Quebec's Immigration Overhaul Faces Immediate Backlash Over Permanent Residency Concerns
An effort by Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge to clarify the province's new immigration program for temporary workers was met with swift criticism on Friday. Critics argue the replacement program offers little reassurance to thousands of workers who now face uncertainty about their future in Quebec.
No Clear Path to Permanent Residency
The central concern revolves around the absence of a pathway to permanent residency for workers who came to Quebec under the previous Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) but do not meet the updated criteria of the new Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ). The PSTQ prioritizes applicants based on multiple factors including age, French language proficiency, work experience, education level, and geographic location within the province.
"There remains no path to permanent residency for workers who don't meet the new criteria," critics emphasized during Friday's announcements. This fundamental gap has created what some are calling a crisis of confidence among temporary workers who had planned their lives around the previous system.
Montreal Mayor Expresses Disappointment
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada voiced strong disappointment with Quebec's decision not to implement a grandfather clause for those already living in the province under the PEQ system. "(The PEQ) was a proactive immigration of labour that we needed in this province, in our city," she stated during a Friday afternoon scrum.
The mayor highlighted that Montreal had formally urged the province to reconsider abolishing the PEQ during a city council meeting earlier in the week. At minimum, she requested that Montreal applicants not be disadvantaged compared to those in other regions of Quebec.
Regional Distribution Raises Concerns
Initial data from the PSTQ's first round of monthly invitations revealed that 65.9 percent went to temporary workers living outside Montreal and Laval. While Minister Roberge explained this distribution reflects strategic selection based on provincial needs, Montreal officials expressed concern about potential inequities.
"I understand that the regions need, also, labour and need people," Martinez Ferrada acknowledged. "What I'm asking is that we be treated the same."
Union and Municipal Leaders Voice Opposition
The Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) joined the chorus of criticism, pointing out the absence of any transition mechanism for workers who arrived under the PEQ but now find themselves ineligible under the PSTQ. Guillaume Tremblay, mayor of Mascouche and UMQ president, stated that Quebec's economic future depends on immigration "adapted to needs on the ground."
"The Quebec government's announcement today is largely insufficient to fix the situation it itself created by abolishing the PEQ without notice," Tremblay asserted. He emphasized that local businesses across Quebec rely on immigrant workers, suggesting government decisions appear disconnected from on-the-ground realities.
Political and Labor Reactions
Québec solidaire parliamentary leader Guillaume Cliche-Rivard dismissed Roberge's announcement as containing "nothing new and is largely insufficient to reassure anyone." He called for implementation of a grandfather clause as "the bare minimum" necessary to address the situation.
Labor organizations echoed these concerns. Julie Bouchard, president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), noted that while prioritizing healthcare workers in the PSTQ is positive, it "does nothing to resolve the situation for those who, since the abolition of the PEQ, have been living with anxiety and uncertainty."
Caroline Senneville, president of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), characterized Roberge's news conference as "nothing but smoke and mirrors," accusing the minister of failing to listen to months of appeals from civil society.
University Professors in Limbo
The uncertainty extends to academia, where at least 25 Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) professors face potential displacement due to the PEQ's abolition. While Roberge expressed that he "wasn't happy" to hear about professors' fears and noted their eligibility through the PSTQ's exceptional talent stream, critics remain unsatisfied.
Senneville described Roberge's comments as "an opening — but we are far from the finish line," noting that foreign professors must still accumulate points across multiple criteria merely to hope for an invitation in future selection rounds.
Minister Defends Position
Minister Roberge defended the decision not to implement a grandfather clause, arguing that with approximately 275,000 temporary foreign workers in Quebec, such a measure would mean approving permanent residency based on the PEQ's criteria for at least a decade. The PSTQ represents a shift from the PEQ's first-come, first-served approach to a more strategic selection process aligned with Quebec's evolving needs.
Despite these explanations, the criticism highlights ongoing tensions between Quebec's immigration policy objectives and the practical realities facing temporary workers, municipalities, businesses, and educational institutions across the province.
