PSTQ: Natacha Mignon responds to the first invitations

On July 17, 2025, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) kept its promise: the first invitations under the Skilled Worker Selection Program were officially sent out. Good news, certainly. But for the thousands of candidates left in limbo since the suspension of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), enthusiasm is mixed.

The PEQ, long considered the golden path to the CSQ for French-speaking applicants, is now frozen until November 30, 2025. In 2022, it accounted for nearly 14,000 CSQs issued, about half of all annual selections. Its suspension has left a significant gap.

PSTQ more selective

The PSTQ, meant to take over, is designed to be more selective and strategic. The July 17 numbers confirm this: only 238 invitations were issued across all categories, a far cry from PEQ volumes.

PSTQ Stream 1, activated for the first time, targeted 216 individuals:

To hope to be among the lucky ones, one had to: hold a profession classified as FEER category 0, 1, or 2; have at least 12 months of recent experience; speak French at an oral level of 7+ and written level of 5+; be a graduate of Quebec; reside in Quebec; and most importantly, obtain a score of at least 768 points.

In other words, if you’re a software engineer who graduated from Polytechnique, with flawless French, a rock-solid résumé, and an Arrima score nearing perfection, you might have had a chance.

For everyone else, it’s a matter of waiting… or aiming higher.

Stream 4, reserved for ‘exceptional talents’, saw 22 invitations sent out:

To be eligible, you needed a positive recommendation from a MIFI partner or a recognized achievement, proof of 36 months of experience within the past five years, and, in some cases, a PhD.

Basically, if you’ve published in Nature, won an international award, or revolutionized an industry, you might have made the shortlist. Otherwise, better luck next time,  the PSTQ doesn’t mess around when it comes to excellence.

The regions?

One of the stated goals of the PSTQ was to better distribute immigration across Quebec’s territory. Yet, no data indicates whether the regions were prioritized in this first round.

Candidates from Sept-Îles, Val-d’Or, or Rimouski will have to wait to find out whether their location works in their favor… or if Montréal remains the center of gravity.

A selection too restrictive?

This first draw, though symbolic, raises a fundamental question: what happens to the thousands of skilled workers who don’t fit into any of these categories?

• Orderlies or construction site operators, essential as they are, but classified as FEER 3?
• Francophone candidates living abroad without a Quebec diploma?
• Experienced workers who fall short of the required score?

In its current form, the PSTQ appears to be designed for a narrow, highly qualified elite. While MIFI has fulfilled its promise by issuing invitations, it remains to be seen how it plans to broaden access to permanent selection without recreating an invisible waiting line, which was not the stated goal when the PEQ was suspended.

At the time, the ministry stated its intention to better align immigration with labor market needs, promote a more balanced regional distribution, and implement a more transparent and predictable system.

Yet, the initial results of the PSTQ feel more like an excellence contest, where only the best-equipped — or the luckiest — can hope to cross the finish line.

Quebec wants to attract top talent? Fair enough. But first, we need to define what ‘top’ really means — and above all, not forget those who, without a PhD or 768 points, keep the economy running day to day.

Let’s wait for the next round of invitations to see how the PSTQ lives up to its own promises.