based on selection criteria and processes that are distinct from Canada's immigration programs.

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About Arrima

Arrima was introduced in 2018 to manage the pool of applicants for the RSWP and to simplify an application intake system that was formerly based on a “first-come, first-served” approach.

Candidates 18 years of age and older interested in immigrating to Quebec through the RSWP must first create an EOI profile in Arrima, after which they are placed in a pool of candidates.

MIFI then invites the most qualified candidates based on, among other criteria, current provincial market labour needs and the person's strong potential to integrate into Quebec society.

Those invited to apply for permanent selection generally have a limited amount of time to submit a complete immigration application, pay the required fees and present all other required documents.

Once the file is complete and submitted, the province's immigration ministry examines the application and assigns it a score using the RSWP selection grid which takes into account criteria such as level of education, age, language skills and work experience.

Those who obtain a passing score on the selection grid will receive their Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), which is a required document in Quebec that certifies that a candidate has been approved for permanent selection by the province.

Those who receive a CSQ can then apply for permanent residence with the Canadian federal government. From there, they will have to undergo a medical examination and a criminal admissibility screening.

Planned Immigration Levels

In recent months, both the Province of Quebec and Canada announced an increase in immigration targets for the coming years. In 2021, Quebec aims to welcome up to 47,500 newcomers. Meanwhile, Canada aims to welcome more than 400,000 immigrants under its various immigration programs over the next year.

If you received an invitation to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate, you may email qcita@canadavisa.com to learn about the next steps regarding your application.

Find out if you’re eligible for Canadian immigration