Conditions for Québec graduates for the Québec Experience Program

You must meet the general conditions of the program and the specific conditions for the Québec graduate stream.

General conditions

You must prove that:

• you have respected the conditions of your stay;
• you intend to settle in Québec to hold a job;
• you are 18 years of age or older;
• you have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (PDF 1.88 Mb) (in French);
• you are legally in Québec at the time of application;
• you are financially self-sufficient.

Your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 4 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (PDF 1.88 Mb) (in French).

Conditions of the graduate stream

To be selected for the Québec Graduate stream of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program), you must:

• Have obtained an eligible diploma
• Have obtained eligible work experience in Québec following your study program
• Have stayed in Québec for at least half the duration of your study program

Eligible diplomas 

Diplomas eligible for the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program) are:

• Bachelor’s degree (university undergraduate)
• Master’s degree (including an MBA)
• Ph.D.
• Diploma of college studies, technical training (DCS)
• Diploma of vocational studies (DVS) attesting to 1,800 hours or more of study
• Diploma of vocational studies (DVS) followed by an Attestation of vocational specialization (AVS) of 1,800 hours or more of continuing education leading to a given trade

No other type of diploma is eligible for the PEQ.

You must have obtained your diploma:

• In the 36 months preceding the submission of your application
• In a full-time study program
• In an education institution in Québec 

Work experience (National Occupational Classification)

The required work experience varies depending on the type of diploma you obtained.

If you have obtained a DVS of 1,800 hours or more of training, alone or with an AVS, you must have obtained work experience:

• Of at least 18 months after the end of your study program
• Full-time in a job at level 0, A, B or C of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

To be eligible, you must also hold a full-time job at one of the following NOC levels when you submit your application:

• If your job is at level 0, A or B, it does not have to be related to your study program
• If your job is level C, it must be related to the DVS you obtained in Québec. For more information, visit Inforoute . Select the title of your study program from its directory and look for the Targeted professions section

For all other PEQ-eligible diplomas, you must have gained paid work experience after completing your study program:

• Of at least 12 months
• Full-time
• In a job at level 0, A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

To be eligible, you must also hold a full-time job at the same NOC level 0, A or B when you submit your application. This job does not have to be related to your study program.

Work experience you acquired during a mandatory internship for your study program may be recognized. To do so, you must have received a work permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

• For a full-time internship, your experience may be recognized for a maximum of three months.
• For a part-time internship, the recognized period corresponds to its full-time equivalent.

Work experience that is not continuous can be considered in your application if it was full time.

To hold a job after graduation, you may obtain a post-graduation work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This permit allows you to work for different employers. 

You can also be hired by a Québec employer and obtain a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 4 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (PDF 1.88 Mb) (in French).

Under certain conditions, your accompanying spouse may obtain an open work permit to work.

If you have a work permit for an accompanying spouse, you can also submit an application as part for the PEQ as a principal applicant.

You may be required to complete an interview with an immigration counsellor to verify, for example, the accuracy of the information provided in your application for permanent selection.

If so, you will receive a notice specifying the:

• date of the interview;
• location of the interview;
• time of the interview.

The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration may also conduct additional verification.