Quebec reinstates popular immigration program PEQ for 2-year period - BERITAJA

Quebec is bringing backmost a widely-used migration pathway, but questions stay about really it will activity for applicants seeking imperishable residency.

Premier Christine Fréchette announced the reopening of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) for a two-year period.

“I americium truthful announcing that the curate of Immigration, the French connection and Integration will reopen the programme for 2 years,” she said astatine her inaugural reside astatine the National Assembly connected Tuesday.

The programme has agelong been relied connected by thousands of immigrants arsenic a measurement to amended their chances of staying successful Quebec permanently.

For Diego Ferreira, the announcement offers hope. The Brazilian autochthonal has lived successful the state pinch his family for about 4 years and has 2 years near connected his impermanent visa.

“That’s fantabulous (news) because I was really readying to time off (Quebec),” Ferreira told BERITAJA successful an interview.

He added the hold gives him clip to complete the process. “We person immoderate clip to support moving and complete it,” the Brazilian said.

The PEQ had been suspended earlier this twelvemonth successful an effort to power the number of applicants, causing wide upset pinch group who were depending connected the program. Its return is invited news for many, but experts be aware it is not a shortcut to imperishable residency.

Immigration lawyer Yves Martineau said candidates will still request to meet strict requirements.

“It intends that candidates will person to beryllium prepared and person their impervious of employment since the very first time erstwhile they arrived successful Quebec,” Martineau said.

He noted the announcement has created arsenic overmuch worry arsenic alleviation among immoderate applicants.

“At this point, location is much worry than joyousness because location has been a batch of uncertainty,” he said, adding his patient has been inundated pinch requests. “We person received calls and emails much than ever before.”

Martineau warned it could beryllium difficult for immoderate immigrants to use if their visas person expired aliases are adjacent to expiring.

Despite the uncertainty, Ferreira told BERITAJA he plans connected continuing to navigate the paperwork connected his own, hoping the revived programme will let his family to settee permanently successful the province.