Quebec Closes Key Family Sponsorships Until 2026

The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) has announced it has reached the maximum number of applications it will accept for certain family members. No new applications will be accepted until June 25, 2026. 

Key Takeaways: Who’s Affected and What to Expect 

• Quebec has hit its two-year cap for sponsoring spouses, partners, and adult children. No new applications will be accepted until June 25, 2026. 
• Exemptions remain in place for minors, adoption cases, and dependent adults with medical needs. 
• Applicants may still submit to IRCC, but their application cannot move forward without Quebec’s involvement. 

How the Cap Closure Affects Sponsors Living in Quebec 

If you live in Quebec and intend to sponsor a loved one under the family reunification program, the recent cap will significantly impact your ability to move forward – at least until June 25, 2026. 

Who Is Affected? 

The cap closure applies to anyone residing in Quebec (or intends to reside in Quebec) who wishes to sponsor the following family members: 

• Spouses 
• Common-law partners 
• Conjugal partners 
• Dependent children aged 18 or older 

No new applications for these categories will be accepted until the intake reopens in June 2026. 

What Happens If You Apply Now? 

Any applications received after the cap was filled – assumed to be July 9, 2025, when MIFI publicly confirmed the closure – will be returned unprocessed, and any fees will be refunded. 

In short, if you’re living in Quebec and hoping to sponsor a spouse, partner, or adult child, you’ll need to wait until the next intake window opens to proceed with the Quebec portion of your application. 

Who Can Still Apply: Exempt Sponsorship Cases 

Some family sponsorship categories remain exempt from the cap and therefore are not impacted by this announcement. These include: 

• Children under 18 

• Orphaned minor relatives (siblings, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren) 

• Dependent adults with physical or mental conditions 

When Was the Cap Introduced? 

On June 26, 2024, MIFI announced it would accept a maximum of 13,000 family sponsorship applications over a two-year period ending June 25, 2026. This is broken into the following categories: 

• 10,400 spots for spouses, partners, and adult children 

• 2,600 spots for parents, grandparents, or other eligible relatives 

Applications were to be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Based on Open Canada data from previous years, it was expected the quota would fill around the year mark – meaning MIFI should have anticipated this timeline when the cap was first introduced. 

How Quebec’s Sponsorship Process Works 

If you live in Quebec or intend to live in Quebec and are sponsoring a family member, you must complete a two-step process: 

1. Submit an application to sponsor and permanent residence (PR) application to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 
2. If approved as a sponsor, you must then submit an undertaking application to MIFI. Once approved, you’ll receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), which is required for the PR application to proceed. 

With this cap in place, MIFI is no longer accepting undertaking applications for spouses, partners, or adult children. So even if IRCC confirms your eligibility to sponsor, you cannot proceed until Quebec reopens its intake in June 2026. 

Can You Still Submit an Application to IRCC? What We Know (and Don’t) 

You may still be able to submit an application to sponsor and a permanent residence (PR) application to IRCC, but it’s currently unclear how these applications will be handled. 

Once IRCC approves a sponsor, they typically request the CSQ from Quebec and set a deadline for submission (often a few months).  

IRCC is already facing major delays, with processing times currently at 34 months for inland sponsorships and up to 38 months when Quebec is involved. It’s unlikely they would pause processing for an extended period, especially given that even if Quebec resumes intake in June 2026, a surge in new applications could quickly fill the quota again, potentially leaving paused applicants in limbo once more. 

What You Can Do If You’re Affected 

Consider Moving to Another Province 

One option is relocating to another province that doesn’t require Quebec’s involvement. This is a major decision, and while it could be the only viable route for some, it comes with its own challenges. 

Even outside Quebec, family sponsorship is under pressure: 

• Processing times can stretch up to 34 months 
• IRCC’s family reunification target is set to drop from 70,000 in 2025 to 66,500 in 2026. 

While IRCC continues to emphasize its commitment to family reunification, these figures reflect a challenging reality for many families which extends beyond Quebec.  

Despite these challenges, there is one piece of good news for those who submit a federal sponsorship and permanent residence application: the sponsored family member may still be eligible to apply for an open work permit while their application is being processed. 

Explore Express Entry or Francophone Pathways 

If the family member you hoped to sponsor speaks French, Express Entry may provide an alternative route to permanent residence. French-speaking candidates receive additional points and are often targeted in specific draws, improving their chances of receiving an invitation to apply. 

Another option is the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, though this program requires the applicant to secure a job offer in a participating community. 

If you’re impacted by Quebec’s sponsorship cap, consider speaking with a regulated immigration professional to review your options.  

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