Quebec brings down work experience term for PEQ

Nadine Girault, Quebec’s new immigration minister, has announced that the rules currently in effect to access the PEQ (Quebec Experience Program) will provide a great advantage to this year’s graduates.

Students currently in Quebec who will have had or will get a diploma that’s eligible for the PEQ by 31 December 2020 could apply under the current rules before the new regulations get implemented.

Reducing the earlier work experience requirement of 12 to 36 months for TFWs (Temporary Foreign Workers) to qualify for PEQ, the new rule now has set it at 24 months.

Also, the work experience requirement of 12 to 24 months announced earlier for international students is eased now. Internship experience as part of the study program will also be considered if it’s under 3 months of full-time work.

The new changes will be implemented on July 22, 2020. All applications received before that will be processed as per the existing rules under the immigration Canada system.

The PEQ was an economic immigration program for Canada immigration that was started in 2010. It provides a fast-track to permanent residence for TFWs as well as international students already present in Quebec.

To become eligible for PEQ, international students must:

Get a degree in Quebec or a college studies diploma from Quebec

Have 12 months of work experience in Quebec in a full-time job that comes under NOC (National Occupational Classification) codes A, B and 0

Be in such a job when the application is submitted

If holding a Quebec diploma of professional studies, have at least an 18-month work experience in Quebec in jobs under NOC codes A, B, C, and 0.

Under the new PEQ rules, students having NOC C level occupations can only be eligible if their work experience is in areas related to their study program in Quebec.

As for TFWs, to be eligible for PEQ, they must have a minimum full-time work experience of 24 months in the 32 months that precede the date of submitting the application for permanent residence. The job they hold must be of NOC levels A, B, C, and 0.

Moreover, the spouses of principal applicants under the PEQ will have to achieve a level 4 proficiency in spoken French. This requirement will come into effect on July 22, 2021.

There’s also a new pilot program announced by Girault for the agri-food industry. 2 other pilot projects have also been announced in May 2020 which includes:

• A project to address the huge requirement for nurse’s aides as well as beneficiary attendants in Quebec
• A project that focuses on information technology and artificial intelligence

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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