QUEBEC IMMIGRATION TARGETS - 2021

As part of the Plan d’immigration du Québec 2021, released on October 29, 2020

Quebec could welcome between 44,500 and 47,500 immigrants in 2021.

For 2021, Quebec aims to accept new immigrants as listed below:

• 27,500 -29,300 [Skilled Workers]
• 4,300 [Business Programs]
• 800 [Caregivers and others]
• 10,200 [Family Sponsorship, refugee and other Immigration Programs]

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Quebec is scheduled to launch [3] new immigration pilots - [2021]

The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) is opening up the pilots for foreign nationals who work in the following three sectors:

• food processing;
• health (orderlies); and
• artificial intelligence, information technology and visual effects.

These pilots are expected to last for a maximum of five years. 

MIFI will issue Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQ) to up to 550 principal applicants, annually [for each pilot]. 

Food processing workers - Begins March 24, 2021

This pilot program is for foreign workers in the food processing sector.

Eligible occupations include:

• Industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer and related workers (NOC 9462);
• Labourer in food and beverage processing (NOC 9617);
• Labourer in fish and seafood processing (NOC 9618);
• Specialized cleaner (NOC 6732);
• Machine-industrial process operator in food and beverage processing (NOC 9461);
• Agricultural worker, (NOC 8431) but only the job title “chicken picker;” and
• Worker in fish and seafood processing plants (NOC 9463);

Orderlies - Begins March 31, 2021

This pilot is for temporary foreign workers who have worked as orderlies in Quebec for at least one year [Two sub-streams under this program]: Work and Studies-work.

Workers in artificial intelligence, information technology and visual effects - Begins April 22, 2021

This pilot program is intended to attract highly skilled tech workers to launch their careers in Quebec. It will also facilitate the retention of international students who received a specialized graduate degree from Quebec universities.

Two streams under this pilot: Artificial intelligence, and Information technology and visual effects.

• Information systems analyst and consultant (NOC 2171);
• Graphic designer and illustrator, (NOC 5241) but only if your job is in the visual effects sector;
• Computer and information systems manager (NOC 0213)
• Software engineer and designer (NOC 2173)
• Electrical and electronics engineer (NOC 2133)
• Producer, director, choreographer and related occupations, (NOC 2133) but only if your job is in the visual effects sector;
• Computer programmer and interactive media developer (NOC 2174)
• Audio and video recording technician, (NOC 5225) but only if your job is in the visual effects sector;
• Computer network technician (NOC 2281); or
• Electrical and electronics engineering technologist and technician (NOC 2241).