Quebec Releases New Areas Of Training List For Skilled Worker Program

Candidates with degrees in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Accounting, Translation, Banking and Financial Operations to be targeted by Quebec

The Canadian province of Quebec has released its new areas of training list in anticipation of the approaching application cycle for its Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).

The QSWP is a points-based Canadian immigration program. Points are awarded for various human capital factors, including an applicant’s area of training. From time to time, the government of Quebec revises the points awarded for each area of training in keeping with changes in the provincial labour market. The new list is good news for individuals who have degrees in areas such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Accounting, Translation, Banking and Financial Operations, as these areas of training will be awarded significantly more points than was previously the case.

Up to 16 points may be awarded for a candidate’s area of training. Given that under the most recent version of the program a single applicant required only 49 points in order to be eligible (applicants with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner require 57 points), the area of training may provide up to around 30 per cent of a potential applicant’s points total.

The current regulations governing the program are set to expire on March 31, 2015. The cap of 6,500 applications for the most recent application cycle was filled within four months, though individuals with a validated employment offer from an employer in Quebec may still apply. The government of Quebec has stated that procedures and regulations that will be in place for the QSWP will be announced on April 1, 2015.

Destination Quebec

Though successful applicants to the QSWP become permanent residents of Canada, which entails the  freedom of movement and labour rights within Canada that comes with permanent resident status, candidates are required from the outset to have the intention to reside in Quebec. Many, if not most, successful QSWP applicants choose to remain in Quebec in any case. Those who do so become residents of one of Canada’s most populous, diverse, and dynamic provinces.

The majority of newcomers to Quebec settle in the Greater Montreal Area. Montreal, which was recently named by The Economist magazine as the second-best city in the world to live in, is also Canada’s second-largest city. While French is the predominant language in Quebec, English is also widely spoken, particularly in and around Montreal. Immigrants who wish to learn French and integrate into Quebec’s society more actively can do so for free, thanks to a well-organized system of government-sponsored language courses.

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