Parti Québécois to cut Quebec immigration to 35,000 annually

The Parti Québécois plans to cut Quebec's annual permanent immigration from 45,000 to 35,000 and halve the temporary resident population over four years. This reduction of approximately 10,000 permanent resident admissions per year represents a 22 per cent decrease. The party also aims to bring the temporary resident population down to between 250,000 and 300,000 people.

Led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the Parti Québécois won 59 of 127 seats in Quebec's National Assembly in the October 5 election. It will form a minority government, five seats short of a majority. The party added 56 seats to its roster compared to the 2022 election and more than doubled its vote share, winning with 28% of the popular vote. Polling analyst Philippe Fournier notes this is the lowest percentage for any government in Canada’s electoral history.

Details on temporary immigration reforms

The PQ proposes new targets for temporary foreign workers and international students, alongside changes to work permit systems and French-language requirements. The party wants to establish a target of approximately 40,000 workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and approximately 50,000 international students.

It proposes replacing employer-specific work permits with regional and sector-based permits, a change that would require Ottawa's involvement. French-language requirements would be strengthened for both immigration candidates and international students. The party wants to prioritize applicants who already demonstrate intermediate French proficiency when entering Quebec and give preference to those with intermediate to advanced abilities. It also plans to review how Quebec funds universities enrolling students from overseas.

Impact on existing programs and uncertainty

The PQ's victory creates uncertainty over the future of the Quebec Experience Program and its moratorium on economic immigration selection lacks implementation details. The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) temporarily reopened on July 2, 2026. It is scheduled to operate until July 2, 2028. The first application period opened on July 2 and is scheduled to close on October 31, 2026, restricted to applicants who met specific education or work experience requirements by November 19, 2025.

The Parti Québécois proposes a moratorium on selecting new economic immigrants from outside Quebec. This moratorium would remain in place until Quebec achieves its temporary-resident reduction target. The party has not published detailed implementation rules for this moratorium. It has not clarified whether exemptions would apply to particular occupations, industries or applicants already in the selection process. It has also not provided a complete implementation timetable for its temporary immigration targets, nor clarified whether it intends to maintain the PEQ in its current form.

Political context and reaction

The party's platform frames the cuts as necessary for public infrastructure and the French language. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said reducing immigration would ease pressure on public infrastructure while strengthening the position of French as Quebec’s common language. The party's platform explicitly states the goal to "reduce annual permanent immigration to approximately 35,000 people, compared with the existing target of 45,000".

The election result has sparked anger from farmers and the business community. The vast majority of Quebecers voted for parties that want nothing to do with a referendum, reflecting a 30-year aversion to another vote on separation from Canada. The Parti Québécois has committed to processing family reunification applications for spouses and children more quickly.