Quebec is bringing back the program that thousands of graduates and skilled workers were counting on. On June 10, 2026, Immigration Minister **François Bonnardel** announced that the **Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ)** will reopen on July 2, 2026, after being closed since November 2025. If you finished a Quebec diploma or built two years of Quebec work experience before the program shut down, a path to permanent selection is opening again — but only for four months, and only for people who already met the rules. ## What is the Quebec Experience Program reopening? The **Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)** reopening is a temporary reactivation of Quebec's fast-track immigration stream for graduates and temporary workers. Both PEQ streams reopen on July 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. for a two-year period, letting eligible candidates apply for a **Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)** — the document that leads to permanent residence. The reopening reverses a decision that left many people in limbo. When Quebec replaced the PEQ with the **Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ)** in November 2025, it offered no transition measures, and graduates and workers who had already built their lives in the province suddenly lost their pathway. Municipalities and employers pushed back hard, and the government has now responded with a two-year reactivation. ## Who can apply during the first window (July 2 to October 31, 2026)? For the first application window, only people who were already eligible for the PEQ before it closed on **November 19, 2025** can apply. That date is the dividing line: you must have met the program's conditions on or before it, in one of two streams. ### The graduates (Diplômés) stream To apply under the **Diplômés du Québec** stream, you must have obtained an eligible Quebec diploma — a bachelor's, master's, doctorate, technical college diploma (**DEC**), or a vocational diploma (**DEP**) of at least 1,800 hours — on or before November 19, 2025. The diploma has to come from a recognized Quebec institution, and you must still meet the program's French-language and residency conditions when you apply. ### The temporary workers (Travailleurs) stream To apply under the **Travailleurs étrangers temporaires** stream, you must have accumulated at least **two years of eligible full-time Quebec work experience**, gained within the three years before November 19, 2025. The work has to fall under a skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) and meet the program's French-language requirement. The PEQ has always required you to demonstrate intermediate-level French, so plan to have your proof ready. ## Is there a cap on PEQ applications? No. Minister Bonnardel was explicit that there is **no cap** on applications during the first window — every application received between July 2 and October 31, 2026 that meets the criteria will be processed. The ministry (**MIFI**) estimates that 8,000 to 12,000 people will qualify for this first window, though the minister acknowledged the real number could run higher. Two conditions still matter. The PEQ works on a first-come, first-served basis, so files are reviewed in the order they arrive starting at 8:30 a.m. on July 2. And you must be living in Quebec when you apply — someone who left the province but met the conditions on November 19, 2025 would need to return before declaring their interest. ## How long will PEQ applications take to process? The ministry is aiming to issue CSQs within roughly **six to seven months**, but it has not renewed the formal six-month service guarantee that applied to the old PEQ. With a large volume of applications expected over a short window, processing times could run longer than usual. Once you receive your CSQ, you still apply to the federal government for permanent residence. ## What if you became eligible after November 19, 2025? You will get your turn, but not in July. The government has confirmed that a **second application window** will open for people who became eligible after November 19, 2025 — possibly toward the end of 2027 or in 2028. The exact date has not been announced. Because the PEQ stays open for the full two years, no eligible candidate is being shut out; the windows simply control the flow of applications against Quebec's immigration targets. ## How does the reopening affect the PSTQ? The PEQ reopening does **not** replace the **PSTQ**, which remains Quebec's main economic immigration system. The province plans to split its roughly 29,000 annual economic admissions between the two programs — aiming for a balance close to 50/50 — and will keep issuing PSTQ invitations, though in smaller numbers until October 31, 2026. Because about 80% of PEQ candidates also fit a PSTQ stream, the government will steer eligible people toward the PEQ to speed things up. There is also a federal piece. Quebec has asked Ottawa to renew the work permits — both closed and open — of PEQ and PSTQ candidates whose status could expire before their files are processed, ideally for another 12 months. If your permit is approaching its expiry, this is worth watching closely. If you are weighing the provincial route against the federal one, our guide to [Express Entry after working in Quebec](/en/blog/express-entry-after-working-in-quebec) explains the alternative, and our [PSTQ pathway explainer](/en/blog/quebec-pstq-new-pathway-permanent-residence) breaks down the system that now runs alongside the PEQ. ## Key steps to take before July 2, 2026 1. **Confirm which stream fits you.** Check whether you held an eligible Quebec diploma, or had two years of skilled Quebec work experience, on or before November 19, 2025. 2. **Verify you still meet every condition** — including French proficiency and current residence in Quebec — not just the November 19 cutoff. 3. **Gather your documents now.** The full criteria and application forms publish on Quebec.ca on June 17, 2026; have your diploma, work records, and language proof ready before the portal opens. 4. **Be ready at 8:30 a.m. on July 2.** Because the window is first-come, first-served with no cap, applying early protects you against a long processing queue. 5. **Confirm your French proof.** If your French test result is dated or missing, book it well before the window so it does not delay your file. See how [French proficiency fast-tracks Canadian immigration](/en/blog/how-french-proficiency-fast-tracks-canadian-immigration). 6. **If you became eligible after November 19, 2025, watch for the second window** rather than applying in July — and keep your status valid in the meantime. ## Key takeaways - The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) reopens on July 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. for a two-year period. - The first application window runs from July 2 to October 31, 2026. - Only people who were eligible on or before November 19, 2025 can apply in this first window. - The graduates stream requires an eligible Quebec diploma; the workers stream requires at least two years of skilled Quebec work experience. - There is no cap on applications, and the ministry expects 8,000 to 12,000 qualifying candidates. - People who became eligible after November 19, 2025 will be able to apply in a later window, expected in 2027 or 2028. - The PEQ does not replace the PSTQ, which continues to run alongside it. DOCERE helps international graduates and skilled workers in Quebec confirm their PEQ eligibility, assemble a complete CSQ application, and decide between the provincial and federal routes to permanent residence. To find out whether you qualify for the July 2, 2026 reopening before the window closes, start with a free [eligibility assessment](/en/assessment).