Selection conditions

You must meet all of the conditions for the pilot program to be eligible for permanent selection and to obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (Québec selection certificate). Otherwise, your application could be refused. 

To be selected under the Permanent immigration pilot program for workers in food processing, you must: 

• Be 18 years of age and older;
• Intend to settle in Québec to work for a company over which you exercise no direct or indirect legal or de facto control. This job must not be in one of the ineligible sectors;
• Have obtained a diploma corresponding at least to a high school diploma or a Québec vocational diploma, obtained in a full-time program of study lasting at least one year;
• Hold an eligible full-time job in Québec;
• Have held an eligible job for at least 24 months:
  • On a full-time basis;
  • In Québec;
  • In one of the eligible sectors;
  • In a company over which you exercise no direct or indirect legal or de facto control;
  • During the 36 months prior to the date of submission of your application.
• Have a knowledge of spoken French that corresponds to level 7 of the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français  (in French only) or its equivalent; 
• Demonstrate your ability to be financially self-sufficient.

To be eligible, your work experience and the job that you currently hold must correspond to one of the following occupations, under the National Occupational Classification (NOC):

• NOC 94141 - Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and Related Workers;
• NOC 95106 - Labourers in Food and Beverage Processing;
• NOC 95107 - Labourers in Fish and Seafood Processing;
• NOC 65311 - Specialty Cleaners;
• NOC 94140 - Machine and Process Operators in Food and Beverage Processing;
• NOC 85100 - Labourers in the care of livestock, but only the job title chicken gatherer;
• NOC 94142 - Workers in fish and seafood processing plants.

Your work experience and the job you currently hold must also belong to one of the eligible sectors under the North American Industry Classification System  (NAICS) of the Government of Canada:

• NAICS 311 – Food manufacturing;
• NAICS 3121 – Beverage manufacturing.

Eligible work experience

To be eligible, your work experience must have been:

• Gained legally; 
• Through paid work;
• Full-time (30 hours per week or more) or equivalent;
• Gained in a company over which you exercise no direct or indirect legal or de facto control.

You must have knowledge of oral French that minimally corresponds to Level 7 on 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:

• A final transcript or transcripts for each year of study showing that you have successfully completed at least three years of study:
  • Secondary or post-secondary;
  • On a full time basis;
  • Conducted entirely in French.

  The result of each course must be visible on the transcript.

• 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.

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.