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Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) 2026: Eligibility, Reopening, French Requirements & the October 31 Deadline
Publish On: September 15, 2026
The Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) was abolished without warning on November 19, 2025, leaving thousands of Quebec graduates and temporary workers stranded mid-plan. On July 2, 2026, Quebec's Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Intégration (MIFI) reopened it — but not as a fresh, open-ended program. It's a narrow, retroactive, time-boxed window, and understanding exactly what "retroactive" means here is the difference between a successful application and a wasted one. This guide walks through precisely who qualifies, what the French-language rules require, and what happens after the October 31, 2026 deadline — verified directly against MIFI's official reopening bulletin.
The PEQ Timeline: What Actually Happened
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November 19, 2025 | PEQ abolished by MIFI, replaced by the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) as Quebec's primary skilled worker pathway |
| July 2, 2026, 8:30 a.m. (Montreal time) | PEQ formally reactivated for a temporary two-year period, running to July 2, 2028 |
| July 2 – October 31, 2026 | First intake window — applications accepted through the Arrima portal, no cap on volume |
| Fall 2026 onward | MIFI reassesses PSTQ invitation volumes based on PEQ application numbers received by October 31; further PEQ intake windows may be announced |
| July 2, 2028 | Reopened PEQ period ends |
The Single Most Important Fact: This Window Is Retroactive, Not New
This is the detail that trips up the most applicants, so it's worth stating plainly: the July 2–October 31, 2026 window does not let you build new eligibility. It only allows people who already met the PEQ's eligibility criteria on or before November 19, 2025 — the date the program was abolished — to now submit the application they couldn't submit at the time. If your Quebec diploma was issued after that date, or your two years of qualifying work experience were completed after that date, this specific intake window is not open to you, regardless of how strong your profile looks today.
MIFI also draws a clear distinction between reception criteria (who is allowed to submit an application during this window) and selection conditions (what must actually be true for MIFI to approve the application and issue a Certificat de sélection du Québec, or CSQ). Meeting the reception criteria gets your application accepted — it does not guarantee selection. Both sets of requirements must be satisfied for a successful outcome.
Eligibility: PEQ Graduates Stream
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reside in Quebec | Required at the time of application |
| Eligible diploma held by Nov 19, 2025 | Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, technical DEC, or a DEP of 1,800+ hours (alone or with an ASP totaling 1,800+ hours) |
| Diploma timing | Must have been obtained in the 3 years preceding the application |
| Study duration in Quebec | Must have studied in Quebec, as your primary purpose for being there, for at least half your program's duration |
| Intent | Intend to settle in Quebec and hold employment there |
| Written French | Level 5 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français |
| Oral French | Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise |
| Accompanying spouse's French | Oral Level 4 minimum |
| Quebec values | Must demonstrate understanding of democratic values and the values expressed in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (spouse and adult dependants included in the application must also demonstrate this) |
| Scholarship condition | Must not have held a scholarship requiring return to your home country after your studies |
| Financial commitment | Must commit to covering essential needs for yourself and any accompanying spouse/dependent children |
Important 2026 change: the prior requirement that your Quebec study program itself be delivered in French has been removed for this reopening — a genuinely meaningful relaxation for graduates of English-language programs who otherwise meet the French test requirements above.
Eligibility: PEQ Temporary Foreign Worker Stream
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Qualifying work experience by Nov 19, 2025 | At least 2 years of full-time Quebec work experience in a TEER (FÉER) 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation |
| Current employment | Must be working in such an occupation, in Quebec, at the time of application, with valid work authorization |
| Intent | Intend to settle in Quebec and hold employment there |
| Oral French | Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise |
| Accompanying spouse's French | Oral Level 4 minimum |
| Quebec values | Same requirement as the Graduates stream — applicant, spouse, and adult dependants |
| Financial commitment | Must commit to covering essential needs for yourself and dependants for at least 3 months from the date permanent residence status is obtained |
Note that the Temporary Foreign Worker stream does not carry a written French requirement — only oral Level 7, matching the standard that applied before the program's abolition.
What This Means for the PSTQ in the Meantime
While the PEQ intake window is open, Quebec has said it will temporarily reduce invitation volumes issued under the PSTQ, targeting reductions specifically toward candidates in FÉER 4/5 occupations and those who haven't yet reached 2 years of work experience — groups that overlap least with PEQ-eligible profiles. Applications submitted to both programs continue to be processed in parallel, and PSTQ invitation volumes will be reassessed once MIFI has a clear picture of how many PEQ applications came in by October 31.
If You Don't Meet the November 19, 2025 Cutoff
If your diploma or qualifying work experience came after November 19, 2025, this window genuinely isn't for you — no amount of paperwork changes that. Your realistic options are:
- PSTQ Expression of Interest remains Quebec's standing skilled worker pathway and continues accepting profiles regardless of the PEQ reopening.
- Wait for a future PEQ intake window. MIFI has said additional windows may open before the program expires in July 2028, based on how many applications come in during this first window — but no second window date has been confirmed yet, and it's not guaranteed one will open with the same or broader eligibility terms.
- Keep building your Quebec work experience or credentials in case a future window's criteria shift the qualifying date forward, or in case PSTQ better fits your profile in the meantime.
Practical Steps If You Qualify for This Window
- Confirm your diploma date or 2-year work experience threshold was met on or before November 19, 2025 — this is a hard cutoff, not a guideline.
- Book your French test now if you haven't already. Level 7 oral (and Level 5 written for graduates) takes real preparation time, and testing appointments can book up during a high-demand intake window.
- Gather your documentation early: applications can be submitted with some documents outstanding and supplemented afterward, but a complete file processes faster once MIFI confirms receipt.
- Submit through Arrima as early in the window as practical — there's no cap on applications accepted, but earlier submission reduces the risk of unexpected portal issues or last-minute document gaps derailing you before October 31.
- Budget for roughly six months of processing time once MIFI confirms your application is complete, though volumes during this reopening may extend that timeline.