If a family member was just detained by the CBSA at the Laval Immigration Holding Centre, or you have a removal order, a refugee hearing, or a Certificat de selection du Quebec (CSQ) problem you don't understand, the clocks in Canadian immigration law are short and unforgiving. Immigration is federal under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) - but Quebec is different from every other province: under the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord it selects its own economic immigrants and issues the CSQ before Ottawa grants permanent residence. The system moves fast: a detained person must be brought before the Immigration Division within 48 hours, a removal-order appeal is due in 30 days, and after the March 2026 changes under Bill C-12 a late refugee claim can be barred from a hearing altogether. You can call the Legal Hotline for Quebec free, day or night, to get clear legal information about IRPA, the CSQ and MIFI, the Immigration and Refugee Board, and your first move - ask as many questions as you like. This is free legal information, not legal advice. Legal Hotline is not a law firm.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Quebec.
If someone was just detained by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in Quebec - most often at the Laval Immigration Holding Centre - your first job is to locate them and make sure no one signs anything without understanding it. CBSA must bring a detained person before the Immigration Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) within 48 hours for a detention review; if detention continues, the next review is within 7 days, then every 30 days after that. Write down the person's full name, date of birth, and country of birth, and any Client ID or document numbers from CBSA paperwork. In Montreal, Action Refugies Montreal visits the Laval centre and can accompany people to detention hearings, and Quebec's legal aid (Aide juridique) may cover representation for financially eligible people. Do not let anyone agree to leave Canada or sign a removal-related form without first understanding the consequences, because some choices give up appeal rights and trigger long bars on returning.
Three things ruin Quebec immigration cases before they properly start. First, Quebec's selection is its own step: for most economic immigrants you need a Certificat de selection du Quebec (CSQ) from MIFI - sought through the Arrima portal, with French language ability weighing heavily - BEFORE IRCC will grant permanent residence. The CSQ is not a visa, the Programme de l'experience quebecoise (PEQ) closed to new applications on 19 November 2025 (Quebec announced a 2-year reopening in May 2026, not yet in effect), and Quebec has been cutting and changing its streams through 2025-2026, so timing and eligibility shift often. Second, since 26 March 2026, Bill C-12 can bar a refugee claim from ever reaching a hearing: file more than one year after your first entry to Canada (on or after 24 June 2020), or more than 14 days after crossing the Canada-US land border between ports of entry, and your claim may be ineligible for the Refugee Protection Division. These bars reach back to claims made on or after 3 June 2025; people barred this way still get a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, but that is a narrower process. Third, if a loved one is detained by the CBSA at the Laval Immigration Holding Centre, the law gives them a detention review before the Immigration Division within 48 hours, then within 7 days, then every 30 days. Missing the first review window, or letting someone sign away their rights in detention, can be very hard to undo. This is information, not legal advice. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will tell you which clock is ticking on your case.
Quebec has a distinct, French-and-English network of free and low-cost immigration and refugee help, much of it concentrated in Montreal where most IRB hearings for the province are held and where the Laval Immigration Holding Centre is located. These are verified, currently-live starting points. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you work out which one fits your situation.
What is a CSQ and why does Quebec issue its own immigration certificate?
Under the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec is the only province that selects its own economic immigrants. The Ministere de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Integration (MIFI) does this by issuing a Certificat de selection du Quebec (CSQ) - the Quebec Selection Certificate. The CSQ is NOT a permanent residence visa and does not by itself let you enter Canada; it proves Quebec has selected you. After receiving a CSQ you must still apply to IRCC, the federal department, for permanent residence, which then runs the admissibility (security, criminality, medical) checks. So most Quebec-destined economic immigration is a two-step path: Quebec selection first, then federal permanent residence.
How do I apply to be selected by Quebec as a skilled worker?
For the skilled-worker route you start by submitting an expression of interest in MIFI's Arrima portal. Your profile is scored against Quebec's criteria - with French language ability weighing heavily - and the highest-ranked candidates are invited to apply for a CSQ. An Arrima expression of interest is valid for 12 months; if you are not invited in that window, it expires. Note that the Programme de l'experience quebecoise (PEQ) closed to new applications on 19 November 2025 (Quebec announced a 2-year reopening in May 2026, not yet in effect), and Quebec has been changing its streams and thresholds through 2025-2026, so check the current rules before relying on them. The Quebec Legal Hotline can help you understand the process - call free, any time.
CBSA just detained my family member in Quebec. How does a detention review work?
Immigration detention has no fixed term and is not a criminal sentence. The CBSA must bring the detained person before the Immigration Division of the IRB within 48 hours for a review of the reasons for detention; if detention continues, the next review is within 7 days, then every 30 days after that. In Quebec, people are most often held at the Laval Immigration Holding Centre. Action Refugies Montreal visits the centre and can accompany detainees to their hearings, and Quebec legal aid (Aide juridique) may cover representation for those who are financially eligible. The Quebec Legal Hotline is a free call away for information on what the first 48 hours look like.
How long do I have to make a refugee claim in Canada after the 2026 changes?
Since Bill C-12 received royal assent on 26 March 2026, two new bars apply. A claim can be ineligible for a Refugee Protection Division hearing if it is made more than one year after your first entry into Canada on or after 24 June 2020, or more than 14 days after crossing the Canada-US land border between official ports of entry. These bars apply to claims made on or after 3 June 2025. People barred this way still get a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, and unaccompanied minors are exempt. If you are near either limit, the timing is urgent. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand where you stand.
Which court handles my deportation case in Quebec?
Not Quebec's own courts. Immigration is federal, so removal, refugee, and detention matters are decided by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), not the Superior Court or the Court of Quebec. Refugee claims go to the Refugee Protection Division, most refugee appeals to the Refugee Appeal Division, detention and admissibility to the Immigration Division, and certain removal and sponsorship appeals to the Immigration Appeal Division. For Quebec these hearings are held mainly out of Montreal. The only further step is an application for leave and judicial review in the Federal Court of Canada, which also sits in Montreal.
I got a removal order. Can I appeal it, and how long do I have?
It depends on the type of order and your status. Many removal orders and refused family sponsorships can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), and that appeal must reach the Division within 30 days of receiving the decision. If the IAD route is not available, or after it, the next step is an application for leave and judicial review in the Federal Court under IRPA section 72, due in 15 days for a decision made in Canada or 60 days for one made outside Canada. These deadlines are strict. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand which path applies.
What is the difference between a departure order, an exclusion order, and a deportation order?
All three are removal orders under IRPA, but the consequences differ. A departure order requires you to leave and confirm your departure (usually within 30 days); done correctly, returning later is easier, but if you don't comply it can become a deportation order. An exclusion order usually bars you from returning for one year, or five years if it was for misrepresentation. A deportation order bars return permanently unless you obtain written Authorization to Return to Canada. Knowing which one you have changes everything about your options.
Is there free immigration and refugee legal help in Quebec?
Yes. Quebec's legal aid (Aide juridique, through the Commission des services juridiques) can cover refugee appeals, detention reviews, removal-order appeals before the Immigration Appeal Division, and humanitarian applications for people who are financially eligible; there is a 24/7 line at 1-800-842-2213. In Montreal, PRAIDA offers health and settlement support to asylum seekers, the TCRI network can point you to a local community organization, and Action Refugies Montreal supports people detained at Laval. For a lawyer of your own, the Barreau du Quebec's referral service offers a paid initial consultation (1-866-954-3528).
Do I need to speak French to immigrate to Quebec?
French is central to Quebec's own selection. For the main economic streams, MIFI scores candidates through the Arrima portal and French-language ability carries significant weight, so it can be decisive for whether you receive a Certificat de selection du Quebec. The federal side (admissibility, the family class, protected persons, citizenship) does not require French in the same way, and refugee protection does not turn on language. But for most economic immigration destined for Quebec, French is a major factor. The exact requirements change, so verify the current rules before relying on them. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand how the language rules apply to your situation.
My work permit is expiring. What should I do?
Work permits are issued by IRCC under federal law, and the safest move is to apply to extend or change your status before the current permit expires. If you apply to extend before expiry, you generally keep "maintained status" (formerly implied status) and can usually keep working under the same conditions while IRCC processes the application. Letting a permit lapse without applying can cost your authorization to work and complicate your status. Note that for many Quebec employers a job also involves a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) step on the temporary side. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand your options.
Can the Safe Third Country Agreement stop my claim at the border?
Often, yes. Under the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement, most people who try to claim refugee protection at the Canada-US land border after coming from the United States are turned back to make their claim there, with limited exceptions (such as certain family members in Canada or unaccompanied minors). Bill C-12's new 14-day land-border bar adds a further limit for those who do enter. Quebec shares a long land border with the United States, so these rules come up often here. They are technical, and a small detail can decide eligibility. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand whether an exception might apply.
What happens if I miss my refugee hearing or a deadline?
It can be serious. Missing a Refugee Protection Division hearing can lead to your claim being declared abandoned, and missing other steps can lead to a removal order. Late appeals are usually rejected: the Immigration Appeal Division generally needs your appeal within 30 days, and the Federal Court needs a leave application within 15 days (in-Canada decision) or 60 days (outside Canada). On the Quebec side, an Arrima expression of interest expires after 12 months if no invitation comes. In limited cases you can ask to reopen a matter or for an extension for special reasons, but it is far better not to miss the deadline. Keep your address current with IRCC, the IRB, and MIFI so you actually receive notices.
Will a criminal charge in Quebec affect my immigration status?
It can. A criminal conviction in a Quebec court can make a permanent resident or foreign national inadmissible to Canada under IRPA for "criminality" or "serious criminality," which can lead to a removal order and, for serious cases, loss of the right to appeal. The criminal case is decided in Quebec's courts, but the immigration consequences are federal and separate. If you are not a citizen and face criminal charges, the immigration angle matters from the very first appearance. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand the overlap.
I think an officer made a mistake on my CSQ or federal application. Can I challenge it?
Possibly, but the route depends on who decided. Many IRCC and IRB decisions can be challenged by an application for leave and judicial review in the Federal Court of Canada under IRPA section 72; you first need the Court's permission ("leave"), and the deadline is strict - 15 days for a decision made inside Canada and 60 days for one made outside Canada. A MIFI decision on a CSQ is a Quebec decision and is challenged through Quebec's own administrative-review and court channels instead, on different timelines. Because the windows are short, act quickly. A free call to the Quebec Legal Hotline will help you understand which process applies.
We're building a network of licensed Quebec practitioners ahead of launching a paid lawyer-consultation service - one that will connect anxious, time-pressured callers across Quebec, from Montreal and Laval to Quebec City, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, and the regions, with lawyers who can take CSQ and Quebec selection matters, refugee claims, detention reviews, removal and sponsorship appeals, Federal Court judicial reviews, work and study permit problems, and humanitarian and compassionate applications. If you are a Quebec-licensed immigration or refugee lawyer, especially one who works in French and additional languages or accepts Quebec legal aid mandates, we'd like to add you to that network as we prepare to launch paid consultations. Express your interest and we'll be in touch.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy against current Canadian federal and provincial law. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at [email protected].
Whether a family member was just detained by the CBSA at Laval, you need a Certificat de selection du Quebec, a refugee deadline is closing in under the new Bill C-12 rules, or you have a removal order you don't understand, Quebec immigration sits at the meeting point of federal law and Quebec's own selection system - fast, technical, and unforgiving of missed deadlines. The Quebec Legal Hotline gives you free, plain-English (and French) information about IRPA, the CSQ and MIFI, the Immigration and Refugee Board, and your first move - day or night, with no income test, as many questions as you like. Quebec legal aid (1-800-842-2213) can also fund free help for eligible refugee and immigration cases. This is free legal information, not legal advice, and creates no lawyer-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm. Just real help, the moment you need it.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.