Temporary worker
Steps specific to temporary-worker status in Quebec, from the LMIA and closed permit through to the path to permanent residence.
From LMIA to PR · 12 steps
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Temporary worker
Steps specific to temporary-worker status in Quebec, from the LMIA and closed permit through to the path to permanent residence.
Your permit frames everything: type (closed, tied to an employer; open, for spouses/young professionals), conditions, duration.
Most closed permits require a federal LMIA, sometimes a provincial CSQ.
Same obligations as a resident (SIN, taxes), but limited rights: RAMQ waiting period, EI only after contributions.
Path to permanent residence: PEQ-Workers or PSTQ via Arrima, after a few years of Canadian experience.
Start the PR application well before your permit expires to avoid a status gap.
- 1
BEFORE ARRIVAL
Job offer + LMIA (closed permit)
Most closed work permits require the employer to obtain a positive LMIA from Service Canada (proof that no Canadian was available for the role). The cost and process are the employer's responsibility, not yours.
Read the work-permit guide - 2
BEFORE ARRIVAL
CSQ or exemption (depending on the Quebec program)
Some permits require a CSQ (Certificat de sélection du Québec) in addition to the LMIA; others are exempt (pilot programs, international mobility, young professionals). Confirm with your employer or a licensed consultant before you leave.
Read the CSQ guideAlso useful
- 3
ON ARRIVAL
Physical work permit at the border
The border officer prints your physical work permit. Immediately verify the conditions printed: employer (if closed), occupation, work location, dates. Any error must be reported on the spot.
See the first-week checklist - 4
FIRST WEEK
SIN — within the first week
Without a SIN, your employer can't pay you correctly and you can't open a full bank account. Service Canada — passport + work permit + 15 minutes.
Read the SIN guide - 5
FIRST WEEKS
Find housing
Look for stable housing once you arrive. Most residential leases in Quebec run 12 months and follow a precise legal framework — read the lease before signing, and beware of listings that demand a deposit before any visit.
Read the Quebec lease guide - 6
FIRST MONTH
RAMQ — file the application, plan for 3-month wait
Temporary workers are eligible for RAMQ, with a 3-month waiting period starting on arrival. Subscribe to private insurance (or use your employer's) to cover this period. File early to avoid losing days.
Read the RAMQ guideWithout coverage during the 3 months, an ER visit can cost thousands of dollars. Subscribe to temporary insurance BEFORE arrival.
- 7
DURING EMPLOYMENT
Respect your permit conditions
Closed permit: you can ONLY work for the listed employer, in the listed occupation, at the listed location. Any change (employer, role, location) requires a NEW permit. Open permit: you can work for any employer, except specified sector restrictions.
Read the work-permit guideWorking outside your permit conditions is an offence that can lead to loss of status and removal from Canada.
- 8
DURING EMPLOYMENT
Your rights and your recourse
Whatever your permit type, you have rights: pay that meets labour standards, a safe workplace, CNESST protection. If an employer abuses you, you are not without recourse — an open work permit for vulnerable workers may exist, and changing employers on a closed permit remains possible with a new permit.
Read the worker-rights guide - 9
EVERY YEAR
Annual tax return
Like any resident, you must file a tax return — provincial (Revenu Québec) and federal (CRA) — every year before the end of April. Your employer gives you a Relevé 1 and a T4. Part of the deductions from your paycheques often comes back as a refund, and filing opens access to GST/QST credits.
Read the taxes guide - 10
BEFORE EXPIRY
Permit renewal — don't wait
Start the renewal 4–6 months before expiry. If you file your extension request BEFORE expiry, you get implied status (you remain authorized to work while waiting for a decision).
Read the renewal guideIf your permit expires without a filed application, you lose the right to work immediately.
- 11
AFTER A FEW YEARS
Path to permanent residence
Two main Quebec selection routes: (1) PEQ-workers (Programme de l'expérience québécoise — 24 months of qualified Quebec work experience within the last 3 years, B2 oral French required for most applicants), (2) the PSTQ (Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés). Both go through the Arrima portal: once selected, Quebec issues a CSQ, then the federal government processes the permanent-residence application.
Read the CSQ guide - 12
WHILE WAITING FOR PR
Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) if eligible
If you have a PR application filed and your closed permit is approaching expiry, you may be eligible for the BOWP (Bridging Open Work Permit) — an open permit that lets you keep working during PR processing, regardless of employer.
Read the renewal guide
What's next?
You've finished settling in. Here's where to go next.
