Immigration

I'll search for current immigration figures and statistics for Quebec.

Context

Quebec is limiting overall foreign national admissions to ease pressure on the province's capacity to receive and integrate newcomers.¹

With the number of temporary residents now exceeding 500,000, the government has reassessed how immigration levels align with its capacity for integration and French-language objectives.¹

The 2026–2029 planning seeks to limit the overall volume of temporary and permanent immigration in order to reduce the pressure on Québec's capacity to receive and integrate immigrants, and aims to preserve the regions' vitality and restore balance between Québec's socioeconomic needs and its capacity to receive and integrate, in French, immigrants settling on its territory.²

Immigration Thresholds

Permanent Immigration:

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Beginning in 2026, Quebec will limit permanent resident admissions to 45,000 per year, representing a notable reduction from the 61,000 permanent immigrants expected in 2025.¹

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Quebec's permanent resident (PR) targets will operate within a range, allowing the province to welcome a maximum of 47,000 and a minimum of 43,000 new immigrants in 2026.³

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Quebec plans to maintain this 45,000 PR admissions target for the next four years.³

Breakdown by Category (2026):

Economic Immigration: 28,800 individuals (including 28,275 skilled workers); Family Reunification: 10,000 individuals; Refugees and similar cases: 5,750 individuals; Other Immigrants: 450 individuals.⁴

Temporary Immigration:

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The plan reduces annual permanent admissions to 45,000 and, for the first time, sets targets to curb temporary immigration, aiming for a 13% decrease by 2029.¹

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The 2026 plan introduces detailed targets for temporary immigration, estimating between 84,900 and 124,200 temporary entrants next year under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Student Program.⁵

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By 2029: 65,000 temporary foreign worker permit holders and 110,000 international student permit holders.⁴

Integration of Newcomers and French Language

The government has set an ambitious language objective, seeking to ensure that nearly 80% of new immigrants possess at least intermediate French proficiency by 2029, compared with 50% in 2019.¹

The province is also aiming to have a French-language proficiency rate of about 76% among permanent residents admitted.³

The plan ends several immigration programs and introduces stricter French language requirements, and emphasizes French integration and regional balance, which may lead to stricter eligibility criteria, smaller candidate pools, and increased pressure on employers in urban centers.¹

Program Changes:

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Quebec will permanently end the two streams of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) on November 19, 2025. Both streams are currently suspended and will not reopen.¹

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Permanent immigration will now be streamlined under the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), which will become the sole pathway for skilled workers. The PSTQ prioritizes candidates who demonstrate strong French-language ability, Quebec-based education or work experience, and alignment with regional labor market needs.¹

French Requirements for Temporary Workers:

A spoken French proficiency requirement at level 4 will apply to Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) renewal applicants who have lived in Quebec for three years or more, effective December 17, 2028, following a three-year transitional period. Certain exceptions will apply.¹

Labour Force

Economic immigration is expected to make up 64% of all permanent resident admissions.³

Of the 45,000 permanent residents the province aims to admit in 2026, up to 54% of these new admissions are to come from temporary residents already present in the province.³

The reductions will focus on Montreal and Laval to prioritize regional balance.¹

The suspension of LMIA applications for certain (low-wage) jobs in Montreal and Laval has been extended to December 31, 2026.¹

To limit the impact on the capacity to receive these admission levels, the government plans to prioritize the admission of people already in Québec, who know French and who respond to labour market needs.⁶