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Quebec-selected skilled workers: optional work permits

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

You might be able to get a work permit if you have a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). Answer 2 questions to find out what options are available:

International Mobility Program Plus is open to new applications

You can apply for an open work permit under the 2024 cap for International Mobility Program Plus (IMP+). In 2024, we’ll accept up to 7,350 work permit applications for this program.

If you apply after we reach the cap

Check this page to make sure spots are still available. If you submit your application after we reach the cap, we

  • will not process your work permit application
  • will refund your fees

You can reapply when this stream reopens to new applications in January 2025.

You’re eligible for an open work permit if you:

  •  have a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)
  •  have a letter of invitation from Quebec
  •  live outside Quebec or Canada

You’re not eligible for IMP+ if

  •  you live in Quebec when you apply for your work permit
  •  we refused your permanent resident application under any of Quebec’s economic classes

Other work permit options

If you’re not eligible for IMP+, you may be eligible for 1 of the following:

Work permits for your family members

Family members of eligible IMP+ candidates can also apply for an open work permit.

Find out how your family member can apply.

How to apply

You must apply online for this open work permit. You can’t apply at a Canadian port of entry and you can’t apply on paper unless you’re eligible.

Who is eligible to apply on paper

If you apply on paper, you must write “International Mobility Program Plus-A76 cap” on the envelope.

Step 1: Make sure you have what you need

To apply online, you need

  • a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents
  • a valid credit or debit card

Step 2: Pay your fees

You must pay the following:

  • work permit processing fee (CAN$155)
  • open work permit holder fee (CAN$100)
  • biometric fee, if applicable
  • restoration of status fee, if applicable

Step 3: Create your online account or sign in

You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to

  • submit your application forms
  • check your status

How to start your application

Once you sign in to your account, you need to

  • go to the Start your application section on the account welcome page
  • click “Apply to come to Canada”
  • on the next page, scroll down to the ”I do not have a personal reference code” section
  • click on the “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” button
  • on the next page, select “Work”

Step 4: Get your document checklist

You must answer some questions to create a personalized document checklist.

Applicants outside Canada

Make sure you answer these questions correctly:

  • Answer “No” when asked I have a job offer and my employer gave me an offer of employment number or LMIA number (or proof that your employer applied for an LMIA).
  • Answer “Yes” when asked Will you be coming to Canada under an active public policy or special measure announced by IRCC?
  • Answer “Quebec” when asked What is your province of destination? If visiting multiple provinces, select the one in which you will be spending most of your time.
  • Answer “A work permit for provincial nominee certificate holder” when asked What type of work permit do you want to apply for? 

Applicants in Canada

Make sure you answer this question correctly:

  • Workers and students applying in Canada must select “Worker” when asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?
    • Note for students: This is a temporary measure while we update the application system.
If you need to restore your status
  • When asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?, select “Worker”.
  • When asked When does your status in Canada expire?, enter the date that your status expired.
  • Answer “Yes” when asked

    Does one of the following apply to you?

    • I am subject of a removal order that is unenforceable
    • I applied for a study or work permit before entering Canada which was approved, but not issued at a port of entry
    • I am in primary or secondary school, or a visiting or exchange student, in Canada with visitor status
    • I am applying for an open work permit under an active public policy or pilot program announced by IRCC
    • I am a student who has completed a program of study that is a prerequisite to my enrolment at a designated learning institution with visitor status in Canada
    • I applied for permanent residence and was found eligible (first stage approval) under one of the following classes:
      • Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada
      • Humanitarian and Compassionate cases
      • Protected Persons in Canada
      • Live-in Caregiver in Canada
  • Answer “Quebec” when asked What is your province of destination?”.
  • Answer “Yes” when asked Do you have a ‘Certificat de selection du Québec’ (CSQ) for an application for Permanent Residence under an immigration category that was submitted to an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Office or Case Processing Centre?

Step 5: Fill out the form

Read the instruction guide before you complete your application.

Once you get your document checklist, fill out the application form and supporting documents.

The guide will explain how to complete each field on the form.

Special instructions to fill out the form

When you fill out the work permit application form, enter the following in the Details of Intended work in Canada section:

  • Box 1: What type of work permit are you applying for?
    • Select “Open Work Permit”.
  • Box 4: Job title and Brief description of duties
    • Enter “CSQ holder outside Quebec – OWP” in the Job Title box.
    • Enter “A76: International Mobility Program Plus” in the Brief description of duties box.
    • For Duration of expected employment, we need to know how long you’d like your permit to be valid.
      • Enter the date you’d like to start working as the Start date.
      • You can ask for an End date for up to 3 years from the Start date.
      • You can’t ask for a date beyond the expiry date of your passport.
If you’re in Canada and you need to restore your status
  • For question 3 in the first section, I am applying for one or more of the following:, make sure you also choose “Restore my status as a worker”.
  • For question 7 In the Personal details
    • Under Status, select “Other”.
    • Under Other, type in “Requires restoration”.
    • Leave the From and To boxes blank.

Step 6: Upload the correct documents

Your documents must show that you’re eligible to apply for an open work permit under this stream.

You must upload the completed application form and include the following documents with your application.

There’s only 1 Client Information field. You may need to combine more than 1 document in 1 file and upload them together. Find out how to upload multiple documents into 1 field.

For applicants outside Canada
Caption text
Required document Where to upload the file in your account

Certificat de sélection du Québec

What to do if your CSQ has expired

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Certificate

Letter of invitation from the Quebec Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI)

Letter of Support from province or territory

CV/résumé (Upload a blank document)

CV/résumé 

Copy of your passport (all pages must be included)

Passport

Digital photo

Digital photo

Family Information Form (PDF, 1,669 KB) (IMM 5707)

Family Information Form (IMM 5707)

Employment Contract Instructions - Document: Employment Contract (Upload a blank document)

Employment Contract Instructions - Document: Employment Contract

Proof that you Meet the Requirements of the Job Being Offered (Upload a blank document)

Proof that you Meet the Requirements of the Job Being Offered
For applicants in Canada
Caption text
Required document Where to upload the file in your account

Certificat de sélection du Québec

What to do if your CSQ has expired

Certificat de Sélection du Québec (CSQ)
Letter of Invitation from MIFI Client information
Copy of your passport (all pages must be included) Passport
Digital photo Digital photo
Family Information Form (PDF, 1,669 KB) (IMM 5707) Client information
Proof you live outside Quebec Client information

For all applicants

Depending on your situation, you may also need to

Create an account or sign in

You might be eligible for a bridging open work permit (BOWP). This lets you keep working while you wait for the results of your permanent residence application.

To qualify you must:

  • live in Canada and intend to live in Quebec
    • You can leave Canada while we process your application.
    • However, if you leave Canada after your work permit expires, you can’t work until your new application is approved.
  • hold a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)
  • be the principal applicant on your permanent residence application
  • have passed a completeness check for permanent residence
  • either

Supporting documents

When you submit your BOWP application, include

  • the supporting documents listed in the document checklist
  • a copy of your CSQ
  • a copy of the letter that shows your permanent application number
    • This number begins with the letter “E”

How to apply

Read the instruction guide before you begin your application.

When you apply, make sure you

  • respond “yes” to the question Have you been told by an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office that you are approved in principle for permanent residence in Canada?
  • select “Open work permit” as the type of work permit
  • pay the work permit processing fee and the open work permit holder fee

In most cases, you must apply online.

If you’re having problems applying online, you can apply on paper.

You may be eligible for an employer-specific work permit if all of the following apply:

RSWP applicants

Your section 9 “Catégorie” will be listed as “Travailleurs qualifiés,” but your code will either be blank or “IQ.”

How long your work permit will be valid

Your work permit will be valid for the length of your job offer, up to a maximum of 2 years.

Before you submit your work permit application, your employer must

  • submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • pay a $230 employer compliance fee
  • give you the offer of employment number

Type of work permit

When you complete your work permit application, select “Exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment” as the type of work permit in the Details of intended work in Canada section.

You must submit copies of the following documents when you submit your application:

  • your valid CSQ
  • your job offer to work in Quebec
  • your letter of acceptance from Quebec (Acceptation de votre demande de sélection permanente) showing your name.

If you apply online, you must upload copies of these documents in the client information slot in the document checklist in your account.

How to apply for a work permit

CSQ validity under this exemption

When you apply for this work permit, you must be in 1 of the following situations:

  • If you haven’t applied for permanent residence, your CSQ must be valid when you apply.
  • If you’ve already applied for permanent residence, your CSQ must have been valid at the time you applied for permanent residence, and the processing of the application must be ongoing.

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