As planned since the implementation of the pilot program in spring 2020, the Québec Orderlies Pilot Program has ended as of January 1, 2026.
All applications for permanent selection already submitted will continue to be reviewed.
Applications to add or remove family members, including those for dependent children and spouses, are not affected by this closure.
The Québec Orderlies Pilot Program is an immigration pathway of the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), designed to facilitate the permanent residency of temporary foreign workers employed as orderlies within the province. This initiative underscores Quebec’s commitment to recognizing the invaluable contributions of healthcare workers and addressing the growing demand for qualified personnel in the healthcare sector. The program commenced on March 31, 2021, and is scheduled to conclude on January 1, 2026.
The guide will go through an overview of the program, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Overview
The Québec Orderlies Pilot Program offers an targeted process for orderlies to obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), a crucial step toward becoming a permanent resident of Canada.
The program is divided into two distinct streams:
Work sub-stream: Tailored for individuals with substantial work experience as orderlies in Quebec.
Work-Study sub-stream: Geared towards individuals who have combined work experience with relevant educational qualifications in Quebec.
Each stream has specific eligibility criteria, but both aim to retain skilled healthcare workers within the province.
This program is not aligned with Express Entry, which means that candidates cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of Express Entry.
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Eligibility
You can apply to the Québec Orderlies Pilot Program if you satisfy to the requirements of one of the two sub-streams.
Work Sub-Stream – Specific Requirements
Work experience
To be eligible, you must have acquired the following work experience:
- At least 24 months as an orderly (NOC 33102) in Québec during the 36 months preceding the date of submission of your application, or
- At least 12 months in a health occupation related to basic personal care outside of Québec and at least 12 months as an orderly (NOC 33102) in Québec during the 36 months preceding the date of submission of your application.
Work experience outside Québec in a health sector related to basic personal care must be in one of the following occupations, under the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
- NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinator and supervisor
- NOC 31301 – Registered nurse and registered psychiatric nurse
- NOC 31302 – Nurse Practitioners
- NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
To be considered valid, the work experience must be:
- full-time, for a minimum of 30 hours a week,
- legally performed in Québec,
- gained in a company over which you exercise no direct or indirect legal or de facto control, and
- remunerated.
Education
To be eligible, you must hold a diploma related to the occupation of orderly, obtained following the completion of a study program of at least one year on a full-time basis, and that minimally corresponds to a Québec diploma of vocational studies.
Work-Study Sub-Stream – Specific Requirements
Work Experience
To be eligible, you must have at least 12 months of valid work experience as a patient service associate (NOC 33102) in Québec, gained during the 24 months preceding your application and after the date of completion of your program of study.
To be considered valid, the work experience must be:
- full-time, for a minimum of 30 hours a week,
- legally performed in Québec,
- gained in a company over which you exercise no direct or indirect legal or de facto control, and
- remunerated.
Education
To be eligible, you must have obtained a Québec Diploma of Vocational Studies (D.V.E.) leading to the occupation of patient service associates in the 24 months preceding your application.
The eligible study program is the following: Institutional and Home Care Assistance (870 hours of continuous training).
You are not eligible if you have a bursary with a return to your country clause, unless you have already fulfilled this condition.
Both Sub-Streams – General Requirements
Current Employment
At the time your application is submitted, you must work as a full-time patient service associate (NOC 33102) in Québec.
Age
At the time your application is submitted, you must be at least 18 years old.
Language
You must demonstrate you have a knowledge of spoken French that corresponds to level 7 of the Québec scale of French proficiency levels.
There are three ways to demonstrate your knowledge of spoken French:
Transcripts proving successful completion of three years of full-time study, in Québec or abroad, at the secondary or post-secondary level, entirely in French. If the national language of instruction is not exclusively French, an attestation from the education institution confirming that the courses were taken in French is required.
- Document provided by a Québec professional order attesting to knowledge of spoken French, either (i) a valid or expired within the last two years regular permit to practice or (ii) an attestation proving that you have passed the Office québécois de la langue française exam for professional orders within the last two years.
- Language test results or diplomas accepted by the MIFI attesting to your knowledge of French.
Intention to Settle in Québec
You must intend to reside in Québec and work in a job where you do not have direct or indirect control. Employment and work experience in certain ineligible sectors is not permitted:
- Payday loans, cheque cashing or pawnbroking;
- Production, distribution or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products, or services related to the sex industry, such as nude or erotic dancing, escort services or erotic massages.
Financial Self-Sufficiency
You must demonstrate the ability to support yourself and your immediate family members financially for the first three months upon obtaining permanent residence.
The minimum required funds are set below and depend on your family size.
| Number of Dependent Children | Situation 1: Principal applicant only |
Situation 2: Principal applicant & Spouse/Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 years old: 0 | $3,877 | $5,686 |
| Under 18 years old: 1 | $5,221 | $6,370 |
| Under 18 years old: 2 | $5,882 | $6,875 |
| Under 18 years old: 3 | $6,552 | $7,380 |
| Under 18 years old: 4 or more | For each, ADD $671 |
For each, ADD $505 |
| 18 years old and older: 1 or more | For each, ADD $1,808 |
For each, ADD $1,808 |
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Application Process
For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the Québec Orderlies Pilot Program. Candidates must:
- Qualify for the minimum eligibility requirements.
- Apply by submitting their application to the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) through the Arrima portal (filling in forms, uploading required documents and paying fees).
- While the application is processed, a request to obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and the Québec values will be received via Arrima. The principal applicant and members of their family included in the application (spouse aged 16 and over and dependent children aged 18 and over) will then have 60 days to obtain the attestation, either via an online test or by attending an information session if eligible.
- While the application is processed, candidates may be required to complete an interview with an immigration agent of the MIFI to verify, for example, the accuracy of the information provided.
- Apply for permanent residence to federal government (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or IRCC) after receiving the Québec Selection Certificate (after Québec processes their application). Candidates need to apply online, and include the nomination documentation received from Québec.
- Candidates might be able to get a work permit after obtaining the Québec Selection Certificate if living and working in Québec:
- If having applied for permanent residence and obtained an acknowledgment of receipt, candidates can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit, or
- If having applied for permanent residence and not having obtained an acknowledgment of receipt, candidates can apply for an LMIA-exempt employer-specific work permit, or
- If not having yet applied for permanent residence, candidates can apply for an LMIA-exempt employer-specific work permit.
- Candidates might be able to get a work permit after obtaining the Québec Selection Certificate if living and working in Québec:
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Application Fees
Quebec application fees (to MIFI)
- For 2026, the fees for the Québec Orderlies Pilot Program are set by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) at:
- $940 CAD for the principal applicant,
- $201 CAD for the spouse/partner, if applicable, and
- $201 CAD for each dependent child, if applicable.
Federal application fees (to IRCC)
- The fees to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are only paid after receipt of the Quebec Selection Certificate and submission of the permanent residence application to IRCC:
- Processing fee:
- $950 CAD for the principal applicant,
- $950 CAD for the spouse/partner, if applicable, and
- $260 CAD for each dependent child, if applicable.
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF):
- $575 CAD for the principal applicant, and
- $575 CAD for the spouse/partner, if applicable.
- Biometrics fee:
- $85 CAD for one person, or maximum $170 CAD for a family of more than two – You can find more information on Biometrics in this page.
- Processing fee:
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Processing Times
Quebec processing times (by MIFI)
- Most applications for permanent selection under the Québec Orderlies Pilot Program are processed by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) of Québec within 6 months.
Federal processing times (by IRCC)
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a target service standard of processing 80% of Quebec-selected skilled worker applications within 11 months.
According to the annual data published in December 2025 – From April 2024 to March 2025, IRCC processed 87% of applications within the 11-month standard. - You can check the current processing times here. You need to select “Economic immigration”, then “Skilled Workers (Quebec)”.
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – Latest News & Data
Québec Orderlies Pilot Program – In-Demand Occupations?
You can find out about the other provinces’ in-demand jobs in our in-demand NOC codes article.
