Quebec slashes immigration pathways, forcing thousands to leave • FRANCE 24 English

Quebec slashes immigration pathways, forcing thousands to leave • FRANCE 24 English

Three years ago, Geraldin and her family left France to start a new life in Quebec. Here we are arriving in Paris, and the next day we moved to Quebec with 15 suitcases. But the province has just canled with no warning the Quebec experience program, the pathway their immigration plan depended on. They promised us that by studying here, we would then qualify for a work permit. And with that work experience, we could then apply for permanent residency. That’s why we came to Quebec, because we thought we had a future here. Quebec’s government says the reform is needed because temporary immigrants are putting too much pressure on the province’s public services. The presence of so many people in our territory isn’t the reason for every problem in Quebec, but it does put unreasonable pressure on our schools and on our hospitals and on our public services. Under these changes, Quebec expects 60,000 fewer permanent residents than originally forecast between 2026 and 2029. As a result, thousands of immigrants already settled here are calling for a grandfather clause that would allow them to stay and continue their immigration process. They’re backed by opposition parties in the National Assembly. [Music] They’re abandoning thousands of people who came here, who sometimes came at the invitation of the government of Quebec. We need these workers and we need to show respect to the people who chose to come here. A new program called the PSTQ aims to steer immigration toward rural regions and smaller cities across the province. At the federal level, Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to cut temporary immigration to Canada by more than 40% starting this year.

Quebec has abruptly scrapped its key immigration route, the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), while sharply lowering future immigration thresholds—meaning thousands of temporary residents, including many French families, must now leave the province. The government argues that temporary immigrants are straining public services, while affected workers, business leaders, and opposition parties warn the reform will damage the economy and are urging a grandfather clause. Federally, Canada also plans to cut temporary immigration by over 40% this year.
#Quebec #ImmigationQuebec #PEQ

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