Federal Immigration Plan: What It Means in Quebec

The news. On November 6, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal department responsible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, announced changes to the Low-Wage Stream. According to ESDC's news release, some apply from that day, and others are only proposed for March 1, 2027. The release does not mention the high-wage or agricultural streams.

Reminder: what an LMIA is. To hire a temporary foreign worker under this program, the employer first applies for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It shows the employer needs that person. In Quebec, the worker must also apply for temporary selection to the Quebec government before applying for a work permit from the federal government, according to Quebec's page on authorizations.

What applies since November 6. LMIA applications for low-wage jobs submitted from that date can last up to two years, instead of one. The release does not say whether work permit lengths will follow. The rule that blocks applications in census metropolitan areas where unemployment is 6% or higher stays in place, with exceptions for priority sectors such as health care, construction and food processing. Early childhood educators are added to these exceptions.

What is proposed for March 2027. The minister is proposing other changes from March 1, 2027, but only in the provinces and territories that choose to take part. In large metropolitan areas, with more than 250,000 people, where unemployment is below 6%, employers would only have access to certain targeted occupations. In rural communities, they would keep access to all occupations in the stream. Provinces that ask for it could also let employers in some communities have up to 15% low-wage temporary foreign workers in their workforce, instead of 10%. The release does not say whether Quebec will take part.

For workers. The 2026 federal budget sets aside $82 million over four years for the Migrant Worker Support Program, which helps temporary foreign workers understand their rights and exercise them. The release also notes that an employer who breaks the rules can be fined up to $1 million a year and banned from the program, temporarily or permanently.

Good to know for newcomers. These changes mainly affect employers' applications. If you already work in Quebec on an employer-specific permit, nothing in the release changes your current permit. In Quebec, you have the same rights at work as other employees: our guide to Quebec labour standards sums them up. Our guide to the work permit in Quebec explains the different types of permits.

Related links:

• Government of Canada announces targeted reforms to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (ESDC) ↗
• Getting authorizations to work temporarily in Quebec ↗

What's changing. Since November 3, 2026, new rules apply to asylum claims made from inside Canada. The federal government amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, according to the backgrounder from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The stated goal is faster, more predictable processing. This is a federal measure, so it applies across Canada, Quebec included. A claim found eligible is then referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for a hearing.

The steps, in order. You first tell IRCC in its online portal that you want to claim asylum, then you go to an in-person interview. That interview is where you formally make your claim, and the officer decides whether it is eligible, explains the “Start a claim from inside Canada” page. Each person must upload a copy of their passport, travel document or other ID. Evidence of the risk you face can be added later. One account covers the whole family, and you bring your original passports to the interview. If you don't show up, IRCC closes your file; you can make a new claim later.

The 60-day deadline. If your claim is eligible, you receive a Notice of Application Due Date. It gives you 60 days to complete the claim online and send the required documents. IRCC's backgrounder adds that a single 30-day extension is available if you ask for it. Write down the date on your notice as soon as you get it.

If you had already started. A claim you already submitted will be processed as usual, says the “Claiming asylum in Canada” page. If you started a claim in the portal before November 3 but did not submit it, your personal information has been saved, but you must answer new questions and review your earlier answers.

The border, the one-year rule and work permits. For people covered by the Safe Third Country Agreement, practice does not change, but the 14-day period under the Additional Protocol starts when the online application is submitted. The regulations also set exceptions to the new ineligibility rules: for unaccompanied minors, and for people who register in the online portal and indicate there that they intend to claim asylum during their first year in Canada. Finally, the current way of issuing work permits becomes permanent: an eligible claimant can get a permit after submitting a complete claim.

Minors and vulnerable people. A designated representative must be appointed for people under 18 and for those who cannot fully understand the process. The regulations set out the representative's role and when the appointment ends. They also clarify what happens to withdrawn or abandoned claims, and keep a claim that has gone inactive from being referred to the IRB.

Good to know for newcomers. An asylum claim is a legal process with serious consequences: before each step, read IRCC's official page and get help. Our guide explains how to get free legal aid in Quebec. For the rest of the process (the hearing, appeals, services available in Quebec), see our guide Claiming asylum in Quebec; if it differs from the new rules, IRCC's page is the reference. For health care while you wait, see health care for asylum seekers.

What's open. The federal government opened the application period for Canada Summer Jobs 2027 on October 27, according to Employment and Social Development Canada's news release. The program helps employers hire youth aged 15 to 30 for a paid summer job. Employers have until December 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, to apply. It is a federal program, so it applies across Canada, Quebec included.

Who can apply. Three kinds of employers are eligible: not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private-sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees. According to the Canada Summer Jobs 2027 backgrounder, that count covers employees working 30 hours or more a week in Canada at the time of the application.

What the program pays. For a public or private employer, the funding covers 50% of the provincial minimum wage, which means Quebec's minimum wage for a job in Quebec. A not-for-profit can receive up to 100% of the minimum wage, plus mandatory employer costs such as Employment Insurance and the Quebec Pension Plan. The job must be full time, 30 to 40 hours a week, and last 6 to 16 weeks in a row; the backgrounder sets the work period between April 19 and August 28, 2027. Keep in mind that applications exceed the money available. An eligible application is not always approved, and funding one year guarantees nothing for the next.

How to apply. Applications are made online, through the Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) portal. Start by reading the applicant guide, available from the Canada Summer Jobs program page. For 2027, the government is giving priority to jobs in construction, environment and climate, digital skills or artificial intelligence, and to not-for-profits that serve communities with limited access to services. Service Canada will tell employers the outcome starting in April 2027. Running an organization and looking for other funding? Read our article on grants for community organizations in Quebec.

For youth looking for a job. Young people have nothing to submit now. All positions funded by the program are posted automatically on Job Bank's youth section, which also has a mobile app. That is where to look once projects are approved.

Good to know for newcomers. Not every young person can take these jobs. The program's page for youth, updated for summer 2026, says you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or someone officially given refugee protection in Canada, and be legally allowed to work in Canada. You also need a valid Social Insurance Number when the job starts. An international student, here temporarily for school, can't take part. Check that page again in the spring in case the 2027 rules change. Don't have a SIN yet? Our guide explains how to get your Social Insurance Number.