According to the Canadian Ming Pao, Quebec Province, a popular destination for Chinese investment immigration, plans to increase its quota for business-class immigrants under the "Provincial Nominee" program by approximately 10% next year. Quebec's Minister of Immigration, Kathleen Weil, announced the province's immigration intake plan for next year, stating that the nomination quota for the business category could reach up to 10,000 people, a significant increase compared to 7,013 in 2009, 8,940 in 2010, and an estimated 5,400 in 2011.
Dr. Winner Xing, President of Worldway, and Ms. Zhang, Executive Director, conducting an on-site investigation of the investment environment in Canada
Immigration lawyers point out that due to the federal government's cap of 700 investment immigration applications per year starting this year, a large number of applicants are flocking to Quebec, which is taking the opportunity to increase its "money-making" efforts. However, cases that receive a "nomination" still require final review at the federal level. The number of cases submitted by Quebec next year is expected to be four times the amount that the federal government can handle, which will inevitably lead to a backlog of business immigration cases, with 90% of them coming from Asia, and increasing waiting times.
Quebec's plan estimates that the number of business-class immigrants who successfully obtain visas and land next year will be between 2,500 and 2,700, which is not significantly different from this year's estimate of 2,400 to 2,800.
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland states that the general procedure for Quebec immigration applications involves applicants submitting materials to the Quebec immigration agency. If approved, the province will issue a "Quebec Selection Certificate" (CSQ), similar to a "Provincial Nominee" certificate, which is equivalent to the applicant successfully obtaining a "ticket" for immigration. At the same time, Quebec also receives the "fare" from the investment, such as the CAD 800,000 investment required for investment immigration, after which the applicant must "wait for the ride".
Kurland emphasizes that the key point is that Quebec must submit these selected cases to the federal immigration department, which will complete background checks, arrange medical examinations, and other follow-up work. Since the number of cases submitted by Quebec each year far exceeds what the federal government can handle, it will inevitably lead to longer waiting times for applicants who have already spent time and money and completed all procedures to "wait for the bus".
Regarding Quebec's nomination of only 5,400 business immigrants in 2011, which is significantly lower than in previous years, Kurland points out that the province had previously stopped accepting new cases for two months to cope with the influx of investment immigration applications due to the federal government's increased requirements. He mentioned that currently, due to the federal government's limit of only 700 cases per year, more wealthy individuals are turning to Quebec for applications, prompting the province to increase the number of business immigrants it plans to nominate next year, likely to seize the opportunity to "make money".
Kurland states that although increasing the quota by 1,000 people is just a drop in the bucket compared to the large number of applicants, if each person brings in an investment of CAD 800,000, it could generate an additional CAD 800 million for the Quebec government. The federal processing capacity is only about one-fourth of the cases submitted by Quebec, and with the increasing backlog and waiting times, this is "not within Quebec's consideration range". Although the federal government has long criticized Quebec's practices, the relationship between the federal government and Quebec, which has the authority to independently select immigrants, can be described as a "game of chess".
Data shows that among the nearly 10,000 business immigrants Quebec plans to admit next year, applicants from Asia will account for 8,200 to 9,200 people, equivalent to 91% to 92% of the total.
