In people’s opinion, a court order—in February—blocked the move by the CAQ to dismiss a backlog of over 17000 pending applications to the QSWP under the proposed legislation popularly referred to as Bill 9.
Simon-Jolin Barrette, the Quebec’s Immigration Minister, said the applications were handed over when the Quebec Skilled Worker Program functioned on a first-come first served basis, which he stated was not in contact with Quebec’s workforce needs.
Quebec re-branded the Quebec Skilled Worker Program to an Expression of Interest system in the late 2018, which the minister suggested that is a more appropriate fit for the government’s efforts to tailor the selection of skilled workers to actual labor needs in the province.
Major proposals
The other significant recommendations said here include:
- Encourage permanent immigration of young people
- Promote the selection of immigrants who know Quebec’s values
- Expedite the arrival of economic-class immigrants
- Support employers in their efforts to recruit temporary foreign workers
- Favor skilled applicants with a validated job offer or in-demand training
- Favor foreign workers and foreign nationals with a degree in Québec, who meet the province’s labor market needs and are already living in Quebec
- Expand the number of French-speaking adult immigrants
