Quebec Moving To Online Application System For Skilled Worker Program

Amended checklist requirements will simplify application procedure

The government of Quebec has announced that by October 1, 2015, a new online tool will be available for applicants for Canadian immigration through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP). This tool will allow eligible candidates to complete and submit an application online.

From the next period for receipt of applications, which will be announced in the near future, candidates for the program will use this secure online space in order to make their application and monitor its processing in real time. The exact details of how this online system will operate have not yet been disclosed.

Moreover, the document checklist for the QSWP has been amended, as has the document checklist for the Programme de l'expérience québécoise (Quebec Experience Program, or PEQ). Changes made to the document checklists come into effect immediately on all applications on which no final decision has been made.

The amended checklist for the QSWP places less stringent requirements on applicants with regard to the submission of certain documents. Quebec has streamlined its documentation requirements, with fewer certified true copies of documents required, and more documents being able to be submitted in photocopied form.

Documents that until now had to be submitted as certified true copies, but may now be submitted as photocopies, include birth certificates, marital status certificates, work experience documentation, and results of language tests. Documents that are no longer required include family booklets (if applicable) and work payslips from the candidate’s current employer.

A number of important documents are still required in the form of a certified true copy. These include tax documents, education records such as diplomas, and documents pertaining to any internship agreements, if applicable.

In recent weeks and months, CICnews has covered stories on the areas of training list for the QSWP and the allocation of 6,300 spaces for the upcoming application cycle for the program.

Positive news for applicants

“All the immigration news from Quebec over the past week appears to be positive for prospective applicants. On the one hand, we have a commitment from the government of Quebec that a new online system will replace the previous paper system, which could be described as cumbersome. We also have assurance that this system will be in place by October of this year and that Quebec will announce the date for the reopening of its skilled worker program soon,” says Attorney David Cohen.

“As for how documents may be submitted, the new document checklist for that program really is a breath of fresh air. The previous checklist placed onerous conditions on the format of certain documents, sometimes resulting in otherwise good applications being delayed or even returned to the applicant. I am confident that, with these changes in place and the online system soon to come, Quebec will be able to attract the many thousands of economic immigrants it seeks.”

Note: Applications for a Quebec Selection Certificate through the QSWP submitted before the announcement of the start of the official period for receipt of applications will be returned to applicants. However, candidates in one of the following situations may submit an application at any time:

The applicant has enclosed a validated employment offer with the application for a selection certificate submitted under the QSWP;
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has informed the applicant that it has agreed to process the application for permanent residence in Canada; or
The applicant is a temporary resident and eligible to submit an application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec.

To find out if you are eligible for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, or any of Canada’s over 60 immigration programs, please fill out a free assessment today.