Premier Christine Fréchette and the Quebec government relaunched the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) on June 13 [1].
The move aims to address immigration backlogs and fulfill government pledges. However, a segment of the immigrant population reports feeling abandoned because they cannot access the program despite being eligible before its previous abolition.
The PEQ is an immigration fast-track administered by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration. The government reinstated the program for a duration of two years [2]. This decision follows the original abolition of the PEQ on Nov. 19, 2026 [3].
Fréchette said the relaunch was intended to honor the government's commitment to those who were waiting for the program. "Nous tenons à honorer notre parole envers les immigrants qui attendaient ce programme," Fréchette said [1].
Despite the Premier's statement, contradictions have emerged regarding a "grandfather" clause. While some reports indicate the government promised to let those eligible before the November abolition submit applications [1], other reports state there will be no such clause for these immigrants [4].
This discrepancy has led to frustration among applicants who no longer meet the updated criteria. Martinez Ferrada said that when a promise is made to someone, there is an expectation that the word will be respected [5]. Bruno Marchand said the resulting situations for immigrants are inhumane [6].
The relaunch was officially announced on Wednesday, June 12, and took effect the following day [1, 2]. The program now operates under the direction of the CAQ government as it attempts to balance labor needs with integration requirements.
“"Nous tenons à honorer notre parole envers les immigrants qui attendaient ce programme."”
The reinstatement of the PEQ highlights the tension between Quebec's need for skilled labor and the political volatility of its immigration criteria. By limiting the program's duration and potentially omitting a grandfather clause for previously eligible applicants, the government risks creating a legal and social vacuum for immigrants who structured their lives around a program that was abolished and then partially revived.
