21.36°C Vancouver

Oct 31, 2024 6:03 PM - The Canadian Press

Quebec freezes two major immigration streams, citing pressure on services

Share On
quebec-freezes-two-major-immigration-streams-citing-pressure-on-services
Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said today the government has frozen the Quebec Experience Program, a path for permanent residency for foreign students who have graduated in the province.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Quebec government has suspended applications for permanent residency from two immigration streams because it says it can no longer accommodate the rising number of newcomers.

Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said today the government has frozen the Quebec Experience Program, a path for permanent residency for foreign students who have graduated in the province.

Roberge says the government is also suspending applications from the Regular Skilled Worker Program.

The two immigration streams were suspended today and will be frozen until June 2025 at the latest.

In August, Quebec announced a six-month freeze for certain temporary foreign worker applications in Montreal, and in October the government introduced legislation to cap the number of international students in the province.

Quebec has tussled with Ottawa over immigration in recent months, asking for more power to decide who can settle in the province, and demanding Ottawa forcibly relocate asylum seekers to other parts of the country.

Latest news

new-westminster-police-officers-help-rescue-15-residents-from-apartment-fire
BCJul 31, 2026

New Westminster police officers help rescue 15 residents from apartment fire

New Westminster Police Department officers helped rescue 15 residents from a burning apartment building Thursday evening after spotting smoke while working nearby, according to the police department. Police said officers were in the 800 block of 5th Avenue at about 6 p.m. when they became aware of the fire. As they approached the building, they saw several older adults leaning out of windows to avoid the smoke. According to a New Westminster Police Department news release, officers entered the building alongside crews from New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service and assisted 15 residents to sa
BCJul 31, 2026

Coquitlam man faces six firearms charges following Surrey and Coquitlam searches

A 35-year-old Coquitlam man is facing six firearms-related charges after a joint investigation by B.C.'s anti-gang police and the Surrey RCMP Provincial Operations Support Unit. According to the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), the investigation began in June. On July 16, officers executed search warrants at two residences in the 11500 block of 141A Street in Surrey and the 4300 block of Quarry Road in Coquitlam. Police said investigators seized several firearms during the searches, including two Beretta handguns. Officers arrested Sadiq Azimali Daya at
man-dies-after-fleeing-surrey-traffic-stop-struck-by-vehicle-on-highway-10
BCJul 31, 2026

Man dies after fleeing Surrey traffic stop, struck by vehicle on Highway 10

A man died after being struck by a vehicle while fleeing on foot following a traffic stop in Surrey late Thursday night, according to the Surrey Police Service. Police said an officer stopped a westbound vehicle for a traffic enforcement check at about 11 p.m. in the 15600 block of 56 Avenue, along Highway 10. The driver then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. According to the Surrey Police Service, the man was crossing the roadway when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle. Surrey police officers, Surrey Fire Service crews and BC Emergency Health Services paramedics attempted life-saving me
suspect-arrested-after-firearm-reported-at-new-westminster-shopping-centre
BCJul 31, 2026

Suspect arrested after firearm reported at New Westminster shopping centre

A suspect is facing potential charges after allegedly brandishing a firearm at a patron outside a coffee shop in New Westminster on Wednesday morning, according to the New Westminster Police Department. Police said officers responded to a 9-1-1 call at about 6 a.m. on July 30 after receiving reports that a person had pointed a firearm at someone seated on the patio of a business in the Columbia Square shopping centre. Investigators determined the suspect fled across Columbia Street, passed through a hole in a fence and crossed nearby railway tracks. Officers searched the area with assistance f
b-c-supreme-court-strikes-down-parts-of-mental-health-act-allowing-treatment-without-consent
BCJul 31, 2026

B.C. Supreme Court strikes down parts of Mental Health Act allowing treatment without consent

The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that portions of the province's Mental Health Act that allow patients to receive psychiatric treatment without their consent are unconstitutional, giving the provincial government six months to amend the legislation. Justice Lauren Blake found that British Columbia was the only province in Canada where patients could be subjected to psychiatric treatment without an assessment of their decision-making capacity. The court concluded that the provisions violate constitutional protections. The ruling comes as the B.C. government is pursuing plans to expand involunta

Related News