Quebec changes the eligibility requirements for the PEQ Graduates stream. Starting on November 23, only programs in which 75% of courses or credits were completed in French will be eligible for the PEQ Graduates component. 

These changes impact college and university students differently. 

Level And Type Of Study  New French-Language Criteria  
Students in vocational and college training programs  75% of courses must be completed in French 
Students in University undergraduate programs  75% of program credits must be completed in French 
Students in University master’s or PhD programs 75% of program credits must be completed in French.  Theses, master’s dissertations, internships, and research labs may be completed in a language other than French, but all other program courses or credits must meet the French-language requirement. 

In addition to these changes, students who graduated from a Quebec post-secondary institution whose course was eligible for the PEQ graduate component might still be eligible for this immigration stream – if they have completed a minimum of three years of full-time secondary or post-secondary studies in French in Quebec or abroad. 

Recent Pauses On PEQ Graduate Applications

Quebec changes eligibility requirements for PEQ Graduates stream. Apart from these changes, the PEQ Graduate component has already seen a temporary pause on applications until June 30, 2025. 

The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) – Quebec’s provincial immigration department – predicts that on account of this pause on applications, they will issue only 4,500 – 5,700 Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs) to PEQ graduate applicants in 2025, a steep decrease from 14,500 CSQs projected to be issued in 2024. These targets are covered in Quebec’s newest Immigration Levels Plan. 

The 2025 CSQ projection is for applicants who submitted profiles under the PEQ Graduate component before the pause in selections for this stream came into effect. 

In addition to this change, MIFI also declared a pause in invitations for immigration applicants through the Regular Skilled Worker Program until June 30, 2025.  

Immigration Options For PEQ Applicants Outside Of Quebec 

Quebec changes eligibility requirements for PEQ Graduates stream. While the pause in selections for the PEQ Graduate component might negatively impact immigration applicants in the program, these individuals do have immigration options outside of the province. 

One prominent example is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – a stream of Canada’s Express Entry system – which can be viewed as the federal government’s version of the PEQ.

Under the CEC, applicants must have a minimum of one year’s worth of Canadian work experience inside Canada and language ability in either French or English equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 or 7 (depending on the applicant’s job).

Another immigration pathway that PEQ applicants might take advantage of is category-based selections under Express Entry for French speakers. Under these categories, applicants can be invited with lower ranking scores. To qualify for the French language category, applicants should have a CLB level 7 in all language skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). 
If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490, or you can drop us an email at [email protected].