Getting a validated job offer is a milestone you would want to achieve for your Quebec immigration process as it adds extra points to the Quebec Skilled Worker selection grid. The Quebec immigration programs are often treated differently as the Federal Government has granted the province of Quebec significantly more autonomy in immigration policies and procedures.
A validated job offer is an employment offer from a Quebec employer to non-French immigrants who want to live and work in Quebec. Alternatively, a Canada work permit for students is also valid. Also, the employer must have applied for the job offer to be validated by the Québec Ministère d’immigration, francisation et intégration (MIFI).
The points can vary with the job location. For example, suppose the job location is inside the Région métropolitaine de Montréal (RMM) (includes the island of Montreal and surrounding regions – Laval and Longueuil). In that case, the candidate gets 8 additional points, and if it is outside the RMM, then the candidate receives 14 additional points. Since applicants with a spouse need at least 59 points and the ones without a spouse need at least 50 points, 14 points make a huge difference to the eligibility.
The Quebec immigration program requires employers who apply to validate their job offer to prove that they have tried in the past to hire a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill the position unless the candidate is already working for the employer on a valid temporary work permit.
Steps to Get a Quebec Validated Job Offer
Meet the primary job requirement
As an immigrant in Quebec, it is easier to secure a job in your field of expertise/study than to learn a new language within a limited time of a three-year program. Your job should meet the following requirements:
- It should be permanent, full-time, and have a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, B, or C.
- For regulated occupations, the candidate must be licensed to practice.
- It should positively or neutralize the local labor market and not impact an ongoing labor dispute.
- It should be offered by a business that has operated in Quebec for at least 12 months, and the employer must provide a written offer letter to the candidate. In addition, the candidate must provide a written response ensuring commitment to the position offered.
Also, one can opt for work while they study. It is easy to get a Canada work permit for students.
Proper documentation:
MIFI requires some specific efforts from the employer, which include:
Within the 6-month window before applying for a validated job offer, the employer must advertise the position for 04 weeks and post the job offer on ‘Placement en ligne,’ which is an online job portal run by the Quebec Employment Ministry.
The employer must use at least one additional recruitment method.
The job advertisement must include:
- The business name and address, and the job location.
- The contact number of the person in charge of hiring.
- The job title and responsibilities.
- Job requirements like work experience or education.
- The salary being offered.
Apply for a CSQ after securing the Quebec Validated Job Offer
After you secure a valid job offer from the potential employer, you have to get Certificat de Sélection du Québec (CSQ), and your application will be processed within 3 to 4 months. The candidate must submit an expression of interest to get a CSQ. This can be done through the Arrima portal. This will help you attain residency in Quebec and eventually permanent residency at the federal level.
Apply for permanent residence (PR)
After securing a CSQ through the QSW program, you must apply for permanent residence as a skilled worker whom Quebec has selected. Such candidates cannot apply through the federal Express Entry system. After that, the federal government will do a medical and police background check on the main candidate and all the family members accompanying the candidate. After the background check is successful, they will all be granted Canadian PR. The process of getting a Canada work permit for students is easy, and international students can take advantage of this and get the PR after graduation.
Below are some red signals that one should be cautious about:
- If the job has work from home option
- If you have to pay for the job or the initial training
- If the communication is done with a personal email (not a company email).
- If you are asked to share personal data like national identification number, driving license number, or bank account number.
- If the offer letter does not provide basic information regarding the job, such as your designation, responsibilities, salary, LMIA number, and employee number, and looks fake with errors.
Conclusion
Getting a Canadian job offer is a dream for many. People who want to immigrate to Canada must go through a grinding process, and scams can make things even harder. Although many Quebec immigration programs are being offered, one must know all the procedures in-depth to avoid any problems in further processes. So, do your homework before accepting any job offer in Quebec, and be sure that it is a validated job offer.