Effective January 1, 2020, candidates participating in all economic immigration programs of Quebec will have to write a mandatory test of knowledge of the democratic and provincial values.
From the beginning of the next year, those applying for any of the Quebec economic immigration programs (Regular Skilled Worker Program, Quebec Experience Program, Entrepreneur Program, Immigrant Investor Program, Self-Employed Worker Program) will have to take an online test of knowledge of democratic values and the province’s values expressed in the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (Charte des droits et libertés de la personne).
The test will be taken not only by the main applicants but also by their spouses of 16 years of age or older and dependent children of 18 years of age or older. The exempt persons include only foreigners with disabilities that prevent them from obtaining the attestation.
To pass the test, it is enough to score 75% out of the 20 questions. Those who fail can retake the test. Immigrant candidates will also have the opportunity to take a course on questions that they failed to answer.
According to Quebec Premier Francois Legault, potential immigrants must be aware of democratic values, such as the equal rights of men and women.
Legault also noted that newcomers should be aware of the principle of secularism that applies in the province. This means that the government and other sources of law exist separately from any type of religion. For instance, government officials, including judges, police officers, and teachers, are prohibited from wearing religious symbols, such as a kippah, turban or hijab, while they are at work.
Quebec immigration minister Simon Jolin-Barrett also said that the goal of the test is to help newcomers integrate into Quebec society and embrace the values of the province.
Here are a couple of examples of the questions:
- “In Quebec, men and women have the same rights and are considered equal by law, true or false?”
- “Identify which of the following examples are discriminatory: refusing to hire a woman who is pregnant, a person who doesn’t have the required diploma or a person based on their ethnicity.”
It is expected that 26,300 potential immigrants and their families will take the values test in 2020.
You can find the text of the Charter on which testing is based on the Quebec government website (in English and French).