02 Aug New Details Published For Expression Of Interest System For Quebec Skilled Workers
New Details Published For Expression Of Interest System For Quebec Skilled Workers
The recently made promise by the Expression Of Interest System or EOI System states that the processing time will be reduced to less than twelve months.
As the new details are published by Quebec on the EOI System, it suggests that the prospective profiles of Quebec candidates under Skilled Worker Program will be managed by EOI.
The current application process of QSWP (Quebec Skilled Worker Program) which was on a first-come-first-serve basis, will be replaced by the recent EOI (Expression Of Interest) System.
According to the recent published regulations that are to be enforced from 2nd August, the interested candidates of QSWP would need to submit an EOI profile online to the Immigration Ministry of Quebec (MIDI).
Determination of Eligibility
The first step will be to submit EOI Profile to QSWP’s bank –anyone of or more than 18 years of age is eligible. The evaluation will be done in bank regarding factors like training, education, the experience of skilled work, proficiency of English or French, financial sufficiency and so on. For being considered, the profiles need to obtain minimum of 2 points for education which can be of secondary school or a general diploma and 1 point for economic self-sufficiency.
The awarded points under recent QSWP point grid and that for most of selection factors of QSWP remains almost unchanged, however with exception of Validated Employment Offer that increases from 10-14 point maximum. The factor of “Stay and Family in Quebec” has some variables weighed differently although its maximum points remain 8.
| Quebec Skilled Worker Program Selection Factors |
| Education (up to 14 points; cut-off score = 2 points) |
| Areas of training (up to 12 points) |
| Work experience (up to 8 points) |
| Age (up to 16 points) |
| Language proficiency (up to 22 points) |
| Stay and Family in Quebec (up to 8 points) |
| Spouse/common-law partner characteristics (up to 17 points) |
| Valid job offer (up to 14 points) |
| Presence of accompanying children (up to 8 points) |
|
Financial self-sufficiency (1 point) |
The second step for the profiles meeting initial educational and economical self-sufficiency requirements will be to get the necessary 43 points cut-off score for group of factors named Employability, based on score of candidate regarding work experience, training, education, age, family in Quebec, time spent there, language proficiency and valid job offer. The employment offer is not mandatory for eligibility in QSWP but is an added bonanza.
Those candidates having a legal partner or spouse have to attain the cut-off marks of 52. Apart from the six factors mentioned above, other considering factors are training and education of partner, language proficiency and work experience.
For those obtaining cut-off marks for Employability, the third step will be to get the 50 points of cut-off marks for threshold of group of factors named Selection. Those with legal partner or spouse will have to get 59 points to meet cut-off marks. Here the awarded points under six factors such as employability, addition of kids and economical self-sufficiency are considered along with language proficiency, work experience, training and education of the legal partner or spouse.
Score is Not Prime Factor For Invitations
Just by obtaining the cut-off marks of 50 for Selection, the candidate is not subject to get an invitation for applying for CSQ or Certificate de sélection du Québec (Quebec Selection Certificate).
Only the highest-scoring profiles are issued for invitations although upcoming change of Immigration Act of Quebec depicts that there can be other conditions or selection criteria. The updated Section 44 Act depicts that invitation can be determined by any criterion related to staying and settling down successfully in Quebec by any foreign national, for example, occupation, trade or training. The other criterion can be any destination of Quebec, any region under humanitarian crisis as well as existence of international commitment.
David Heurtel, the Immigration Minister of Quebec stated in various media interviews that those candidates, who have experience of working in the occupations that have been identified to have shortages in the outlying regions of Quebec, can move to front line to appear for selection operated by new system.
The Liberal Government of Quebec has publicized the reformed immigration system to be the key to address shortage of labor which can leave approximately 1 million job vacancies in next ten years.
Within the 90 days window, the invited candidates can submit the application for applying for CSQ.
Heurtel also mentioned that under the updated system, the QSWP Candidates will need less than twelve months for processing for applying CSQ, which is a huge relief as in 2017, the application processing time had taken 32 months.
Those receiving CSQ are eligible to apply for refuges, immigration as well as IRCC or Canadian Citizenship for getting permanent residence.
Advantages and Disadvantages of EOI
In the outgoing model of first-come first-serve basis, candidates not qualifying for QSWP’s cap-exempt status were eligible to submit application on only specified period within the year and that too until the fixed quota was fulfilled.
But, now there will be no fixed time for submitting EOI Profile and anyone of or over 18 years is eligible for it.
In the first-come first-serve basis, all the accepted applications were treated as the same whereas the new system comes with a possibility of favoring particular applications which can turn out to be a drawback.
According to a tweet in French language on Twitter by Heurtel, the platform of immigration process in Quebec in accordance with Quebec’s economy will be better with this new system. The top-notch, performance-driven and efficient immigration system run by Quebec Government is considerate with actual societal needs of Quebec and the labor market.
Immigration in other Canadian territories is jointly managed by Federal Government of Canada while that in Quebec is mostly independent and relies on Canadian Government for approval of permanent and temporary residence of the selected candidates.
| OLD QUEBEC SKILLED WORKER SYSTEM | NEW QUEBEC SKILLED WORKER SYSTEM |
| First-come, first-served model | Expression of Interest model |
| Interested individuals submit their application through the Mon project Quebec online application intake portal | Interested individuals declare their interest in the program and enter the Quebec Expression of Interest Bank by completing an online profile |
| Single applicants must score at least 50 points, and applicants with a spouse/common-law partner must score at least 59 points across 10 selection factors | Candidates in the Quebec Expression of Interest Bank will be assigned a score based on selection factors and wait to be invited by the Government of Quebec |
| Candidates wait for intake periods or submit an application that remains filed in the Quebec system for an indeterminate length of time | Candidates who are successfully selected from the Quebec Expression of Interest bank are issued invitations to apply for a CSQ. |
| Limited intake thresholds for non-cap-exempt applicants | No limit on the number Expression of interest profiles submitted to the system |
| Cap-exempt applications remain under evaluation over long periods of time | Expression of Interest profiles will be valid for 12 months from the date of submission |
Upcoming Changes to Experience Class Of Quebec
Another economic immigration program named PEQ or Quebec Experience Program was subject to two changes.
The eligibility criteria for PEQ are to obtain diploma from any Quebec School having recognition or to have skilled one year work experience in the last 2 years and to be full-time employee in Quebec.
The existing requirements of PEQ under NOC or National Occupational Classification of Canada needed candidates to have experience in designation of Skill Level A or B and Skill Type O. Now, it has been changed as candidates with designation of Skill Level C and Level D are also able to apply under PEQ for CSQ.
Another significant change is that the accompanying legal partners and spouses working with open work permits in Quebec are able to be present as principal CSQ applicants.
Quebec Skilled Worker Points Calculator
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