On October 9, Jean François Roberge, Quebec’s Minister of Immigration, Francisation, and Integration, signed a ministerial order significantly changing the invitation process under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP). The new rule restricts the number of invitations issued to nationals from any single country to no more than 25% of the total invitations in each exercise.
Effective immediately and lasting until October 9, 2025, this decision is backed by sections 51 and 52 of Quebec's immigration law. Although the rule currently applies to the QSWP, it may be extended to the new Skilled Worker Selection Program, which will replace the QSWP on November 29. This marks the first time the Minister has used this authority in Quebec's immigration history.
Quebec has long emphasized the importance of maintaining diversity in immigration sources. Some have argued that selection criteria should focus solely on individual qualifications, rather than nationality, and there are concerns that the new regulation may conflict with Quebec’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin.
Minister Roberge justifies the decision by citing a "significant decrease in the diversity of origin" among applicants in 2024, though no specific data was provided to support this claim.
