At least 23 invitations have been issued by the Quebec Ministry of Immigration during the latest selection round conducted for eligible candidates who had submitted applications under the Regular Skilled Worker Program of Quebec. The draw was organized on January 16, 2020 by the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Francization, and Integration (MIFI) on its Arrima portal.
The candidates selected in the latest invitation round are the lucky ones among nearly 16,000 pending applications cancelled as part of the Quebec immigration reforms, aka Bill 9, introduced in June 2019.
Also, this seems to be the last round of invitations for the candidates impacted by the issue of Bill 9 last year. This was made clear by a statement issued earlier by the Government of Quebec according to which invitation rounds for prioritized candidates were supposed to be held latest until January 16, 2020.
The candidates who have been issued invitations were required to first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the MIFI before December 17, 2019. Besides, the candidates should also be either Quebec’s temporary resident, or hold a work or study permit in the province, at the time of application.
However, for immigration under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, the candidates, in order to be considered eligible, are required to file an EOI with MIFI via Arrima. The Ministry would then evaluate the pool of candidate profiles and invitations would be issued to those candidates who satisfy the desired criteria on the basis of the specific requirements of Quebec’s labor market.
A Brief on Arrima
Arrima was first introduced by the Quebec government in the year 2018 to manage the pool of candidates applying under the Regular Skilled Worker Program. The program, which earlier followed the “first come, first serve” approach, now uses an electronic system to receive applications.
The Quebec EOI system manages the profiles of candidates who apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de Sélection du Québecor CSQ). Candidates applying for Quebec PR under its Regular Skilled Worker Program need to obtain a CSQ.
These candidates are first required to create their EOI profile in Arrima. Their profiles are then selected among a pool of candidates and accorded ranks. According to the score earned by a candidate, along with other factors including the needs of Quebec’s labour market, invitations are issued to apply for a CSQ.
The selected candidates can apply within six months, starting from the time of receipt of all the required forms and documentation for application processing. After receiving a CSQ, the candidate is then entitled to apply for PR with the federal government of Canada. They are also required to undergo a medical examination and criminal admissibility check at this stage.
Note that the Arrima portal comprises two sections – one addressed to the foreign national interested to immigrate to Quebec under its Regular Skilled Worker Program, and another addressed to the mandated representatives of these candidates who are permitted to carry out the Quebec immigration process on behalf of their clients.
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