600,000 Temporary Immigrants in Quebec Between 2023 and 2025

What Few People Dare to Say — and What Families Must Understand Now

By Antoine – International Matchmaking Agency CQMI

Over the past few months, one sentence keeps coming back in my conversations with clients, YouTube subscribers, men married to Ukrainian women, and families living in Quebec:

“Antoine… should we be worried?”

The short answer is: yes, we need to be realistic.
The longer answer is: no, panic is useless — but waiting and doing nothing is dangerous.

Between 2023 and 2025, Quebec and Canada welcomed approximately 600,000 temporary immigrants: workers, students, special permits (including Ukrainians who arrived after 2022).

? Today, the system is under serious pressure.
? And today, many families are discovering that the word temporary has never been so literal.

A Conversation That Says It All

I want to start with a real conversation I recently had with a client.
A smart, hardworking man, well integrated in Quebec. French by origin, a father, respected by his Quebec colleagues.

After one of my live videos on immigration, he wrote to me:

“Antoine, you are too optimistic.
You think ‘Canada’, but right now it’s Quebec that decides.
And Quebec is closing the door.”

Then came this sentence — strong, uncomfortable, but accurate:

“If tomorrow your wife’s sister has to leave because of paperwork…
how will your wife look at you?
Who will be responsible in her eyes?
The man who failed to protect his family — in the broad sense.
Because you are Canadian… so you’re supposed to know.”

That sentence deserves reflection.

The Dangerous Myth: “I Work Hard, I Pay Taxes, So I’m Safe”

This is the number one trap.

Many temporary immigrants — French, Belgian, Ukrainian — sincerely believe:

• “I work hard”
• “My children are integrated”
• “I pay my taxes”
• “I contribute to the economy”

? All of this can be true.
? None of it guarantees legal protection.

A temporary status remains temporary.

And today, Quebec has sent a clear signal:
slower immigration, stricter selection, fewer guarantees.

PEQ Is Gone. PSTQ Has Changed the Rules

This is where many people lost their footing.

The PEQ (Quebec Experience Program) — which thousands of families considered a direct path to permanent residence — was abolished.

It was replaced by the PSTQ, a points-based system.

Some hard facts (IRCC / MIFI data):

• About 616,000 temporary workers and students currently in Quebec
• Around 65,000 invitations per year
• Current selection thresholds: 700 to 900 points
• Invitation-based draws
• Living in Greater Montreal = significant loss of points

? Do the math.
? Even with a strong profile, the odds are not comforting.

As my client wrote:

“You’re better at math than me, Antoine… I’ll let you calculate the chances.”

Ukrainians: Protected — But Not Untouchable

I will say this clearly, knowing it may be quoted.

? Ukrainians are not legally considered political refugees in Canada.

They benefited — rightly — from exceptional programs after 2022.
But those programs were temporary by nature.

Yes, the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada is powerful.
Yes, politically, sending families back during a war would be explosive.
Yes, I personally believe that many current policies are designed to discourage new arrivals rather than expel existing ones.

But here is the key point:

? Law does not operate on emotion.

An expired permit remains an expired permit.

The Story Nobody Likes to Hear: Families Leaving

That same client wrote to me:

“I have French friends, high-income families in the regions,
who will have to leave in January and February.
Families. Children. Fully integrated.”

These are not marginal cases.
They are quiet, compliant people who realize too late that not planning is a decision in itself — and often the worst one.

Immigration and Relationships: What Many Men Underestimate

I see this every day at CQMI.

Men often think in rational terms:

• paperwork
• deadlines
• legal strategy
• logic

Women — naturally — think in terms of:

• safety
• family
• stability
• the future of loved ones

? When immigration issues affect extended family, it stops being an administrative file.
? It becomes a relationship test.

That sentence from my client is harsh, but accurate:

“The man who failed to protect his family — in the broad sense.”

Act Before You Are Forced To: My Clear Advice

I will be very direct.

If you are:

• married or in a relationship with a Ukrainian woman
• living in Quebec under temporary status
• indirectly or directly involved in family immigration issues

? You must act now.

Concretely:

• consult a specialized immigration lawyer (not forums, not social media)
• ask for written opinions, not verbal reassurance
• seriously consider other provinces
• stop assuming “it will work out”

As my client wisely said:

“Words fly away. Written proof remains.”

He is right.

To Go Further

External authority links

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
  https://www.canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html
• Quebec Ministry of Immigration (MIFI)
  https://www.quebec.ca/en/immigration

Internal CQMI content (recommended)

• Immigration in Canada: Why Rules Change Faster Than Couples Expect
• International Marriage and Immigration: What Men Must Anticipate
• Why Waiting Is Often the Worst Immigration Strategy

Related video

? Live 233 – In 2026, Does the Passport Matter More Than Love for Ukrainian Women?
https://www.cqmi.fr/fr/videos-femmes-russie-et-ukraine/item/1256-live233-en-2026-le-passeport-compte-t-il-plus-que-l-amour-chez-les-ukrainiennes

Conclusion: I May Be Optimistic — But I Prefer Being Prepared

Yes, I remain convinced that Canada will need immigration.
Yes, I believe policies will evolve after 2026.
Yes, many families will stay.

But one thing is certain:

? Those who anticipate will survive.
Those who wait will suffer.

As my client wrote — with clarity and honesty:

“My friendly advice: act before you are forced to react.
And I am probably more optimistic than you.”

On that point, we fully agree.

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