Immigration representatives: fines up to $1.5 million

What's changing. Quebec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) is now called the Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (MII). The ministry announced it in an October 22 news release (in French), the day after the new Cabinet was formed. The new minister is Catherine Gentilcore, who is also deputy premier, according to the ministry's page (in French).

The word "Francisation" leaves the name, not the courses. According to the release, the new name reflects a broader view of integration that includes French-language learning services. Those services stay in the same ministry, and Francisation Québec continues to offer its services to individuals and businesses.

What isn't changing. The ministry says it is keeping all of its activities and services for immigrants, employers and its partners. The release doesn't announce anything you need to do. The Quebec government's free French courses are still for people aged 16 and over who live in Quebec, under certain conditions, as explained on the Learn French page.

You'll still see the old name. On October 23, the title of the ministry's web page still read "Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration." The old acronym will probably keep circulating for a while, on websites, on forms and in conversation. MIFI and MII are the same ministry.

Good to know for newcomers. In our guides, you'll still read "MIFI" for a while: it's the same ministry, and the procedures described don't change with the name. For French courses, see our guide to free French classes (francisation) in Quebec. For the new government's immigration priorities, see our article on its first 100 days.

What's coming. Starting in March 2027, according to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), one million eligible people will get an invitation in their CRA account to use a pre-filled return to file their 2026 taxes. The CRA fills in the return using information it already has; you check it, correct it, add anything missing, then submit it. The service is free. It's set to grow to 5.5 million people in 2029.

Who may be invited. The CRA lists four conditions: you filed your 2025 tax return by October 31, 2026; you have a lower income and a simple tax situation with no tax to pay; you have a CRA account; and you set your correspondence preference in that account to "electronic mail." The CRA says you may be invited: meeting the conditions doesn't guarantee it.

Three steps by October 31. Sign in to your account, or register for one. Update your personal information. Then set your correspondence preference to electronic mail.

In Quebec, there are two returns. The pre-filled return is about the federal return, the one you send to the CRA. Quebec residents also file a separate provincial return with Revenu Québec. The CRA's page makes no exception for Quebec, but it only covers the federal return.

Haven't filed your 2025 return yet? If you have a lower income and a simple situation, the CRA offers SimpleFile, a free service to file online, by phone or on paper, as well as free tax clinics where volunteers complete your return for you.

Good to know for newcomers. As the CRA points out, you need to file a return every year to keep getting the benefits and credits you're entitled to, even with little or no income. For your first returns in Canada and Quebec, see our guide to filing taxes as a newcomer.

What's changing. On October 16, the federal government announced a reform of Express Entry's ranking system, the system that manages permanent residence applications for several federal economic immigration programs. The measure is federal: it applies across Canada, but, as explained below, it doesn't concern people who want to settle in Quebec. According to IRCC's news release, starting November 3, 2026, extra points will go to candidates with eligible Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation, such as engineers or electricians.

What counts as a high-wage occupation. It's an occupation whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. What matters is what the occupation typically earns, not the applicant's own salary. IRCC will publish the list of these occupations on its website.

Less paperwork for employers. Also from November 3, a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) will no longer be required for a qualifying job offer to earn the new points, or to meet the job offer requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. IRCC will keep checking that offers are genuine.

If you're already in the pool. Scores will be recalculated automatically. But to get points for a job offer, you must update your profile before November 3. The recalculation may take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will be paused during that time.

Quebec is a separate route. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, IRCC spells it out: "You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers." If you want to settle in Quebec, the process is different: you first apply to Quebec, before applying for permanent residence with the federal government, under the Canada–Quebec immigration agreement.

Good to know for newcomers. So the Express Entry headlines aren't about your plans if you intend to stay in Quebec. One nuance: the same federal page says work experience gained in Quebec can count, as long as you can prove you don't plan to settle there. For the Quebec route, our guide to the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) walks through the steps.