Connect with us

Immigration

Quebec moves to terminate backlog of 18,000 Skilled Worker Program applications

Published

on

Among other measures, the new legislation introduces changes to Quebec’s Immigration Act that emphasize an immigrant’s “responsibility” to learn Quebec values and French. (Pixabay photo)

The Government of Quebec is moving to eliminate outstanding applications to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program submitted prior to August 2, 2018.  

The plan calls for cancelling all applications submitted before that date that have yet to be approved, refused or rejected, effectively clearing the current backlog of around 18,000 applications and refunding the government processing fee.

Eliminating the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) backlog is one of numerous proposals contained in a new immigration bill tabled Thursday, February 7, by Quebec’s new Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government.

Among other measures, the new legislation introduces changes to Quebec’s Immigration Act that emphasize an immigrant’s “responsibility” to learn Quebec values and French.

The CAQ government also introduced the possibility of imposing conditions on permanent residence — a move that could land Quebec in court.

The goal, the government says, is ensuring that immigrants to Quebec are better integrated and therefore better equipped to succeed in Quebec’s labour market.

Matching immigrants to actual labour needs in Quebec

Quebec’s Immigration Minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette, said eliminating the QSWP backlog is essential to this effort.

Doing so, he said, would allow his ministry to better tailor immigration to actual labour needs in the province through the QSWP and cut application processing times from 36 months to six.

“It’s a strong measure,” he acknowledged, “but it’s the only one capable of breaking a stalemate that we can no longer accept.”

He noted that the backlogged applications were submitted when the QSWP operated on a first-come, first-served basis, which he said was not in touch with Quebec’s workforce needs.

This approach changed in August 2018, when Quebec switched the application process to a more merit-focused Expression of Interest model.

Under this approach, foreign workers register a profile with Quebec’s Immigration Ministry (MIDI) that details their education, training, work experience and language abilities.

MIDI then invites candidates to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de séléction du Québec, or CSQ) based on a variety of considerations, including labour needs in outlying regions of the province where worker shortages are more acute.

Jolin-Barrette said the Expression of Interest system is a better fit for the government’s efforts to tailor the selection of skilled workers in order to address these shortages.

Individuals affected by the move to cancel pending applications submitted under the old first-come, first-served model can re-apply through the new Expression of Interest system.

online pharmacy buy prevacid with best prices today in the USA

Conditional permanent residence?

One potentially controversial amendment in Bill 9 is the introduction of the Minister’s right to impose possible conditions on permanent residence.

Bill 9 says conditions may be imposed on the basis of public health, regional and sectoral labour needs or “the foreign national’s linguistic, social and economic integration,” among other things.

The proposal could spark a showdown with Canada’s federal government, which has jurisdiction over the granting of permanent residence in Canada.

According to Radio-Canada, the Canadian government has already replied that it will oppose conditions that require immigrants to work in a certain region of the province, saying such a move would violate mobility rights enshrined in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Jolin-Barrette, however, argued Thursday that Quebec has the right to impose conditions on permanent residence.

online pharmacy buy azithromycin with best prices today in the USA

“Quebec has to exercise — and will exercise — its full rights on immigration, which is an important issue for the people of this province,” he said.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle1 day ago

How To Do Christmas & Hanukkah This Year

Christmas 2024 is literally just around the corner! Here in Vancouver, we just finished celebrating Taylor Swift’s last leg of...

Lifestyle4 weeks ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle1 month ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle3 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle3 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...