PSTQ Stream 1 — Highly qualified and specialized skills
What is this program?
PSTQ Stream 1 — Highly qualified and specialized skills — is for workers in skilled occupations (NOC TEER 0, 1, or 2; equivalent to Quebec's FEER 0/1/2). It's the main worker stream of Quebec's Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés. You submit a Declaration of Interest in Arrima (Quebec's EOI portal), get scored on Quebec's selection grid (which heavily weights French), and wait for a Stream 1 invitation. Selected applicants receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), required before applying to IRCC for federal PR.
Who is it for?
- You're at least 18 years old
- Your main occupation is in NOC TEER 0/1/2 (skilled / professional)
- You have at least 1 year of full-time work in that occupation within the last 5 years
- You hold a diploma from a program of at least 1 year
- Your French is at oral level 7 and written level 5 on the Échelle québécoise (≈ NCLC oral 7 / written 5)
- You intend to settle and work in Québec
What does it lead to?
Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) issued by Quebec's MIFI. With CSQ, you then file a federal PR application with IRCC — that federal step currently takes 11 months (IRCC's estimate). Quebec makes no commitment on how long its own selection step takes, and Arrima invitation rounds vary, so the total is open-ended.
Primary requirements
- Minimum age 18.
- Main occupation in NOC TEER 0, 1, or 2 (FEER 0/1/2).
- At least 1 year of full-time work experience in main occupation within last 5 years.
- Diploma from a 1-year-plus program (DEP/ASP, AEC/DEC, or university certificate/degree).
- French oral ≥7 and written ≥5 on the Échelle québécoise.
- No professional licence required to practise the occupation (otherwise apply through Stream 3).
- Declaration of Interest submitted in Arrima.
- Receive a Stream 1 invitation to apply based on Arrima profile score.
- Intent to settle in Québec, not self-sponsored, not in an ineligible sector.
- Financial self-sufficiency for the first 3 months in Quebec.
- Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values (online).
What you'll need to apply
- Valid passport
- Arrima Declaration of Interest profile
- French test results — TEF Canada, TCF Canada, TEFAQ, or TCF Québec
- Diploma from a program of at least 1 year
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your degree was earned outside Canada
- Proof of 1+ year of full-time work experience in main occupation
- Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values certificate
- Financial Self-Sufficiency Contract
- MIFI application fee
Where to start
Check if you match this program (free)
Or visit the official québec page for PSTQ Stream 1 — Highly qualified and specialized skills to read the government's own requirements.
If you want professional advice before applying, work with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a Canadian immigration lawyer.
How we keep this page current
- Hourly source check. A scheduled job checks the official source page above every hour and looks for changes.
- Change alert. When the page changes, we record it and review the program rules again.
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Informational only — not immigration advice. Always confirm requirements on the official government page.