August 29, 2018 – Thousands of job vacancies will continue to go unfilled unless immigration to Quebec City is increased.
That is the view of Quebec City Mayor Régis Lebeaume, who wants the next provincial government to make higher Quebec immigration a top priority.
Lebeaume says there are 17,000 jobs available in Quebec City at the moment, with little hope of finding the right people to fill the vacancies.
“We need immigration, immigration, immigration,” he said at a recent news conference.
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Lebeaume was speaking ahead of the looming Quebec provincial election, set for October 1.
Political parties are currently jostling for position on the campaign trail, with immigration always one of the foremost divisive issues.
The mayor has put out a 12-page document saying Quebec City needs more than 5,000 extra immigrants per year for the labour market to recover.
Currently, Quebec City takes six per cent of all immigrants settling in the province of Quebec. Lebeaume wants to see that rise to 10 per cent.
While Labeaume says all new immigrants must be able to speak French, he called for a loosening of other requirements where a candidate had a job offer lined up.
“We have the jobs. If they speak French, it’s going to be a total success,” he said.
Lebeaume highlighted how those with job offers on the table still have to submit translated records of employment for all previous posts held, calling the requirements ‘ridiculous’.
Expression of Interest Coming to Quebec
The province of Quebec is about to launch an Expression of Interest immigration system for skilled workers.
The new system will work in a similar way to the federal Express Entry system.
Candidates will submit an Expression of Interest and enter into an Expression of Interest Bank where the highest-scoring profiles will be invited to apply for a Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ) under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
The new method will replace the current first-come, first-served system. It is expected to reduce the processing time for economic immigration applicants to less than a year.
It will give priority to skilled workers who best meet the needs of the Quebec labour market.
How Does Quebec Expression of Interest Work?
- Candidates submit an online expression of interest profile to the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion (MIDI).
- Profiles enter an Expression of Interest pool, where they are ranked against each other. A profile is valid for 12-months.
- The highest-ranking candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a Quebec Certificate of Selection under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
- Quebec will conduct periodic draws, inviting candidates to apply for a Quebec certificate of selection (CSQ).
- Candidates receiving an invitation have 90 days to submit a full application.
- Approved candidates who receive a nomination certificate (CSQ) may then apply for Canadian permanent residence.
What Are the Requirements for Quebec Expression of Interest?
Candidates are ranked under many factors including education, work experience, age, language ability and time spent in Quebec. A valid job offer is also an important factor.
The qualifications of a candidate’s spouse or partner will also be considered.
Quebec publishes lists of High Demand Occupations and Areas of Training that weigh considerably in the assessment.
How to Qualify Under Quebec Expression of Interest
What Points Are Available Under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program?
Profile factor | Max points available |
Education | 14 |
Areas of training | 12 |
Work experience | 8 |
Age | 16 |
Language proficiency | 22 |
Time spent and family in Quebec | 8 |
Spouse/common-law partner | 17 |
Job offer | 14 |
Accompanying children | 8 |
Financial self-sufficiency | 1 |
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
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