You need a work permit

If you have a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec [CSQ]) and you’ve not yet applied for permanent residence, you need a work permit to work in Canada.

You may be eligible for an employer-specific work permit(opens in a new tab)  if all of the following apply:

• you hold a CSQ as a principal applicant under one of the following programs or pilots (even if the program is now closed):
  • Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)
  • Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) (in French only)
  • Permanent immigration pilot program for workers in food processing
  • Permanent immigration pilot program for orderlies
  • Permanent immigration pilot program for workers in the artificial intelligence, information technologies and visual effects sectors
  • Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP)
• you either
  • have a valid CSQ if you haven’t applied for permanent residence
    • You must provide a copy of your letter of acceptance from Quebec (Acceptation de votre demande de sélection permanente) with your name, reference number and file number on it.
  • received confirmation that your application for permanent residence was received before your CSQ expired and is being processed
• you currently live in the province of Quebec
• you either
  • have a valid work permit (including an open work permit)
  • have an expired work permit, but maintained your status as a worker and continued to work on an authorization to work without a permit
  • are eligible to restore your status and get a work permit
  • are eligible to apply for a work permit in Canada under an active public policy
• you need to get or extend an employer-specific work permit, because you have a job offer for an employer in the province of Quebec
• your CSQ has one of the following codes:
  • IQ1 – PSTQ – Volet 1 : Haute qualification et compétences spécialisées
  • IQ2 – PSTQ – Volet 2 : Compétences intermédiaires et manuelles
  • IQ3 – PSTQ – Volet 3 : Professions réglementées
  • IQ4 – PSTQ – Volet 4 : Talents d’exception
  • IQ – Travailleurs qualifiés
  • IP – Travailleurs
  • IT – Travailleurs qualifiés
  • IZ – PEQ Travailleurs
  • IY – PEQ Étudiants
  • I6 – Travailleurs Art. 40
  • IU – Préposé aux bénéficiaires – Volet travailleur étranger
  • IR – Préposé aux bénéficiaires – Volet diplômé du QC
  • IX – Travailleur – Transformation alimentaire
  • IV – Intelligence artificielle – Volet travailleur étranger
  • IW – Intelligence artificielle – Volet diplômé du QC
  • IS – Travailleur – TI – Effets visuels

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.