IRCC’s March 13, 2026 Quebec measure gives eligible temporary workers a way to keep working for the same employer for up to 12 more months while Quebec reviews their permanent selection file.
The measure is limited to people who have already received a Quebec invitation to submit a Demande de Sélection Permanente (DSP) and who are using the province’s new Skilled Worker Selection Program pathway.
What changed on March 13
On March 13, 2026, the federal government announced a temporary measure to support Quebec workers and employers. Eligible workers can apply online for an employer-specific work permit under the International Mobility Program.
IRCC says the permit can let them keep working for their current employer for up to 12 additional months. The goal is to bridge workers through Quebec’s review of their eligibility for a Quebec Selection Certificate, or CSQ, before they move on to permanent residence.
The measure is temporary. Applications are open until December 31, 2026, and IRCC says files under this stream will receive expedited processing.
Who can use the measure
Eligibility is limited to workers who have submitted a permanent selection application under Quebec’s new Skilled Worker Selection Program and have received a request from Quebec to submit a DSP.
IRCC also says the measure is open only to people who hold, or recently held, an employer-specific work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program that expires between March 13, 2026 and December 31, 2026.
For readers tracking the wider Quebec system, this measure sits beside other Quebec-specific work permit rules. Quebec-selected skilled workers with a CSQ may still qualify for certain permits if they meet the stated conditions, while Quebec investors and entrepreneurs follow separate rules. IRCC’s Quebec work permit hub and related pages set out those options in more detail.
How the permit works
The permit is employer-specific, not open. The worker stays tied to the same employer named in the application. IRCC says the permit is meant to give Quebec time to complete the selection review before the worker applies for permanent residence.
That matters for people whose current permit is close to expiry. IRCC encourages workers to apply before their permit expires so they can continue working without interruption.
The application is made online through IRCC, and the deadline is fixed: December 31, 2026.
How this fits with Quebec’s PR pathway
The new measure is one step in a sequence. The worker first needs a provincial selection process underway, then Quebec’s request to submit a DSP, and then the federal work permit application.
That means it is not a general Quebec work permit for anyone with a job offer. It is a targeted bridge for workers already moving through Quebec’s new selection system.
IRCC’s work-permit hub also points to the separate bridging open work permit route for permanent residence applicants. We covered the Bridging Open Work Permit in Canada: How to Keep Working While Your PR Application Is in Progress process separately.
What applicants are watching
In March 2026, applicant discussions online focused on a few recurring issues: whether PGWP holders can use the Quebec-specific measure, how long CSQ and federal steps are taking, and what happens if someone waits too long to change strategy before a work permit expires.
Those concerns are practical. The policy helps only if the worker already has the right provincial paper trail and enough time left on the current permit to file cleanly.
For people whose permit expiry is approaching, the practical next step is to confirm the Quebec request, review the employer-specific conditions, and apply while status is still valid.
What to watch next
The key question is whether a worker has the provincial invitation and permit history needed to use the measure before December 31, 2026.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.
