Quebec’s Pilot for Tech Workers Begins Accepting Applications

Key Highlights

• Overview 
• Pilot Program for Tech Workers
• More About the Program
• Other New Pilot Programs
  
  

The new economic immigration pilot announced by the Quebec government on March 3 has now started accepting applications.

Pilot Program for Tech Workers

International skilled professionals in Artificial Intelligence (AI), visual effects and information technology can now start filing their applications for immigrating to Quebec.

It is a five-year program that will enable the province to select 550 skilled applicants who intend to live and work in Quebec permanently.

Quebec’s Immigration minister Nadine Girault said that “With the launch of this new pilot program, our government wants to provide companies with the tools they need to recruit the best international talent and to support and accelerate innovation in new technologies. More than ever, Quebec’s economic recovery needs innovative and promising tools for wealth creation.”

More About the Program

This pilot program has two streams: one for AI and one for visual effects and information technology. Candidates aiming to apply for the AI stream can do so either as a foreign worker or an international student.

Each stream has two types of profiles: Francophone and francization. Francophones are French speakers who have proficiency of 7 or greater on Quebec’s scale.

Applicants who choose francization must commit to learning French and will be automatically registered with an integration service. Proficiency in French is a general requirement when applying for Quebec immigration.

Other New Pilot Programs

The pilot program for tech workers comes over a month after Quebec launched similar programs for food processing workers and orderlies.

Quebec has introduced these pilot programs to address the shortages in its labour force in crucial sectors.