CIMM – Canada-Quebec Accord – December 05, 2023

Key Facts And Figures

• IRCC’s bilateral relationship with Quebec is defined by the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord (the Accord), and is guided by the principle that immigration should support the preservation of Quebec’s demographic weight in Canada and its distinct identity.

Key Messages

• The objectives of the Accord are to preserve Quebec’s demographic weight within Canada and support the integration of immigrants in the province, while respecting its distinct identity.
• The Accord is designed to ensure collaboration between both governments throughout the immigration process, in all immigration categories.

Supplementary Information

• Quebec selects economic immigrants and resettled refugees outside of Canada, and individuals applying for permanent residence in Canada under humanitarian and compassionate considerations or a temporary public policy.
• The federal government selects permanent residents in the family class and protected persons. With respect to the family class, the Accord provides that Canada has sole responsibility in terms of admission and the establishment of selection criteria as well as assessing whether an applicant is inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA); Quebec is responsible for approving the sponsorship undertaking for family class sponsors who reside in Quebec.
• The federal government considers Quebec’s advice on the number of immigrants that it wishes to receive.
• As per the Accord, Canada is solely responsible for processing refugee claims made by people already in Canada or at a port of entry. With regard to “refugees and others in similar circumstances” selected abroad, under the Accord Canada determines which individuals qualify in these categories (resettled refugees), and Quebec chooses from among them the individuals whom they wish to settle in Quebec. The Accord includes an explicit veto for Quebec on resettled refugee admissions: "Canada shall not admit a refugee … who is destined to Quebec and who does not meet Quebec's selection criteria."
• Both governments jointly administer the International Student Program and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
• The federal government remains responsible for determining the admissibility (i.e., health, security, and criminality) of all immigrants to Quebec and for issuing permanent resident visas.
• The Quebec government is responsible for the administration, design and delivery of settlement and integration services for permanent residents including pre-arrival, information and orientation, French language training, refugee resettlement services, labour market orientation, foreign credential recognition and support services.
• Quebec is the only province that receives an annual grant (compensation) from the federal government. The base amount for the Canada-Quebec funding included in the 2023-2024 Main Estimates is $726.7M, which is also the total amount of the grant from the previous year 2022-2023.
• As per the Accord, once refugees (those who made a claim in Canada and those who came as a resettled refugee) become permanent residents, the funding provided to Quebec under the Accord covers their integration and settlement in the province.