The Quebec government, the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, and the federal government recently made several agreements to encourage the hiring of temporary foreign workers in the province.
What Are the New Measures Introduced by the Federal and Quebec Governments?
The new measures will ease certain restrictions on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The new measures will be in effect until December 31, 2021. These include:
- Starting on August 31, 2021, temporary foreign workers with a Quebec Certificate of Selection (Certificat de sélection du Québec, CSQ) and a permanent residence application under process will be eligible to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP). The BOWP is an open work permit that will allow the applicant to hold employment of their choice in Quebec while waiting for their permanent residence application to be processed. To apply for the BOWP, the applicant would require the following:
- Be the principal applicant on their permanent residence application
- Apply as a skilled worker under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Have an acknowledgment receipt issued by the IRCC that states that your application is complete
This work permit is also available to the spouse or common in-law partner, provided they are also included in the principal applicant’s application for permanent residence. This new measure aims to improve the mobility of foreign workers across different sectors by facilitating their freedom to choose their employment.
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