Two leading candidates in the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) leadership race propose exceptions to the discontinued Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), diverging from current party policy. Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville aim to succeed outgoing Premier François Legault, who resigned last month. Both former cabinet ministers bring experience from the Legault administration and past ties to the Parti Québécois.
Candidates Outline PEQ Revival Plans
The PEQ ceased on November 19, 2025, leaving the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) as the primary economic immigration route to Quebec. Fréchette announced plans to reopen the PEQ for two years, targeting applicants already living in the province at its closure. “This two-year transition period will provide a fair and predictable pathway for those who are already integrated here,” Fréchette stated in a recent social media update. She pledges to offset this by reducing PSTQ invitations to meet provincial immigration caps.
Drainville echoes support for targeted exemptions, focusing on skilled workers in health care, education, construction, and specialized manufacturing who resided in Quebec before the cutoff. “If you’ve been in Quebec for two years, speak intermediate-level French, and if you work in [those sectors] you should have a grandfathered right,” he said. “We should be able to keep you because we need you.” Drainville positions himself as a pioneer on this issue.
Legault Rejects Exceptions Amid Protests
Premier Legault firmly opposes any PEQ carve-outs, citing 350,000 temporary foreign workers in Quebec and concerns over declining French usage in Montreal. “We cannot accept all the temporary foreign workers in Quebec so that they become permanent,” Legault affirmed. Protests continue across cities like Montreal and Quebec City, where demonstrators argue the PSTQ falls short and leaves many in limbo, potentially harming the economy.
Mayors Back Pragmatic Immigration Shift
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada welcomes the candidates’ stances, noting the city’s unified push for flexibility. “What people will tell you is that they don’t really care what the program is. They want to stay here under the promise that they had when they came here,” she told reporters. In January, Montreal leaders jointly urged exemptions for established immigrants.
Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand praises Fréchette’s approach as pragmatic. “It would provide quick reassurance to those living through an unsustainable situation and would also offer an initial response to the needs of businesses that contribute to the vitality of their communities throughout Quebec,” Marchand stated.
Government and Opposition Respond
Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge views the leadership debate positively. “It’s very good that these debates are happening, and people will ultimately decide,” he remarked at the National Assembly.
Québec Solidaire MNA and immigration critic Guillaume Cliche-Rivard accuses Roberge of isolation on the issue and demands exemptions to ease anxiety among thousands. “The climate of uncertainty, now amplified by the CAQ leadership race, is simply untenable,” Cliche-Rivard declared.
