Quebec Reopens the PEQ and Family Sponsorship: What Changed for July 2026

• The PEQ reopened on July 2, 2026. Its first application window runs through October 31, 2026 in the Arrima portal, with no cap on the number of applications.

• The PEQ first intake is limited to people who already qualified by November 19, 2025, meaning an eligible Quebec diploma or two years of TEER 0 to 3 Quebec work experience obtained by that date.

• Quebec dropped the French-language study program requirement for the PEQ Graduates stream. French test thresholds still apply: oral level 7 and written level 5 on Quebec's scale.

• Quebec's family sponsorship intake reopened on July 2, 2026 and runs to June 30, 2028, with a cap of 15,700 applications: 13,300 for spouses and partners, and 2,400 for parents and grandparents.

• Adult dependent children aged 18 and older are now exempt from the sponsorship cap, and submission dates are staggered by the date of your IRCC eligibility document, with the longest-waiting sponsors going first.

The Programme de l'expérience québécoise reopened on July 2, 2026 for a two-year period ending July 2, 2028. Applications are accepted in phases. The first window runs from July 2 to October 31, 2026 through the Arrima portal, and Quebec has confirmed there is no cap on applications during this period. Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) opened Arrima at 8:30 a.m. Eastern on July 2. You can submit any time before the window closes on October 31, so there is no need to rush on the first day. Further intake periods may open later before the program ends in 2028, though Quebec has not yet set the criteria or dates for them. You can follow changes like these through our latest Canadian immigration updates.

This first intake is for people who already met PEQ requirements by November 19, 2025, the day the program closed. Under the Graduates stream, that means an eligible Quebec diploma obtained by then. Under the workers stream, it means two years of qualifying Quebec work experience by that date.

There are two streams:

• Quebec Graduates. You need an eligible Quebec diploma, such as a bachelor's, master's or doctorate, a technical DEC, or a DEP of 1,800 hours or more, obtained in the three years before you apply. You must be in Quebec when you apply.

• Temporary Foreign Workers. You need at least two years of full-time Quebec work experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, which Quebec classifies under its FÉER system, accumulated by November 19, 2025. You must hold such a job when you apply.

People who became eligible after November 19, 2025 may not be able to apply in this first window and may need to wait for a possible later intake. One more distinction matters: meeting the intake criteria lets you submit an application, but you must still meet all PEQ selection conditions to receive a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).

Quebec removed one condition from the Graduates stream. You no longer need to have completed a French-language study program or three years of full-time study in French. French proficiency still applies to everyone, though. All PEQ applicants must show oral French at level 7 and written French at level 5 on Quebec's scale.

That study-program rule had been added while the stream was suspended, and it has now been withdrawn. In most cases, you can prove your French through a recognized test such as the TEFAQ or TCF Québec, or through eligible French-language studies. An accompanying spouse or partner needs oral French at level 4. French is often the deciding factor in a PEQ file, so it may help to arrange your test proof early.

Yes. You can apply to both the PEQ and the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) in parallel. Quebec processes the two applications separately with no fast-tracking in either program, and you pay the government fees for each one. Quebec has said it will not refund the fees for either application.

Deciding which program fits your situation depends on your profile, so it may be worth comparing them before you commit to one or both.

Because Quebec is not committing to its usual six-month processing standard for this intake, a complete and accurate application may help you avoid extra requests and delays. You can see how BorderPass works if you want a structured way to prepare.

Quebec reopened its family sponsorship intake on July 2, 2026, running to June 30, 2028. Over that period, MIFI will accept up to 15,700 applications: 13,300 for spouses and partners, and 2,400 for parents and grandparents. Applications received beyond a category's cap are returned without processing, and the fee is refunded.

Sponsoring families in Quebec has two stages. First, you submit a sponsorship application to Quebec, and if it is approved, the sponsored person can be issued a CSQ. Second, IRCC processes the permanent residence application on its own timelines. The cap applies to the Quebec application stage. The previous cap of 13,000, set for the 2024 to 2026 cycle, was reached in 2025 well before it was due to end, which is part of why Quebec restructured the new intake.

Two things changed. Adult dependent children aged 18 and older are now exempt from the cap, unlike the previous cycle when they counted toward it. Additionally, submission is now staggered: your earliest submission date depends on when IRCC issued your sponsor eligibility document, with the longest-waiting sponsors able to apply first.

The cap also does not apply to sponsoring dependent children in general,, and it does not apply to adding a dependent to an application . For everyone else, Quebec assigns each sponsor a submission date based on the date on the IRCC sponsor eligibility letter, or IRCC's acknowledgment of receipt for applications to sponsor a person in the “Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada” class. An application mailed before that date is returned as inadmissible, so have your full package ready and send it on or after your assigned date. Applications are accepted by mail only. Check the official intake schedule on Quebec.ca to find your date.

If you qualified for the PEQ before it closed, or you have been waiting to sponsor a spouse, partner, parent or grandparent, timing and complete paperwork now carry real weight. Both intakes reward applicants who prepare early and submit a clean, complete file.

BorderPass pairs licensed immigration professionals with tools that check your eligibility and help you assemble a complete application, so you can move with confidence while these windows are open. Check your eligibility with BorderPass. With the right preparation and legal review, these reopened pathways can be a well-supported step toward permanent residence in Quebec.

- Q: When can I apply to the PEQ in 2026?

  A: The PEQ reopened on July 2, 2026. The first application window is open from July 2 to October 31, 2026 through the Arrima portal, with no cap on applications. You can submit any time within that window. Quebec may open further intake periods before the program ends on July 2, 2028.

- Q: Do I still need to have studied in French to qualify for the PEQ Graduates stream?

  A: No. Quebec removed the requirement to have completed a French-language study program or three years of full-time study in French for the Graduates stream. French proficiency still applies to all PEQ applicants, who must show oral French at level 7 and written French at level 5 on Quebec's scale.

- Q: Can I apply to the PEQ and the PSTQ at the same time?

  A: Yes. You may apply to both programs in parallel. Quebec processes them separately with no fast-tracking in either, and you pay the government fees for each application. Quebec has said it will not refund the fees if you decide to withdraw one of the two applications.

- Q: How many family sponsorship applications will Quebec accept?

  A: Between July 2, 2026 and June 30, 2028, Quebec will accept up to 15,700 applications: 13,300 for spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, and 2,400 for parents and grandparents. Once a category reaches its cap, further applications in that category are returned without processing and the fee is refunded.

- Q: Why can't I submit my Quebec sponsorship application right away?

  A: Quebec staggers submissions to prioritize sponsors who have waited longest. Your earliest submission date depends on the date of your IRCC sponsor eligibility document. An application mailed before your assigned date is returned as inadmissible. Applications are accepted by mail only, so check the official schedule on Québec.ca for your date.