Quebec Election 2026: What Could Happen to the PEQ?

The timing could be important for international graduates and temporary foreign workers hoping to use the PEQ to become permanent residents.

Earlier this year, Quebec’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government temporarily reopened the PEQ, after widespread criticism when they closed the pathway in 2026. PEQ has been temporarily reopened until July 2028, when it’s scheduled to close permanently. Currently, the only applicants eligible to submit to PEQ are those who would have been eligible when the program initially closed on November 19, 2025.

Notably, applications will only be accepted during periodic intake periods, and the government has so far confirmed just one intake running from July 2 to October 31, 2026.

After this first intake closes, the province plans to review the number of applications received before determining the timing and eligibility requirements for future intakes.

This means the party that forms Quebec’s next government could have significant control over whether there is another PEQ intake, when it takes place, and which candidates will be eligible to apply. Thus, October’s election results could be important.

According to recent polling, there are three political parties in Quebec that stand a chance at winning the October election: the incumbent CAQ, the Parti Québécois (PQ), and Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ).

All three parties have expressed support for providing some form of grandfathered PEQ application for certain temporary residents who had planned to apply. But – their approaches are likely to differ. In this article, we break down a few possible ways in which Quebec’s leading political parties could handle PEQ following the Quebec election.

What Is Happening With the PEQ?

Before we dive into the impact of the Quebec election, it’s necessary to understand what’s happening with the Quebec Experience Program or PEQ.

The PEQ provides a pathway to permanent residence for eligible French-speaking temporary foreign workers and international graduates who have gained work experience in Quebec.

The government opted to close PEQ in November 2025, with no warning to potential applicants. The closure drew significant opposition from temporary residents, educational institutions, workplaces, and political opponents. Critics argued that Quebec had encouraged international graduates and workers to build their lives in the province, only to remove the permanent residence pathway on which many had relied.

Then, in April 2026, the CAQ leadership changed. Christine Fréchette won party leadership and promptly reversed course on the PEQ closure.

“While respecting our immigration thresholds, we must allow those who already speak French, who are already integrated and who already live in our regions, to have maximum predictability and to be able to remain in Quebec,” Fréchette said (in French) during her inaugural address to Quebec’s National Assembly. “Therefore, I am announcing that the Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration will reopen the Quebec Experience Program for two years.”

The CAQ subsequently announced that the PEQ would reopen from July 2, 2026, to July 2, 2028. However, the program is not continuously open for applications throughout this period. Instead, PEQ will open for period intake rounds.

The first intake runs from July 2 to October 31, 2026. During this intake, applications are only accepted from those who were eligible to apply when the program was closed on November 19, 2025.

For full details about eligibility requirements and application process, check out our guide on the PEQ.

There is no application cap during the first intake, and Quebec has said that all eligible applications received by October 31 will be processed. Once the intake closes, the government will assess application volumes before announcing the rules for any subsequent intake.

Why Does the Quebec Election Matter?

The next Quebec election is scheduled for October 5, 2026. The first PEQ intake closes on October 31, just 26 days later.

The CAQ has committed to a two-year reopening, but this does not guarantee that every future intake will use the same eligibility requirements as the first one. The rules for the second intake could be adjusted depending on which party forms government after the next election.

Three major political parties are leading in the polls for the October 2026 Quebec election. These figures outline voting intentions of the Quebec electorate and are based on a June 17 Leger-Québecor Survey:

• Parti Québécois: 30 percent
• Parti libéral du Québec: 27 percent
• Coalition Avenir Québec: 21 percent

Notably, these figures are highly volatile with only 47 percent of decided voters saying their choice is final. This means that the election results could differ greatly from this survey of voting intentions.

Where the Major Parties Stand on the PEQ

The Quebec election period won’t begin until late August, so at this point the parties have not released comprehensive platforms outlining immigration policies. However, based on previous actions, public statements, and published documents, we can speculate about possible approaches the leading parties could take for PEQ if they win the election.

Please note: These possibilities are speculations based on available information. As the parties release more information heading into the campaign, these predictions could change.

What Would a CAQ Government Likely Do?

The CAQ is the only party whose PEQ position is currently reflected in government policy. Fréchette has already launched the two-year reopening of the PEQ, leading to its permanent closure in 2028.

If the CAQ is re-elected, it would likely stick to its published plan: running periodic intakes until the permanent closure in two years.

However, applicants should not assume that the second intake will be identical to the first.

Quebec has explicitly reserved the opportunity to review application volumes before announcing another intake. A larger-than-expected first round could lead the government to shorten the next intake, impose caps, and change eligibility criteria.

What Could a PQ Government Do With the PEQ?

In a February 2026 interview with La Presse, the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, said the PQ was open to grandfathering approximately 40,000 temporary workers for whom the CAQ had created “legitimate expectations” of permanent residence. These are workers who came to Quebec through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

To obtain a TFWP work permit in Quebec, temporary workers must first receive approval from the province before applying federally for a work permit. This is different from how the TFWP works in other provinces, which skip the provincial approval.

However, St-Pierre Plamondon has resisted extending the same commitment to the much larger population of temporary residents admitted through exclusively federal programs, like the International Mobility Program.

During an April press conference, he distinguished between roughly 40,000 temporary immigrants directly recruited or selected by Quebec and a much larger group admitted through federal programs. He argued that opening a permanent residence pathway to all French-speaking temporary residents could involve approximately 150,000 to 200,000 people.

Although these numbers are disputed, St-Pierre Plamondon’s distinction could become important if the PQ forms government before a second PEQ intake is announced.

Based on the party’s statements so far, a PQ government could choose to prioritize temporary foreign workers it considers having been “recruited” by Quebec through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It is less clear whether it would offer the same access to Quebec graduates or people working in the province under federal work permit programs.

The party has not released detailed eligibility criteria, so it is not yet possible to determine exactly which work permits or immigration programs would be included.

What Could a PLQ Government Do With the PEQ?

New PLQ Leader Charles Milliard has identified restoring the PEQ as a priority. “On immigration, the priority is to reestablish the PEQ,” Milliard said an April interview.

The PLQ has not yet released a detailed immigration platform explaining what Milliard means by “reestablish.” It’s unclear if the PLQ would maintain the CAQ’s temporary two-year reopening, turn the PEQ into a permanent program again, or even expand access beyond the applicants covered by the first intake.

Historically, the Quebec Liberals have generally supported higher immigration levels than the CAQ and PQ. In the most recent Quebec election, the PLQ was the only one of these three parties who advocated for maintaining immigration levels, with both the CAQ and the PQ promising steep reductions.

What Should PEQ Applicants Do Before the Election?

Candidates who qualify for the current PEQ intake period should apply as soon as possible. Although the program has technically been reopened for two years, it’s not clear how the requirements might change between intake periods. Or – if a new government could scrap future intake rounds altogether.

If you’re eligible for PEQ right now: apply.

For details on the program requirements, read our complete guide. As the program may close permanently in the future, it’s important to submit a complete, accurate application that meets all program requirements.

For this reason, we recommend having your application reviewed by a regulated Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer before submitting. A consultant or lawyer should catch any mistakes in your application and can greatly improve your chance of being approved.