The Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion has introduced some minor application fee increases for its immigration programs.
In certain cases, candidates will pay just a dollar more in 2017 than they would have done in 2016.
The largest increase is in the Business: Investor category, with the fee rising $111, from $15,000 to $15,111.
Elsewhere, the increases were insignificant.
Quebec Immigration Application Fees
| Until December 31, 2016 | From January 1, 2017 | |
| Permanent immigration | ||
| Application for a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec selection certificate) | ||
| Business: Investor | $15,000 | $15,111 |
| Business: Entrepreneur and self-employed | $1,045 | $1,053 |
| Skilled worker | $773 | $779 |
| Each accompanying family member (except investor class) | $166 | $167 |
| Employer requesting validation of permanent employment | $193 | $194 |
| Undertaking application | ||
| For the principal sponsored person or the first sponsored minor | $275 | $277 |
| For each other sponsored person | $110 | $111 |
| Temporary immigration | ||
| Application for a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ – Québec certificate of acceptance) | ||
| Temporary worker | $193 | $194 |
| Employer posting a temporary employment offer (except seasonal agriculture) | $193 | $194 |
| Foreign student | $110 | $111 |
| Person on a temporary stay for medical treatment | $110 | $111 |
| Immigration consultant | ||
| Application for recognition of an immigration consultant | $1,600 | $1,612 |
| Application for renewal of recognition | $1,300 | $1,310 |
| Comparative evaluation for studies done outside Québec (There may be translation fees in addition) | $115 | $116 |
In September, Quebec immigration minister Kathleen Weil outlined her plan to increase the number of immigrants coming into the province to 52,500 by 2019.
The announcement is a step back from an initial plan to welcome 60,000 new immigrants from 2017, but it is an indication that Quebec’s Liberal government understands how important immigration is for economic prosperity.
Immigrant Numbers In Quebec
- 2016: 50,000
- 2017: 51,000
- 2018: 51,000
- 2019: 52,500
Quebec is battling a naturally declining working-age population. People are getting older and retiring, and there are not enough coming into the work force to replace them. This is down to the province’s low birth rate, combined with high out-migration within Canada.
Meanwhile, a recent report called on Quebec to do more to integrate and improve the job prospects of new immigrants.
Newcomers suffer higher unemployment rates and are more likely to end up in a job for which they are overqualified and paid less than native Quebecers, the Institut de Recherche et d’Informations Socio-Economiques (IRIS) report, released in October 2016, said.
The report looked at the last 10 years, when the unemployment rate for new immigrants has average 11.2 per cent, as against 5.8 per cent for those born in Canada.
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