Quebec invites 790 PSTQ candidates to apply for permanent selection

On August 27, Québec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) held immigration selections under all four streams of the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

The province issued no fewer than 790 invitations in this selection round, with the greatest share of invitations sent to workers with intermediate and manual skills (stream 2).

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Those selected will have the opportunity to respond with complete applications for a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ), which can be used to apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence with the intent to settle in Québec.

With this latest round, the MIFI has now held eight PSTQ draws over the course of 2026.

Draw details

Profiles were extracted from the candidate pool on August 24, 2026, at 11:48 a.m., for selections made under all four streams.

Stream 1: Highly qualified and specialized skills

Under stream 1, a total of 87 invitations were issued across three exercises to workers in TEER 0–2 occupations who currently reside in Québec and have 12 months of work experience in the last five years.

Exercise	Invitations issued	Cutoff score
Exercise 1 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 1, 2)	26	639
Exercise 2 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 2)	11	710
Exercise 3 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 0–2)	50	694

For exercise 1, a candidate’s primary occupation needed to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following 10 healthcare and social services, education, and natural sciences occupations:

• Biologists and related scientists (21110).
• Early childhood educators and assistants (42202).
• Instructors for persons with disabilities (42203).
• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (31209).
• Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment (32109).
• Pharmacy technicians (32124).
• Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (31303).
• Physicists and astronomers (21100).
• Social and community service workers (42201).
• Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies (41301).

For exercise 2, individuals in two occupations were targeted: chefs (62200) and food service supervisors (62020).

For exercise 3, a candidate’s primary occupation had to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following 26 occupations, primarily in engineering and manufacturing, skilled trades, or technology:

Stream 2: Intermediate and manual skills

Under stream 2, the MIFI issued no fewer than 324 invitations across four exercises to workers in TEER 3–5 occupations who currently reside in Québec and have 24 months of work experience in the last five years (12 in the province).

Exercise	Invitations issued	Cutoff score
Exercise 1 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 3, 4)	314	638
Exercise 2 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 3, 5)	10–15	706
Exercise 3 – Qualifying diploma + priority occupation (TEER 3–5)	<5	695
Exercise 4 – Qualifying diploma + TEER 4 or 5 primary occupation	249	616

For exercise 1, a candidate’s primary occupation had to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following six healthcare, education, or home care occupations:

• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (43100).
• Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (44101).
• Medical administrative assistants (13112).
• Medical laboratory assistants and related technical workers (33101).
• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (33102).
• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (33103).

For exercise 2, individuals in two occupations were targeted: cooks (63200) and light duty cleaners (65310).

For exercise 3, a candidate’s primary occupation had to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following 11 occupations, primarily in construction, manufacturing, or transportation:

For exercise 4, candidates needed to have a primary occupation at the TEER 4 or 5 level, but no designated occupations were listed.

Stream 3: Regulated professions

Stream 3 accounted for 109 invitations across three exercises, all issued to candidates residing in Québec who intend to work in a regulated profession.

Exercise	Invitations issued	Cutoff score
Exercise 1 – Priority occupation (TEER 1, 2)	77	639
Exercise 2 – Priority occupation (TEER 1, 2)	25–30	694
Exercise 3 – TEER 4 or 5 occupation	<5	393

For exercise 1, a candidate’s primary occupation had to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following 32 healthcare, education, or social and community service occupations:

For exercise 2, a candidate’s primary occupation had to align with a priority sector and correspond to one of the following 30 engineering, skilled trades, or transportation occupations:

Under exercise 3, candidates needed to demonstrate intent to practice in a regulated TEER 4 or 5 occupation. No specific occupations were provided.

Stream 4: Exceptional talent

Under stream 4, a total of 21 invitations were issued to candidates with at least 36 months of work experience in the last five years.

Exercise	Invitations issued	Cutoff score
Exercise 1 – Positive opinion letter	15	N/A
Exercise 2 – Exceptional achievement + doctorate	6	N/A

Under exercise 1, eligibility depended on having a positive opinion letter issued by a MIFI partner in one of the fields targeted by the department.

Under exercise 2, candidates needed:

• A qualifying achievement appearing on MIFI’s List of Exceptional Achievements; and
• An education level equivalent to a Québec doctorate, including undergraduate doctorates.

To be considered for selection under the PSTQ, candidates must meet the general eligibility requirements of at least one of the program’s four streams.

Full details of the August 27 selection round, including stream-specific eligibility criteria, can be found on Québec’s official PSTQ invitation web page.

 

About the PSTQ

The Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) is Québec’s primary economic immigration pathway for skilled workers seeking permanent residence in Québec.

To be considered, prospective candidates must submit a declaration of interest through the Arrima portal. Their profile is then added to Québec’s declaration-of-interest database and assessed against factors associated with successful economic and social integration.

The PSTQ is divided into four streams. A candidate’s declared occupation, and how it is classified under the National Occupational Classification system, largely determines the stream under which they may be invited.

Candidates who meet the criteria established for a particular selection round may receive an invitation to apply for permanent selection. If approved, they are issued a CSQ, after which they can submit a permanent residence application to the federal government.

The province’s PSTQ invitation strategy has changed in response to the July 2, 2026, reopening of the Québec Experience Program (PEQ).

Until October 31, 2026, when the PEQ’s first intake period closes, Québec is reducing the number of PSTQ invitations to remain within the admission targets set under its 2026–2029 multi-year immigration plan. Until then, PSTQ invitations are being concentrated among candidates in TEER 4 and 5 occupations and those who have not yet accumulated two years of work experience.

Starting in November 2026, PSTQ invitation levels are expected to be adjusted according to the number of applications received through the PEQ during its first intake period. Québec has said it intends to issue the same number of CSQs across both programs for the remainder of the period covered by its 2026–2029 immigration plan.

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