OP7a – Quebec Skilled Workers – Aug 29, 2016

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada frequently publishes immigration policy manuals for its personnel to provide guidance in the exercise of their functions. Below we include annotated summaries of Canada immigration policy manuals.

What This Sub-chapter is About

The authorities have divided this chapter into two sub-chapters. These sub-chapters comprise:

• OP 7 (a) for Quebec Skilled Workers and,
• OP 7 (b) for Provincial Nominees

This Quebec Skilled Workers sub-chapter explains the details concerning the Quebec Skilled Worker Class. In addition, it provides guidelines for the officers to use when they process applicants.

The Quebec Skilled Workers Program Objectives

It is worth highlighting that Quebec’s skilled worker immigration program typically comprises four main objectives. These include:

• Increasing the proportion of francophone immigrations
• Maximising the economic benefits of selection
• Managing the volume of immigration in terms of Quebec’s needs and capacity for integration and,
• Selecting skilled workers that the authorities feel are more adaptable to the international labour market

The Quebec Skilled Workers Act and the Regulations

The table given below details the sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) that specifically apply to applicants under the Quebec Skilled Worker Class.

Similarly, the table given below details specifies the forms that the authorities would expect the applicants to fill.

The Quebec Skilled Workers Instruments and Delegations

There are no applicable instruments and delegations that apply to applications made under the Quebec Skilled Worker Class.

The Quebec Skilled Workers Departmental Policy

The Local Procedures

It is worth mentioning that the Canada – Quebec Accord outlines the general principles that govern immigration to Quebec. However, both the federal and provincial governments recognise the need for flexibility in implementing these principles.

This is why the joint committee, the Canadian Visa Service (CVS) and the Service d’Immigration du Quebec (SIQ) could well agree to certain additional procedures, which they would typically tailor to suit the local circumstances. These additional procedures would serve to facilitate the application of the directives approved by the joint committee, the Canadian Visa Service (CVS) and the Service d’Immigration du Quebec (SIQ). However, it is worth highlighting that these procedures would typically need to be in compliance with the Canada – Quebec Accord.

The Specific Cooperative Arrangements

The authorities would typically set out the purpose of various additional procedures they feel are required. In many cases, this would involve setting out the specific cooperative arrangements concerning:

• Obtaining and verifying documents and information related to statutory examinations
• The nature of the information and documents the authorities require the applicants to submit and,
• Exchanging information between the Canadian Visa Service (CVS) and the Service d’Immigration du Quebec (SIQ)

The Quebec Selection Grid

The authorities would typically assess the skilled workers destined to Quebec against the Quebec selection grid. This grid differs from the federal selection grid in many ways. For instance, it is worth highlighting that:

• Quebec’s point system gives additional weight to labour market factors such as education, language ability and the Employability and Occupation Mobility (EMP)
• Points under the Employability and Occupation Mobility (EMP) factor typically consider the applicant’s education, work experience, age, language ability and knowledge of Quebec and,
• The failure to meet a pre-established Employability and Occupation Mobility (EMP) pass mark on paper screening would automatically result in a processing bar
  • The only exception to this would be situations where the applicant has:
    • A guaranteed job offer or,
    • An occupation in demand

Note:

• In some cases, the officers might find that the applicants are unable to meet the prescribed minimum experience threshold
• In this scenario, the failure to meet this minimum experience threshold would continue to result in an automatic processing bar in Quebec’s skilled worker category

More Information:

• Definitions – Quebec Skilled Workers
• Guidelines for Processing Quebec Skilled Workers

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