Quebec the famous province of Canada has on 14 July introduced a new scoring system for its immigration through Arrima expression of interest pool stream. According to the provincial immigration minister (MIFI), “the launch of the expression of interest system will facilitate better alignment between immigration and the needs of the Québec labor market.” The new scoring system will be based as under:
| Human capital factors | 580 |
| Quebec labor market factors | 740 |
| Total | 1,320 |
Why these new changes in the scoring system?
As per the press release issued by the Quebec government, “a prior classification of candidates for immigration, according to their specific profile and background, will optimize the use of the Arrima expression of interest bank”. The new changes have also been published in the Gazette officielle du Québec which come into force from 14 July 2021.
The provincial government is also focusing now distributing immigrants in regional areas of the province too. For this, now a job offer from outside Montreal will give applicants 380 points, whereas inside Montreal a job offer will earn you 180 points. Furthermore, under many of the assessed criteria, points can also be obtained for the spouse or common-law partner of the principal applicant. The new system will also allow the government to issue the Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQ) within 6 months for complete applications through Arrima portal.
The immigration ministry has set new goals for immigration in 2021 that is between 44500 to 47500.
Quebec’s new points system
Quebec’s new points system from 14 July 2021 will be as follows:
1- Quebec labor market factors (maximum points 740)
Job offer
| Location of job offer | Points |
| Job offer outside Montreal metropolitan area | 380 |
| Job offer inside Montreal metropolitan area | 180 |
Work experience obtained in Quebec and the rest of Canada
| Duration | Points of experience inside Quebec | Points of experience in the rest of Canada |
| Less than 6 months | 0 | 0 |
| 6 to 11 months | 20 | 8 |
| 12 to 23 months | 60 | 15 |
| 24 to 35 months | 70 | 20 |
| 36 to 47 months | 80 | 25 |
| 48 months or more | 100 | 35 |
Work experience
| Experience Duration with professions’ value | Points |
| Less than 12 months (Profession with no labor shortage or not assessed) | 0 |
| 12 months or more (Profession with no labor shortage or not assessed) | 30 |
| Less than 12 months (Profession with small labor shortage) | 0 |
| 12 to 23 months (Profession with small labor shortage) | 60 |
| 24 to 35 months (Profession with small labor shortage) | 70 |
| 36 months or more (Profession with small labor shortage) | 90 |
| Less than 12 months (Profession with labor shortage) | 0 |
| 12 to 23 months (Profession with labor shortage) | 70 |
| 24 to 35 months | 90 |
| 36 months or more (Profession with labor shortage) | 100 |
Area of training
For the areas further information, please refer to this link for each educational qualification and its training levels. The points score is as follows:
| Area of training | Points | Need base (in Quebec) |
| E | 0 | Not needed |
| D | 12 | Average needed |
| C | 30 | Often needed |
| B | 48 | Generally needed |
| A | 60 | Most needed |
Education acquired in Quebec
| Qualification level | Main applicant | Spouse or common-law partner |
| High school diploma | 10 | 1 |
| High school diploma with a year or more of full-time studies | 30 | 6 |
| Post-secondary diploma with 2 years of full-time study | 20 | 4 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with one or two years of full-time study | 35 | 7 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with three years of full-time study | 45 | 9 |
| Undergraduate university degree with one year of full-time studies | 25 | 5 |
| Undergraduate university degree with two years of full-time studies | 40 | 8 |
| Undergraduate university degree with three or more years of full-time studies | 46 | 10 |
| Masters degree with one or more years of full-time studies | 48 | 10 |
| PhD | 50 | 10 |
2- Human capital factors (maximum points 580)
i) Educational qualification (Main applicant without a spouse or common-law partner)
| Qualification level | Points |
| High school diploma | 18 |
| High school diploma with a year or more of full-time studies | 54 |
| Post-secondary diploma with 2 years of full-time study | 36 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with one or two years of full-time study | 63 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with three years of full-time study | 81 |
| Undergraduate university degree with one year of full-time studies | 45 |
| Undergraduate university degree with two years of full-time studies | 72 |
| Undergraduate university degree with three or more years of full-time studies | 83 |
| Masters degree with one or more years of full-time studies | 86 |
| PhD | 90 |
Educational qualification (Main applicant with a spouse or common-law partner)
| Qualification | Main applicant | Spouse or common-law partner |
| High school diploma | 12 | 1 |
| High school diploma with a year or more of full-time studies | 42 | 6 |
| Post-secondary diploma with 2 years of full-time study | 28 | 4 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with one or two years of full-time study | 49 | 7 |
| Post-secondary technical diploma with three years of full-time study | 63 | 9 |
| Undergraduate university degree with one year of full-time studies | 35 | 5 |
| Undergraduate university degree with two years of full-time studies | 56 | 8 |
| Undergraduate university degree with three or more years of full-time studies | 65 | 10 |
| Masters degree with one or more years of full-time studies | 68 | 10 |
| PhD | 70 | 10 |
ii) Age
| Age | Main applicant points | Spouse or common-law partner points |
| 18 to 30 | 130 | 110 |
| 31 | 118 | 100 |
| 32 | 112 | 95 |
| 33 | 107 | 91 |
| 34 | 100 | 85 |
| 35 | 95 | 80 |
| 36 | 85 | 72 |
| 37 | 78 | 66 |
| 38 | 72 | 61 |
| 39 | 65 | 55 |
| 40 | 59 | 50 |
| 41 | 46 | 39 |
| 42 | 33 | 28 |
| 43 | 20 | 17 |
| 44 | 7 | 6 |
| 45 or older | 0 | 0 |
iii) Work experience
| Length of experience | Points |
| Less than 11 months | 0 |
| 12 to 23 months | 30 |
| 24 to 35 months | 50 |
| 36 to 47 months | 80 |
| 48 months or more | 100 |
iv) Language proficiency
(a)- Combination of English and French language
| English ability level | French ability level | Points |
| 1 to 12 | 1 to 4 | 0 |
| 5 to 8 | 5 to 8 | 25 |
| 9 to 12 | 5 to 8 | 50 |
| 5 to 8 | 9 or 10 | 50 |
| 9 to 12 | 9 or 10 | 67 |
| 5 to 8 | 11 or 12 | 67 |
| 9 to 12 | 11 or 12 | 80 |
(b)- French language proficiency
Listening and Speaking levels and scores for main applicant and partner
| Level | Main applicant | Spouse or common-law partner |
| 1 to 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 or 6 | 32 | 9 |
| 7 or 8 | 53 | 15 |
| 9 or 10 | 63 | 18 |
| 11 or 12 | 70 | 20 |
Reading and Writing levels and scores for only the main applicant
| Level | Main applicant |
| 1 to 4 | 0 |
| 5 or 6 | 9 |
| 7 or 8 | 15 |
| 9 or 10 | 18 |
| 11 or 12 | 20 |
How the eligibility is considered?
In the Arima portal, the eligibility criteria have assessed the invitations are sent according to the criteria follows:
- Related to human capital, namely:
- knowledge of French;
- combined knowledge of French and English;
- age;
- the length of professional experience;
- the level of education.
- Related to the needs of the labor market in Quebec and to changing government priorities (e.g. having an occupation considered to have a shortage or a slight shortage of manpower in Quebec or having a good knowledge of French), namely:
- the workforce diagnosis combined, where appropriate, with the length of experience in the profession exercised;
- the area of training;
- the Quebec diploma;
- the length of professional experience in Quebec;
- the length of professional experience in the rest of Canada;
- the validated job offer combined, if applicable, instead of the job depending on whether it is located inside or outside the territory of the Montreal Metropolitan Community.
- Related to the spouse or common-law partner (if applicable), either:
- knowledge of French;
- level of education;
- the Quebec diploma.
- Some invitations can also be sent based on criteria such as:
- the region of destination in Quebec;
- the profession exercised.
What is Quebec’s Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)
The program is developed by the Government of Quebec and the Federal Government of Canada. The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) enables highly educated and trained foreign nationals to move to Quebec as skilled workers.
Candidates interested in the skilled worker program of Quebeck must demonstrate that they meet the minimum required score on the QSW points assessment grid. In case if you have sufficient QSW points, you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) using the Arrima online portal to be considered for the program. The government of Quebec will then invite some candidates to submit a complete application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec selection certificate). Upon receiving a CSQ, an applicant becomes eligible to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence.
What is Arrima Portal?
The Arrima platform allows for a better alignment between immigration and the needs of Québec’s labor market. Its use is completely free. Individuals who wish to immigrate permanently or temporarily under one of the programs listed below can use it:
- Regular Skilled Worker Program
- International Student Program (document transmission only)
- Québec Experience Program
For the skilled worker program, candidates can submit an expression of interest if they meet the minimum score under the points grid. The creation of an Arrima profile is done in two steps:
- You must first validate your email address, choose a password, and confirm your registration in the secure authentication system.
- The user must then approve the Arrima account’s terms of use, fill in the Identity and Contact information sections before receiving confirmation that the account has been created.