The Quebec Ministry of Immigration held its latest skilled worker draw on August 28, 2025, with a total of 231 candidates receiving an invitation to take a crucial step toward permanent residence. The draw was conducted through the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ) and focused on two specific streams.

Details of the August 28 Draw

According to details released by the Ministry, invited candidates were selected from Stream 1 (Highly qualified and specialized skills stream) and Stream 4 (Exceptional talent stream) of the program.

In the Highly qualified and specialized skills stream, a total of 227 candidates were invited. To be eligible, they needed to meet the following core conditions:

• Be physically present in Quebec at the time of application;
• Hold an eligible diploma from a recognized Quebec university, college, or vocational secondary school. Specific requirements include:
• For a university-level diploma: completion of at least 30 credits;
• For a college or vocational secondary school diploma: certification of a program of at least 900 hours of study; and
• Achieve a minimum score of 760 on Quebec’s scoring grid.

In addition, all candidates were required to meet the other basic eligibility criteria for this stream.

In the Exceptional talent stream, only four candidates were invited. This highly selective stream required candidates to meet the following criteria:

• Hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree; and
• Have at least three years of work experience in their main profession within the last five years.

Similarly, these candidates also had to meet all other fundamental eligibility requirements for the stream.

Context: Quebec's Immigration Policy Reforms

This draw is not an isolated event but part of a broader and deeper adjustment of Quebec’s immigration policies. Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge had previously unveiled a draft of the province’s immigration guidelines for the next four years in June of this year, outlining a series of significant changes.

Key Measures Already Implemented:

• Suspension of applications for the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) – Workers stream until November 30, 2025.
• Extension of the suspension for the PEQ – Graduates stream until November 30, 2025.
• The reopening of the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ) in July 2025, of which this draw is a part.
• Extension of the suspension of intake for the Program for Refugees Abroad (Collective Sponsorship) until December 31, 2027.

Proposed Future Reforms:

At the same time, the Quebec government has put forward a series of proposals aimed at reshaping the province's immigration landscape, with public consultations ending on August 15. The core proposals include:

• Setting targets for and planning a gradual reduction in the number of temporary residents.
• Reducing the number of temporary foreign workers in the province from 72,000 to 65,000 over four years, including a 50% cut in the number of temporary foreign workers in Montreal.
• Giving priority for permanent residence to temporary residents who are already in Quebec.
• Requiring temporary foreign workers to meet a minimum level of French proficiency to renew their work permits.

The Quebec government will make a final decision on overall immigration targets after considering public feedback. A finalized annual immigration levels plan is scheduled for publication in October 2025. The results of this latest draw clearly reflect the province's selection priorities during this period of policy transition.