Quebec’s immigration ministry closed out 2025 by unveiling a two-year framework that, for the first time, limits the number of Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec (CAQ) study applications: 124,760 between 26 February 2025 and 26 February 2026. Universities get 63,299 places, while vocational colleges and CEGEPs share the remaining 61,461. The move reduces overall student intake by roughly 20 per cent and aligns with the province’s push to manage population growth and preserve French.
Simultaneously, Quebec confirmed that its popular Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) streams for international graduates and temporary foreign workers were permanently closed last month. Future skilled-worker hopefuls must now navigate the revamped Regular Skilled Worker Program, where French proficiency carries significantly more weight. By 2028, many temporary foreign workers will also need to meet spoken-French thresholds to renew status.
For international students, the combined effect is stark: fewer study seats and fewer automatic pathways to permanent residence (PR). Education agents predict heightened competition for CAQs, particularly in French-language masters and STEM programmes that dovetail with the Regular Skilled Worker grid. Students who cannot secure admission before the cap resets may look to Ontario or the Atlantic provinces, potentially shifting Canada’s regional talent flows.
![Quebec Introduces First-Ever Intake Limit on Study Applications and Reshapes PR Pathways]()
Students, employers, and relocation advisers who need help deciphering the new CAQ quotas or assembling documents for other Canadian permits can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which offers step-by-step checklists, deadline alerts, and live support across all visa categories. Explore the tools at https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to keep applications on track despite Quebec’s tighter rules.
Employers operating in Quebec must revisit workforce-planning models. The PEQ’s closure removes a once-reliable pipeline for converting interns to PR employees within two years. Firms may need to budget for Labour-Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) fees or relocate hires to other provinces until they meet skilled-worker criteria.
Practically, mobility managers should brief impacted assignees on French testing timelines, monitor CAQ issuance rates, and explore federal programmes such as the Francophone Mobility Stream. Failure to adapt could leave critical vacancies unfilled in a province already grappling with ageing demographics.
Simultaneously, Quebec confirmed that its popular Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) streams for international graduates and temporary foreign workers were permanently closed last month. Future skilled-worker hopefuls must now navigate the revamped Regular Skilled Worker Program, where French proficiency carries significantly more weight. By 2028, many temporary foreign workers will also need to meet spoken-French thresholds to renew status.
For international students, the combined effect is stark: fewer study seats and fewer automatic pathways to permanent residence (PR). Education agents predict heightened competition for CAQs, particularly in French-language masters and STEM programmes that dovetail with the Regular Skilled Worker grid. Students who cannot secure admission before the cap resets may look to Ontario or the Atlantic provinces, potentially shifting Canada’s regional talent flows.
Students, employers, and relocation advisers who need help deciphering the new CAQ quotas or assembling documents for other Canadian permits can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which offers step-by-step checklists, deadline alerts, and live support across all visa categories. Explore the tools at https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to keep applications on track despite Quebec’s tighter rules.
Employers operating in Quebec must revisit workforce-planning models. The PEQ’s closure removes a once-reliable pipeline for converting interns to PR employees within two years. Firms may need to budget for Labour-Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) fees or relocate hires to other provinces until they meet skilled-worker criteria.
Practically, mobility managers should brief impacted assignees on French testing timelines, monitor CAQ issuance rates, and explore federal programmes such as the Francophone Mobility Stream. Failure to adapt could leave critical vacancies unfilled in a province already grappling with ageing demographics.
