After three years of receiving numerous applications for the Quebec Selection Certificates, the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities (MICC) has decided to cap the number of applications it will process on March 21, 2012. come to a decision regarding the intake of applications for selection certificates. Pursuant to the decision, the Minister determines the maximum number of applications that some skilled worker candidates will be allowed to submit. For the year between March 2012 to March 2013, the MICC will only accept 2700 applications under the investor category, 215 applications under the entrepreneurs and self-employed category, and 14300 applications under the skilled workers category.
In the sub-category of the economic immigration (skilled workers and businesses people), MICC received only 30,000 applications in 2008, but 65,000 applications in 2011. Some applications will have to wait three years after reception to be reviewed.
The decision is taken pending adoption by the National Assembly of Québec of a bill, as announced by the Minister of Finance in his Budget Speech of 20 March 2012, that would contain a provision, retroactive to 20 March 2012, authorizing the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities to make such determination.