Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in seven Quebec cities, including Gatineau, Montreal, and Quebec City, to oppose the provincial government’s decision to eliminate the popular Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ). The program ended in November, stranding thousands of temporary workers and compelling some to leave for their home countries.
Personal Impacts on Immigrants
Mariia Kolosova relocated from Ukraine to Quebec in 2023, aiming to secure permanent residency via the PEQ. She intensively studied French and chose a tourism job to meet the program’s requirements. Just as she neared eligibility, authorities suspended and then terminated the initiative.
“The reason I came to Quebec, one of the reasons, was [because] my chances were quite high,” Kolosova stated at the Montreal rally. “Ukrainians, many of us, we don’t have a place to [go] back to. It’s not that easy to change your life from [scratch] again.”
Florent Pigeyre, an advisor for French citizens abroad, assists Montreal newcomers in organizing a lawsuit against the government. “I see a lot of [immigrants] contact me because the families are breaking apart, because they have to separate and go back to their country of origin,” he explained. “It was not the plan. It’s not what had been sold to them from the Quebec government.”
Pigeyre noted that many arrived following provincial recruitment drives promising PEQ opportunities, only to face altered rules under the replacement program.
Aram Musco, who moved from France to Montreal for studies, also faces uncertainty. “The main thing is it’s quite hard to anticipate the next steps,” he said. “With the PSTQ, what’s quite difficult to manage and understand is that the criteria can evolve.” Musco emphasized that PEQ’s French proficiency standards were already stringent and that immigrants bolster the economy without endangering the language.
Replacement Program Details
Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge introduced the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), a points-based system favoring applicants in regional areas outside Montreal and priority sectors like health care and education. The PEQ previously streamlined permanent residency for those with adequate French skills and qualifying experience.
Several dozen protesters gathered in Gatineau, part of rallies spanning the province.
Calls from Politicians and Officials
Mayors, Québec solidaire and Liberal MNAs, municipal leaders, and unions joined the demonstrations, urging exemptions for current residents to apply under PEQ rules—a request echoed by business organizations.
“We need to ensure stability for the people who come here… and that we ensure as well stability for all public services,” stated Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Sol Zanetti at the Quebec City event.
In Gatineau, Liberal MNA André Fortin expressed hope that the protests reassure immigrants of their welcome. “The CAQ government has started to blame immigration for all of Quebec’s problems, whether it’s housing, whether it’s health care or education,” Fortin remarked. “And that’s simply not the case.”
The government maintains the PSTQ will accommodate around 29,000 economic immigrants annually. Officials refuse PEQ exemptions but commit to processing prior applications.
