Immigration Quebec suddenly eliminates 18,000 applications

In a heartbreaking announcement today, Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has announced that all Quebec Skilled Workers Program applications submitted before august 2nd, 2018 will be cancelled and refunded, unless a decision to refuse, reject or select has already been in process. For the Quebec Skilled Workers Program, this is the official end of "Mon Projet Quebec".

Immigration Quebec essentially gave up on thousands of applicants who submitted through Mon Projet Quebec and never received an answer or decision on their application. Many applicants have already submitted their documents when requested and are now back to square one.

This is a complete different direction than what was promised by the Minister only a week ago, where he assured that the 18,000 applications would be reviewed and processed under the old rules.

We are shocked by the measures taken by the Quebec Government (MIDI) to reduce the backlog of processed applications. The 18,000 applications were all candidates that met the quotas set by the Quebec government itself. We believe this new regulation is extremely unfair to those who have spent months and months waiting for a decision from the Quebec government.

Who is affected*?

At the time of writing this article, the Mon Projet portal has been shut down to applicants, but we know that almost everyone has received a communication in their portal.

If you have not received a decision of selection (CSQ), refusal or rejection regarding your application, then your application is automatically cancelled.

We still don't know if those who have received an "intention to refuse or reject" are automatically being processed or if they will be cancelled later.

*we will update this article once we find out the extent of who is affected

What is the new law?

Here is an excerpt of the proposed bill 9, for which an implementation date has not been set yet.

The third paragraph mentions that no compensation, damages and interests will be allowed to be claimed to the government by those who are affected.

What are the solutions?

Applications who still have faith in Quebec Immigration can still apply through the ARRIMA portal, which looks like it may open shortly. We already know that those with a validated job offer will receive priority selection in the ARRIMA portal.

If you are able to prove your french language proficiency at an intermediate-advanced level, the PEQ program is still open for applications.

If you plan to leave the province of Quebec following the cancellation of your application, you may be qualified for the Express Entry program, which is regulated by the federal government and is not linked to the MIDI.

If you are affected and seek immediate legal advice for your future in Canada, please feel free to contact us for a consultation.