Quebec's PSTQ explained
Quebec selects its own economic immigrants under the Canada–Québec Accord. Its main route for skilled workers is the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), managed through the Arrima online pool.
Quebec selects its own skilled workers
Under the Canada–Québec Accord, Quebec runs its own skilled-worker selection separate from federal Express Entry. Success in the PSTQ leads to a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ); you then apply to the federal government for permanent residence.
Candidates submit a declaration of interest in the Arrima pool. The Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) ranks profiles and invites candidates in periodic rounds.
The four PSTQ streams
The PSTQ has four streams (volets): Stream 1 for highly qualified and specialized workers (generally NOC TEER 0–2); Stream 2 for intermediate and manual occupations (TEER 3–5), with emphasis on experience gained in Quebec; Stream 3 for regulated professions, where eligibility hinges on your occupation being on the regulated list and your diploma being recognized; and Stream 4 for exceptional, internationally or nationally recognized talent, assessed case by case.
French-language requirements and experience thresholds differ by stream, and most streams expect a level of financial self-sufficiency.
Invitations and what they depend on
MIFI holds Arrima invitation rounds that can include several streams at once, each with its own score range. Quebec publishes the number of invitations and score ranges per stream after each round — you can see recent rounds on our draws tracker.
Because stream eligibility is tied to your NOC and TEER, confirming the right occupation code is an important first step before building your Arrima profile.