Updated July 2026. On February 26, 2026, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) issued 2,549 invitations to apply for permanent selection through the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) via Arrima — part of a roughly monthly invitation cadence that continued through 2026.
Breakdown by Stream
Stream 1 — Highly qualified and specialized skills (907 invitations) across three exercises: 254 for candidates with a Quebec diploma and score ≥741; 419 for a Quebec diploma plus a priority occupation and score ≥627; 234 for a Quebec diploma alone with score ≥722.
Stream 2 — Intermediate and manual skills (495 invitations) across three exercises: 104 for a Quebec diploma and score ≥756; 194 for priority occupations (including health aides and construction trades) and score ≥562; 197 for general selection at score ≥688.
Stream 3 — Regulated professions (1,141 invitations) across six exercises, including 151 for a Quebec diploma at score ≥730, 841 for in-demand regulated occupations at score ≥632 (the largest single exercise in this round), 39 for physicians with authorization to practise, plus smaller exercises for other regulated occupation groups.
Stream 4 — Exceptional talent (6 invitations), linked either to a partner “positive opinion” pathway or documented exceptional achievement combined with high education and experience.
What an Invitation Actually Gets You
An invitation lets you apply for a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) — it’s not permanent residence itself. Once you have a CSQ, you still need to complete the federal process with IRCC to become a permanent resident.
If You Weren’t Invited This Round
Not being invited doesn’t mean you’re ineligible — Quebec adjusts criteria, targeted occupations, regions, and score thresholds every round, so your profile’s competitiveness can change from one invitation cycle to the next.
The PEQ Is Gone — PSTQ Is Now the Main Route
Quebec ended the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) as an automatic pathway on November 19, 2025. If your immigration plan was built around PEQ, PSTQ through Arrima is now the dominant route for skilled workers, international graduates, and experienced tradespeople seeking a CSQ — worth reviewing its requirements carefully rather than assuming your old plan still applies.
Source: Gouvernement du Québec, PSTQ Arrima invitations 2026.
