CIMM - Quebec Immigration

Key Messages

• The Governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the important role that immigration plays in building prosperous communities.
• The Quebec Government continues to be an important partner in advancing our shared commitments to those seeking protection in Canada.
• The Government of Quebec is advancing changes to support the responsiveness of its immigration system to economic needs.
• IRCC is working with Quebec to ensure that immigration continues to contribute to our economy and that newcomers have the support they need.

Supplementary Messages

Temporary Foreign Workers and Labour Market Impact Assessment backlog

• My colleague the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, is aware of this increased volume of Labour Market Impact Assessment applications in Quebec and is working with her Department to address this backlog.
• Between January and November of 2019, 44,267 work permits were issued under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program for temporary work in Quebec. This is a 22.1% increase from 2018.

Supporting Facts And Figures

• There were approximately 140,000 vacant positions in Quebec in the third quarter of 2019, a 16% increase compared to the same quarter in 2018. The number of long-term vacancies (90 days or more) also reached 22,870, which represents a 34.1% increase.
• It is estimated that Quebec will need to fill about 1.4 million positions as of 2026 – about 80% of which will be because of impending retirements.
• According to Quebec government data, as of January 2020:
  • the employment rate in Quebec peaked at 76.8%;
  • full-time employment increased (+60,300; +1.4%) and part-time employment fell (-8,300; -1%) compared to January 2019;
  • the unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in Quebec (and 5.5% in Canada), a 0.2% decrease compared to 2019.

Background

Temporary Foreign Worker Programming Roles and Responsibilities

• The Temporary Foreign Worker Program helps employers fill labour shortages on a temporary basis when no qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available
• Administration of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Quebec is a shared responsibility between the federal government (Employment and Social Development Canada) and the provincial government.
• Unless exempted from the requirement under the International Mobility Program, employers seeking to hire foreign workers in Quebec must obtain a Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the province in addition to a Labour Market Impact Assessment from the federal government.
• The International Mobility Program lets employers hire temporary workers without a labour market impact assessment. Exemptions from the requirement for a labour market impact assessment are based on broader economic, cultural or other competitive advantages for Canada and reciprocal benefits enjoyed by Canadians and permanent residents. This program is administered by IRCC and Quebec does not have a role.

Quebec’s Labour Market Needs

• To address its significant labour market needs, mostly in the regions, Quebec is seeking to increase the number of temporary foreign workers to the province, and has expanded settlement services to these workers (e.g., French language training) to make it more likely that those in in-demand occupations will qualify for permanent residence.
• While the labour market is tightening across the country, the increase in temporary foreign worker volumes in Quebec is occurring in tandem with changes to the labour market that are indicative of significant labour shortages, including low unemployment rates, wage increases, and high job vacancy rates in many parts of the province.
• Between January and November of 2019, 44,267 work permits were issued to foreigners under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program for temporary work in Quebec. This was a 22.1% increase from the total number of work permits issued for the totality of the previous year.

Canada-Quebec Accord

• Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the federal government is responsible for selecting family class and protected persons, while Quebec selects all other immigrants destined to that province. Both governments jointly administer the International Student and Temporary Foreign Worker programs.
• The federal government remains responsible for determining the admissibility (i.e., security, criminal and medical background checks) and admission of all immigrants to Quebec.
• While the federal government is responsible for establishing annually the total number of immigrants for the country as a whole, it takes Quebec’s advice into consideration on the number of immigrants that it wishes to receive [redacted].
• The federal government devolved to Quebec the responsibility for settlement and integration of immigrants destined to the province.

Quebec’s 2020 Immigration Levels Plan

• On October 30, 2019, Quebec tabled its 2020 Immigration Levels Plan, which increases admissions to 44,500 in 2020 (from a range of 38,000 – 42,000 admissions in 2019). Increases are largely in the economic category, with modest growth in the family class and no growth in the refugee class.

Asylum Seekers

• Quebec has been a key partner in managing the flow of asylum seekers, providing temporary housing, social services and education.
• From 2017 to 2019 inclusively, more than 80,000 asylum seekers made a claim in Quebec and were referred for a decision at the Immigration and Refugee Board.
• In 2019, the federal government provided $250M in compensation to Quebec for costs incurred by the province to provide services to asylum claimants in 2017 and 2018, and committed to discuss 2019 costs.