Selection conditions

You must meet all of the conditions of the pilot program to be eligible and to obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (Québec selection certificate).

This pilot program is comprised of two streams:

• Artificial intelligence;
• Information technologies and visual effects, including video games.

Each stream includes the following two profiles:

• Francophone
• Francization.

Conditions common to both streams

• Be 18 years of age or over;
• Intend to settle in Québec to work for a company over which you do not exercise legal or de facto control, directly or indirectly. This job should not be in one of the ineligible sectors;
• Demonstrate financial self-sufficiency.

You can submit an application under the Artificial intelligence stream as a foreign worker or as a Québec graduate.

Conditions for foreign workers

You must:

• Have obtained a diploma corresponding at least to a Québec bachelor's degree;
• Have gained work experience in Québec or abroad in a job classified TEER level 0, 1 or 2, or level 0, A or B according to the National Occupational Classification :
  • On a full-time basis;
  • For a period of at least 24 months over the 60 months preceding submission of your application;
  • The work experience in Québec or abroad must not have been gained for a company over which you have legal or de facto control, directly or indirectly, or in one of then ineligible sectors.

  or

  • Have obtained a diploma that corresponds at least to a master's or PhD degree in Québec in the 12 months preceding the submission of the application;
    and
  • Hold or have accepted a job in Québec:
    • On a full-time basis;
    • In the artificial intelligence sector and for which your skills profile allows you to meet the requirements;
    • For which the gross annual salary is at least $75,000 if your employer is established outside the territory of the Metropolitan Montréal Community or at least $100,000 if it is established inside the Metropolitan Montréal Community;
    • For a company over which you have no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
    • For a company not operating in one of the ineligible sectors.

  Conditions for Québec graduates

  You must:

  • Have lived in Québec for the primary purpose of studying, for at least half of your study program;
  • Have obtained a university degree from a Québec educational institution during the 24 months preceding submission of your application, for completion of:
    • Higher specialized studies (DESS);
    • A master’s program;
    • A doctoral program.
  • If you hold a diploma of higher specialized studies (DESS), you must have held a job in Québec:
    • Of category TEER 0, 1 or 2 level 0, A or B according to the National Occupational Classification ( NOC);
    • On a full-time basis;
    • For a period of at least 6 months during the 12 months following the date of the end of your study program;
    • For a company over which you have no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
    • And which does not operate in one of the ineligible sectors.
  • Hold or have accepted a job in Québec:
    • On a full-time basis;
    • In the artificial intelligence sector and for which your skills profile allows you to meet the requirements;
    • For a company over which you have no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
    • And which does not operate in one of the ineligible sectors.

  You are not eligible as a Québec graduate if you hold a scholarship with a clause requiring you to return to your country, unless you have already fulfilled that condition.

  Committee of experts

  When you submit your application for permanent selection in the artificial intelligence stream, you must provide an opinion issued by a committee of experts administered by the Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre des technologies de l’information et des communications Techno-compétences  (Information and communications technologies sectorial workforce committee) – in French only. They must confirm that the position offered to you is in the artificial intelligence sector and corresponds to your skills profile.

  Please note that if you receive a positive opinion from this committee, it is not guaranteed that you will obtain the certificate of selection. The other relevant information or documents that you provide will also be taken into account by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Immigration in the decision.

In all of these cases, you must also:

• Hold a diploma that minimally corresponds to a Québec diploma of college studies – technical training, or a Québec bachelor’s degree; 
• Have held an eligible job:
  • On a full-time basis;
  • For a period of at least 24 months;
  • During the 60 months preceding submission of your application for permanent selection;
  • The work experience in Québec must not have been gained in a company over which you have no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
  • And which does not operate in one of the ineligible sectors; 
• Hold or have accepted an eligible job in Québec:
  • On a full-time basis;
  • Whose hourly wage is equal to the maximum wage for your profession (9^th decile of the wage for your profession);
  • In a company over which you have no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
  • And which does not operate in one of the ineligible sectors;

The maximum wage corresponds to the 9th decile of the wage for a profession, also called the “last decile”. The 9th decile or the last decile corresponds to 10% of the the best paid wage earners in a profession.

To check the maximum wage (the 9th decile for your profession):

Consult the list below.

• NOC 21223 - Database Analysts and Data Administrators - Hourly rate of $54.95;
• NOC 21233 - Web Designers - Hourly rate of $48.08;
• NOC 52120 - Graphic Designer and Illustrator, but only if you work in the visual effects sector*- Hourly rate of $46.15;
• NOC 21232 - Software Developers and Programmers - Hourly rate of $60.00;
• NOC 21230 - Computer Systems Developers and Programmers - Hourly rate of $52.88;
• NOC 20012 - Computer Systems Manager - Hourly rate of $86.54;
• NOC 21231 - Software engineers and designers - Hourly rate of $66.67;
• NOC 21310 - Electrical and Electronics Engineers - Hourly rate of $67.31;
• NOC 51120 - Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations, but only if you work in the visual effects sector*- Hourly rate of $55.29;
• NOC 41200 - University professors and lecturers, but only if their practice is related to information technology or visual effects*- Hourly rate of $81.73;
• NOC 21211 - Data Scientists - Hourly rate of $55.29;
• NOC 21220 - Cybersecurity Specialists - Hourly rate of $57.69;
• NOC 21222 - Computer Specialists - Hourly rate of $60.51;
• NOC 21221 - Commercial Systems Specialists - Hourly rate of $58.00;
• NOC 52113 - Audio and video recording technicians, but only if your job is in the visual effects sector*- Hourly rate of $40.38;
• NOC 52111 - Graphic design technicians, but only if working in the visual effects sector *- Hourly rate of $45.00;
• NOC 22220 - Computer Network and Web Technicians - Hourly rate of $47.80;
• NOC 22310 - Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians - Hourly rate of $48.00;

*Please note that video games are included in the visual effects category.

In the diagram, check the maximum hourly wage for your profession. Your salary must be equal to or greater than that wage.

Francophone and Francization profiles

Francophone profile

To be selected under the Francophone profile, you must have knowledge of oral French that corresponds to at least Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français  (in French only) or its equivalent. Knowledge of oral French includes oral comprehension and oral expression. 

When you submit your application for permanent selection, you must complete a declaration on your knowledge of French. You must also include with your declaration one of the following supporting documents:

• Final transcript or transcripts for each year of study, including results for each course, certifying successful completion of at least three years of study:
  • Secondary or post-secondary;
  • Full-time study;
  • Conducted entirely in French.
• You must also provide an attestation from your educational institution that indicates the duration of your study program and the language of instruction if:
  • The national language in your country of origin is not French;
  • Your educational institution is not entirely francophone.
• An attestation of the results of French tests or diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, specifically one of the following: 
  • Test de connaissance du français pour le Québec  (TCF-Québec), France Éducation international;
  • Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada  (TCF-Canada), France Éducation international;
  • Test de connaissance du français  (TCF), France Éducation international;
  • Diplôme approfondi de langue française  (DALF), France Éducation international;
  • Diplôme d’études en langue française  (DELF), France Éducation international;
  • Test d’évaluation du français adapté pour le Québec  (TEFAQ), Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France (CCIP-IDF);
  • Test d’évaluation du français pour le Canada  (TEF Canada), CCIP-IDF;
  • Test d’évaluation du français  (TEF),CCIP-IDF.

When you submit an application for permanent selection under the Francization profile, you must sign a francization agreement.

If you are selected under the Francization profile, you will be automatically registered with the Integration service for immigrants, Accompagnement Québec. The purpose of this measure is to support your learning of French and your integration into Québec society.

You cannot be selected for the program if your work experience or employment is in one of the following ineligible sectors:

• Payday loans, cheque cashing or pawnbroking;
• Production, distribution or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services related to the sex industry, such as nude or erotic dancing, escort services or erotic massages.

A job is in an inadmissible sector when the employer operates a business in that sector, whether or not the job contributes to it.