All You Should Know About Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
The Quebec Experience Program or PEQ (Programme de l’expérience québécoise) was created to encourage foreign workers and international students who have completed a post-secondary school program in Quebec to transition to Canadian permanent residence.
The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) is a fast-track process leading to permanent residence for two categories of candidates. The program allows temporary foreign workers and international students to apply for permanent residence from inside Quebec, after completing a period of qualified work or post-secondary studies.
Québec Experience Program for International Students
The Quebec Experience Program offers foreign students the opportunity to begin their formal immigration process before conculding with their studies. This privilege is usually not granted foreigners in other provinces or at the federal level.
For students to be qualified for PEQ, they must have studied in Quebec full time and have completed one of the following types of diplomas:
- Diploma of Vocational Studies (Diplôme d’Études Professionelles) with a minimum of 1 800 hours of study;
- DVS followed by an Attestation of Vocational Specialization (Attestation de spécialisation professionnelle) involving at least 1 800 hours of study;
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Master’s degree (or MBA);
- Doctorate.
The diploma or degree must be granted by a public education institution or by a university located in Quebec and recognized by the government.
In addition, the foreign student must have lived in Quebec for at least half the duration of their study program. Also, foreign students must have an accredited intermediate-advanced knowledge of oral French.
Québec Experience Program for Foreign Workers
To qualify under the Quebec Experience Program, the applicant must be residing temporarily in Quebec as a temporary foreign worker for at least a period of 12 months.
Also, applicants must have been employed full-time in Quebec in any paid employment for a period of One year in the Two years that precede the submission of the application.
One year (12 months) period need not be continuous and can be accumulated with more than one employer.
Finally, the temporary foreign worker must also possess an intermediate knowledge of oral French. To prove French language proficiency, applicants may choose from among the programs approved by the immigration authorities.
