Key Highlights
Quebec is one of Canada's most popular provinces, and it accepts many immigration applications every year. Québec has recently introduced a new limit on the number of family sponsorship applications except every year. This cap introduces a new limit of applications and specific categories that receive different allocations for immigration. These new rules have reserved categories for different groups of people and applicants.
A large influx of temporary residents in Québec has caused a housing crisis in the province, which may have likely led to this new rule being introduced. According to these new laws, the limit on the family sponsorship applications that Québec has now imposed will be in effect till 25 June 2026.
Understanding the Different Allocations for Different Categories
The new cap introduced by Québec has a limit of 13,000 applications only from immigrants worldwide. There are specifications made for different categories under this new scheme.
Out of the 13,000 applications that Québec will accept, 10,400 applications have been reserved for:
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Spouses
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Common law partners
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Children who are dependent on the sponsor and are 18 years of age or above
2600 applications are still left after these locations. These 2600 applications have been assigned for:
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Father’s
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Mother’s
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Grandparents
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Other eligible relatives
Once the limit is met, Quebec will stop accepting applications for the rest of the designated period. The first 13,000 applications will only be considered for immigration.
Who is Exempt From This Legislation?
There are certain categories of people who are exempt from this legislation. This means that this rule does not apply to them, and there is no limit on the number of applications Quebec can receive from these groups of people. These categories, which are exempt from this new cap rule, are:
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A minor child dependent on a sponsored parent
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A minor child that the sponsor wishes to adopt
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An orphan minor child related to the sponsor via the sponsor, brother, sister, nephew, niece, granddaughter, or grandson
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And adult child of a sponsor who is still dependent on the parent due to some disability
If an individual meets these categories and wishes to qualify for exemption from the 13,000 limit, the individual should not be married or have a common law partner. If the individual is married or has a common-law partner, they will not qualify for the exemption from the 13,000 rule and will have difficulties immigrating to Québec.
More Information on The Cap
Once the cap of 13,000 has been reached, Québec will announce a formula and close their applications. If, in any case, the ministry receives any applications which are not exempt from the limit after the cap has been reached, these applications will be returned immediately. They will not be processed, and the application fee will not be charged.
The Cause: Quebec’s Housing Crisis
Québec has been facing a major housing crisis in the last few years. Due to the large number of temporary residents that have moved to Québec and the province's inability to meet the demand, the crisis has occurred. Moreover, the residential units are empty or still not a solution as the rent is quite high and is out of budget for most people living in Québec. Inflation increased by about 17% in the same period, adding to the housing crisis that Québec has been facing.
A survey by Statistics Canada demonstrated that 3% of Canadians had been affected by households last year. According to estimates, 45,000 of those were from Québec, demonstrating the need for more affordable housing for the residents of Québec.
Since 2018, the provincial government of Québec has funded 23,000 affordable and social housing units. The housing ministry also states that building more affordable and sustainable housing is the only solution. Additionally, limiting the influx of international residents will give Qube a temporary respite from this persistent problem.
Read More: Understanding the Letter of Introduction in Canada
Conclusion
The limit imposed by Québec of 13,000 immigrants is a significant change in Québec’s immigration policies. It also impacts the number of immigrants Canada can receive internationally every year. We can expect more of these changes as Québec aims to regulate the number of international temporary residents to manage their housing crisis.
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