Maple News reports that on September 30, Québec invited 536 candidates to apply for permanent selection under the province’s Regular Skilled Worker Program (Programme régulier des travailleurs qualifiés, or PRTQ). This was the second round of invitations processed through the Arrima portal in September, emphasizing Québec’s continued efforts to meet pressing labor shortages in key sectors.
The invitations were extended to candidates who had submitted a Declaration of Interest in the Arrima system and achieved a minimum score of 562 points. In addition to meeting the score threshold, candidates were primarily selected based on occupation and job location, with priority given to those holding a valid job offer outside the Greater Montréal Area.
Notably, Québec focused this round on professions facing acute labor shortages, particularly in healthcare and education. The targeted occupations included registered nurses (3012), licensed practical nurses (3233), nurse aides and patient attendants (3413), secondary school teachers (4031), elementary and kindergarten teachers (4032), and early childhood educators and assistants (4214).
This recent draw marks the tenth invitation round of 2021, bringing the total number of invitations issued through the PRTQ to approximately 3,200 for the year. The pace of draws has noticeably increased in recent months. For example, Québec held weekly invitation rounds in August, each surpassing 500 invites—a sharp increase compared to earlier in the year.
The Regular Skilled Worker Program is designed for foreign nationals with skills and experience that match the province’s labor market needs. Unlike Canada’s federal immigration pathways, Québec manages its own immigration system, with separate selection criteria tailored to the province’s economic, linguistic, and demographic priorities.
Applicants selected by Québec must still receive final approval from the federal government, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) retains the authority to grant permanent residency.
This continued momentum suggests that Québec is actively seeking to accelerate the integration of skilled professionals into its workforce as the province grapples with long-standing staffing shortages in the public sector, particularly in healthcare and education.
Maple News will continue to monitor Québec’s immigration initiatives as the province works to align its economic recovery with demographic and labor market goals.