Effective November 1, 2019, international graduates of Quebec post-secondary institutions will be able to apply for participation in the PEQ Quebec Graduate Stream, which has been suspended since July 2019. The updated information was published in the Official Gazette of Quebec (Gazette officielle du Québec) on October 30th.
The Quebec Graduate Stream of the Quebec Experience Program (Program de l’expérience québécoise, PEQ) has been created for French-speaking graduates of Quebec universities and colleges. Applications under this stream have been suspended since July for the reason that there were too many candidates and the provincial government decided to concentrate on applicants with work experience in Quebec.
Starting November 1, 2019, the following types of Quebec educational credentials will be accepted under the PEQ Quebec Graduate Stream:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- Doctorate (Ph.D.)
- Diploma of College Studies — Technical
- Vocational Diploma, with or without attestation of vocational specialization, obtained consecutively, attesting to a minimum of 900 hours of study
- Attestation of Vocational Specialization attesting to a minimum of 900 hours of training
- Attestation of College Studies attesting to a minimum of 900 hours of study
The important change is that these degrees, attestations, and diplomas should include areas of training that respond to the Quebec labour market.
Candidates must also complete a minimum of 900 hours of full-time study in Quebec or, if their certificate or diploma attests to more than 1,800 hours of study, they must have lived in Quebec for at least half the duration of their study program.
If the study program is 900 to 1,800 hours, candidates must have a 6-month full-time work experience in Quebec, acquired after completing their study program in their area of training.