Policy & Admin

Vieauqc TeamYesterday

Policy & Admin

Immigrating to Quebec as a skilled worker: Arrima and the PSTQ

How the Arrima expression of interest and the skilled worker selection program work.

To immigrate to Quebec permanently as a skilled worker, the main gateway is the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) — the Skilled Worker Selection Program — managed by the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI). The process begins with an expression of interest in the online portal Arrima. What Arrima is. Arrima is the portal where you submit your expression of interest. The PSTQ is the program that sets the eligibility criteria, the selection grid, and the points. In other words: Arrima is the tool, the PSTQ is the program, as Québec.ca describes it. The expression of interest. You create an online profile and fill it in according to your characteristics: education, work experience, French proficiency, age, a job offer if you have one, and so on. From the moment you create your expression of interest, you have 90 days to complete and submit it, or it is deleted, the government notes. Once submitted, the expression of interest stays valid for 12 months. The bank and invitations. Your profile is ranked in a bank of candidates based on a score. The Ministry holds invitation rounds at variable intervals (there is no fixed schedule). If your score reaches the level being sought, you receive an invitation to submit an application for permanent selection, and you then have a set window to file your official application with supporting…

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Vieauqc TeamYesterday

Policy & Admin

Rent increases in Quebec: your rights, and how to refuse one

How the TAL's estimate works, and what you can do when a landlord proposes an increase.

In Quebec, a landlord can propose a rent increase when a lease is renewed, but cannot impose one without following specific rules. The Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) — Quebec's rental board — governs these increases and each year publishes a reference calculation method. The TAL estimate. The Tribunal offers an online calculation tool that tenants and landlords can use to estimate a "fair and reasonable" increase. The calculation factors in several elements: base indexation, municipal and school taxes, insurance premiums, and major renovation work done on the building. Since 2026, the base indexation relies on the average change in Quebec's Consumer Price Index over three years, to avoid sharp jumps when inflation suddenly rises. The percentage is only a suggestion. The rate published by the TAL is a reference, not an automatic legal cap. A landlord can ask for more (for example because of major renovations) and a tenant can negotiate. For leases beginning between April 2, 2026 and April 1, 2027, the TAL estimated indexation of about 3.1%, according to the calculation unveiled in early 2026 — always check the official tool for your exact situation. Notice deadlines. The landlord must send the notice of modification in writing. For a lease of 12 months or more, the notice must arrive 3 to 6 months before the end of the lease; for a lease of less than 12 months,…

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Vieauqc TeamYesterday

Policy & Admin

Tax credits: the money newcomers forget to claim

Quebec's solidarity credit and the GST/HST credit: who qualifies and how to receive them.

When you arrive in Quebec, you mostly think about the taxes you'll pay — but the government also pays money out to people with modest incomes. Two credits are especially worth knowing: the solidarity tax credit (provincial) and the GST/HST credit (federal). These are payments, not theoretical deductions. The solidarity credit. Paid by Revenu Québec, it has three components: one tied to the QST, one tied to housing, and one for residents of northern villages. To qualify, you must, among other things, live in Quebec and be an adult (18 or older) on December 31 of the year before the payment period, according to Revenu Québec. The amount depends on your income and family situation, and the credit decreases above a certain income threshold. How to claim it. The solidarity credit is claimed on your provincial income tax return (TP-1), through Schedule D. In other words, you have to file a Quebec return every year to keep receiving it — even if you have little or no income. Signing up for direct deposit is strongly recommended, since Revenu Québec pays this credit by deposit. The GST/HST credit. Paid quarterly by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), it helps low- and modest-income individuals and families offset part of the sales tax they pay. Generally, you must be a resident of Canada and 19 or older (or have a spouse, or be the parent of a child you live with). Newcomers: don't…

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