What you need to know
The PQ plans 35,000 permanent residents a year, about 50,000 international students and about 40,000 temporary foreign workers, plus higher French requirements for work permits.
Temporary residents already in Quebec would be selected first for permanent residence.
The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) accepts applications until October 31, 2026, and further intakes are uncertain.
Canada’s national target of 380,000 permanent residents a year stays in place, so fewer spots in Quebec could open room in other provinces.
BorderPass gives schools and employers real-time visibility of permit expiries and eligibility across every international student and worker.
What is the PQ planning?
PQ plan | What it could mean for schools | What it could mean for employers |
About 50,000 international students | Fewer international students, with pressure on English-language programs | A smaller pool of Quebec-trained graduates |
About 40,000 workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program | Fewer graduates moving into employer-supported roles | Fewer new hires, with agriculture and manufacturing protected |
Higher French requirements to obtain or renew work permits | Graduates may need stronger French to keep working | Some renewals may call for stronger French |
Bill 101 extended to CEGEPs | Enrolment shifts for English-language CEGEPs | New schooling rules for workers’ children |
None of these plans applies yet. Quebec can lower its permanent levels and its consent for students and workers on its own, while plans that need a new law will need support from other parties. Ottawa still issues study and work permits.
Will Quebec’s cuts lower Canada’s immigration numbers?
Not necessarily. Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan holds permanent admissions at 380,000 a year, and Quebec sets its own share under the Canada–Quebec Accord. If Quebec admits fewer people, room within the national total could shift to Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs elsewhere, though Ottawa has not announced such a shift.
That creates an opening for schools and employers with campuses or sites in other provinces. French-speaking graduates may be especially sought after, as the federal target for French-speaking immigration outside Quebec rises to 10.5% by 2028.
Why should schools act now?
Today’s rules are known, and tomorrow’s are not. Students whose permits expire in the coming months, and graduates who qualify for PEQ before October 31, are best placed to apply under current rules rather than wait for caps or French requirements that could narrow their options.
Your international office can identify those students now and move them to apply. Each month of waiting leaves less room to act if the new government tightens study permits, extensions or selection.
How does BorderPass help?
BorderPass gives schools and employers real-time visibility of application status, permit expiries and eligibility across every international student and worker, so your team sees who needs to file first.
Pathway Assessments show each person every route open to them, inside or outside Quebec.
Applicants follow step-by-step guidance, and a licensed lawyer reviews each application before submission.
Schools keep audit-ready compliance records for every international student.
Act before the rules change
The PQ plans favour the students and workers already in Quebec, and current programs are open today. Schools can start with BorderPass for schools, and employers can start with BorderPass for employers. Follow each change in BorderPass News.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
International students in Quebec generally gain little by waiting for the new rules. Current programs, including PEQ until October 31, 2026, are known and open, while the PQ’s plans point toward lower caps and higher French requirements. A BorderPass Pathway Assessment shows each student which routes are open today, and a licensed lawyer reviews the application before filing.
