If you work in Quebec on an employer-specific work permit, you were invited under the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ), and you have submitted your demande de sélection permanente (DSP) to Quebec, a temporary federal public policy lets you apply for a new work permit of up to 12 months with the same employer. Your employer does not need a new LMIA, and you do not need a new Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ). The policy runs until December 31, 2026. Since June 5, 2026, it also covers your spouse or common-law partner.
The policy is narrower than many people assume. Open work permit holders, including PGWP and International Experience Canada participants, are not covered as principal applicants. This article explains who qualifies, what changed in June, and the steps IRCC asks for.
Key Takeaways
- The policy is made under section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and applies to applications received from March 13, 2026 until it expires on December 31, 2026. IRCC can revoke it earlier without notice.
- You must be the principal applicant on a PSTQ DSP, hold (or have held) an employer-specific permit for work in Quebec, and have a new job offer from the same employer named on that permit.
- It covers three situations: a valid permit expiring by December 31, 2026; an expired permit you renewed on time (maintained status); and a permit that expired between March 13 and December 31, 2026 where you are now out of status and need restoration.
- On June 5, 2026, IRCC replaced the original policy with a version that adds open work permits for spouses and common-law partners included in the DSP. Dependent children are not eligible.
- Quebec’s own priority processing measure puts DSPs linked to open work permits first, precisely because those workers cannot use this federal policy.
Why this policy exists
Quebec selects its own economic immigrants. A worker invited under the PSTQ submits a DSP to the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), waits for a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), and only then applies to IRCC for permanent residence. Many workers’ permits were running out before MIFI could decide.
IRCC’s stated aim is to keep eligible workers employed while Quebec assesses them for a CSQ. In practice, the policy removes the usual requirement for an LMIA or another LMIA-exempt category. It does this by exempting applicants from the requirement in the Regulations that they intend to perform work described in sections 204, 205 or 207.
Who qualifies: the three situations
All three routes share the same core: an employer-specific permit issued under either the LMIA stream or the International Mobility Program, for work in Quebec; a new work permit application with an offer of employment from the same employer; an online application; and proof that you were invited under the PSTQ and submitted your DSP.
Situation 1: your permit is still valid. Your employer-specific permit expires on or before December 31, 2026, and you apply before it expires.
Situation 2: your permit expired but you applied to renew it in time. You are working under maintained status (paragraph 186(u) of the Regulations) while that renewal is pending, and you file a further application under this policy.
Situation 3: your permit expired between March 13 and December 31, 2026 and you did not renew it. You are out of status. You apply for the work permit together with restoration of your status. For this group the policy also waives several barriers that would otherwise block an in-Canada application, including the bar on issuing a permit to someone who worked without authorization or breached a previous condition.
One point to watch in situation 3: the policy exempts certain requirements of the restoration provision, but it does not list the 90-day restoration window among them. Section 182 of the Regulations still refers to an application made within 90 days after losing status. Do not wait.
Who is left out
The CBA Immigration Law Conference panel on Quebec’s changing framework (May 30, 2026) flagged the gaps as a real problem for in-Canada candidates. Some remain:
- Open work permit holders as principal applicants. PGWP holders, International Experience Canada participants and spouses on their own open permits cannot use the policy for themselves, because it requires an employer-specific permit.
- A change of employer. The new offer must come from the employer listed on your current or expired permit.
- Workers outside Quebec, and anyone who has been invited but has not yet submitted a DSP.
- Dependent children. They are not eligible for the spousal open work permit.
The panel also flagged that the March version said nothing about accompanying spouses whose status was expiring at the same time as the principal applicant’s. IRCC closed that particular gap on June 5, 2026.
The June 5, 2026 change: spouses and common-law partners
The replacement policy revokes the March 12 version and applies to new applications and to those already pending under it. A spouse or common-law partner can now apply for an open work permit if they:
- are included as an accompanying family member in the principal applicant’s DSP;
- are married to, or in a common-law relationship with, a principal applicant who has applied or will apply under the policy;
- hold valid temporary resident status, are on maintained status, are eligible for and applying for restoration, or left Canada less than 90 days after their status expired.
IRCC’s instructions ask for the DSP summary (Récapitulatif) issued by MIFI showing the spouse is included, proof of the relationship, and, if the spouse applies separately, proof that the principal applicant received a work permit under the policy.
How Quebec’s priority processing fits in
On May 13, 2026, MIFI announced a priority processing measure for PSTQ applications submitted since July 17, 2025, in force until May 13, 2027. Applications linked to open work permits are processed first, followed by those linked to employer-specific permits, with expired permits ahead of those about to expire. MIFI said openly that open permit holders go first because they cannot use the federal policy. MIFI also warns that priority is not a promise that a CSQ will issue before your permit runs out, and that you must keep legal status throughout.
Steps IRCC asks for
- Your employer submits an offer of employment through the Employer Portal. No LMIA is needed and, according to IRCC, the employer compliance fee does not apply. The employer gives you the offer of employment number (the letter “A” followed by seven digits).
- You apply online using the IMM 5710 and answer the checklist questions exactly as IRCC’s instructions set out, selecting the option for an active public policy.
- Enter the code PPTR2PRQC2026 in the Job Title field. This code is how IRCC routes the file to the policy. Spouses use the same code.
- Upload the job offer or contract showing work in Quebec, and proof that you submitted your DSP, in the fields IRCC specifies.
- Pay the fees shown at the end of the application: the work permit processing fee, biometrics if required, and the restoration fee if you are restoring status. Spouses also pay the open work permit fee. Confirm the current amounts on IRCC’s page before you pay.
The portal steps matter here. If your employer’s portal access or your own account is causing problems, our guide to common IRCC portal problems covers the usual fixes.
Practical points
- Build the file around the dates. Note the expiry date on your permit, the date you submitted your DSP, and, if out of status, the date you lost status. Those three dates decide which situation applies.
- Keep the job and employer the same. If a better offer comes from another employer, this policy will not carry it.
- Plan for December 31, 2026. IRCC has said nothing about extending the policy. Workers whose DSP is still pending after that date will need another basis to stay, such as a new LMIA-based permit.
- Think about the permanent residence stage too. The CBA panel noted MIFI’s closer scrutiny of whether foreign work experience was lawful, and of NOC classification. A work permit bridges the wait; it does not fix a weak DSP.
For the federal equivalent outside Quebec, see our guide to the bridging open work permit. For the other Quebec permanent route, see our PEQ guide.
FAQ
Do I need a new LMIA or CAQ to use this policy?
No. IRCC’s instructions say your employer does not need a new LMIA and you do not need to submit a new CAQ. Your employer does need to submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal.
I am on a PGWP in Quebec and submitted a DSP. Can I use it?
Not as the principal applicant. The policy requires an employer-specific work permit. Under MIFI’s priority measure, DSPs linked to open work permits are processed first.
How long is the new work permit?
IRCC’s program page says the permit lets you keep working for your employer in Quebec for up to 12 months.
My spouse is included in my DSP. Can they work?
Since June 5, 2026, a spouse or common-law partner included in the DSP may apply for an open work permit under the policy, provided they meet the status conditions. Dependent children cannot.
What happens after December 31, 2026?
The policy expires on that date unless IRCC extends or replaces it, and it can be revoked earlier. Apply well before the deadline and have a fallback plan.
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Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration law and IRCC/ESDC policy change frequently, and every case turns on its own facts. Reading this article does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Obtain advice tailored to your situation before you act.
Talk to a Canadian immigration lawyer. BridgePoint Law advises individuals and businesses across Canada — and on Canada–US–China cross-border matters — on Quebec work permits and permanent selection. Book a consultation with our team in Toronto and Kingston. We work in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.