TEXT AMENDED ON MARCH 23, 2026
This program is the result of a pilot project. Changes have been made to the opinion request process, particularly with regard to eligibility requirements and file content. For the purposes of continuous improvement, the program may undergo further changes in the future.
Only this version of the text is valid and applicable.
Stream 4 of the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés – PSTQ (Skilled Worker Selection Program)
As part of stream 4: Exceptional Talents, of the Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP), Québec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) has given the CALQ (Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec) the mandate to evaluate requests for opinion for exceptional talents in the field of arts and culture.
Artists who would like to apply through stream 4: Exceptional Talents for immigration to Québec must first request an opinion from the CALQ attesting to the exceptional character of their case.
The request for an opinion will be studied by specialists in the applicant’s artistic field, based on the eligibility criteria presented below. The CALQ will make its decision based on the majority opinion of the experts consulted.
A positive opinion from the CALQ does not guarantee a person will be selected for permanent immigration to Québec. Only the MIFI has that responsibility.
Anyone who obtains a positive opinion must attach it to their expression of interest in immigrating to Québec on the Arrima platform using the Exceptional Talents stream. For more information about the SWSP and immigration procedures for Québec, visit the program page. This link will open in a new window
Before going any further, make sure this program is for you!
To qualify as an exceptional talent in the arts, you must:
- have recent, active professional experience as a creator or performer;
- stand out for:
- the quality, volume, and uniqueness of your artistic production;
- your influence on the national and international scene.
- be domiciled in Quebec OR have a professional connection with one or more Quebec artists or organizations (Example: collaboration, invitation, presented works, etc.).
Process
The following information outlines the CALQ’s evaluation process to determine the exceptional character of an application from a foreign national artist who would like to immigrate permanently to Québec through stream 4 of the SWSP: Exceptional Talents.
Who can request an opinion
The request for an opinion must come from a foreign national who declares themselves to be a professional artist:
- someone whose primary occupation is to create work or practice an art independently;
- who is recognized as a professional artist by their peers;
- and whose works or performances are shown publicly, for remuneration, in a recognized context or at recognized sites.
To be eligible, the candidate must:
- be domiciled in Québec
OR - be able to demonstrate professional ties with one or more Quebec artists or arts organizations.
All applicants must be able to provide a letter of support from an artist or organization that is a reference in the Quebec arts community, attesting to the quality and exceptional nature of their talent.
Applicants must have practiced their art professionally and diligently for at least 5 of the last 7 years in one or more of the disciplines listed below.
To qualify as an exceptional talent, the applicant must have distinguished themselves for:
- the quality, volume and unique character of their artistic output;
- their contribution to their field of expertise;
- their national and international impact.
IMPORTANT: Artistic practice refers only to professional creative and performing activities. Experience gained in an academic context or in other areas of the arts, such as teaching or administration, is not considered.
Eligible artistic disciplines:
- circus arts;
- multidisciplinary arts;
- digital arts;
- visual arts;
- graphic novel;
- popular song;
- film and video;
- dance;
- literature and storytelling;
- arts and crafts;
- music;
- theater.
Independence of the artist
To be eligible, artists and authors must have personal works to their credit that were created independently of the commercial film, television, video game, advertising, and other industries.
Individuals employed by companies in the cultural industry, such as video games, can find out about the process of the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy (MEIE) to obtain an opinion on their exceptional talent.
Progression of a request for an opinion
Rules
Anyone who submits a request for an opinion agrees to respect the following rules:
- All documents must be presented in French. Some of these documents must be submitted in their original language, accompanied by a translation signed by a professional translator. This applies to press reviews, bibliographies and supporting materials.
- File components must be submitted in the format indicated on the identification and agreement form.
- The CALQ reserves the right to verify documents submitted and request confirmation of their authenticity. The applicant must cooperate in a timely manner with any verification request, or their application may be considered ineligible.
- The CALQ assumes statements are provided in good faith. However, if, during the evaluation process, it appears that the application contains false or misleading information, the application will immediately be deemed ineligible.
- Only complete applications will be evaluated. If one of the required documents is missing, the application will be considered ineligible.
- The opinion rendered by the CALQ, whether positive or negative, is valid for two years. No new application from the same artist will be accepted within two years following the date of the first submission.
- The CALQ’s decision is final and without appeal. Requests for review will not be considered.
- Under no circumstances does a positive opinion from the CALQ guarantee a person will be selected to immigrate permanently to Québec. Solely the MIFI has that responsibility
File contents
The file submitted to the CALQ must include the following elements, in French. Some of these documents must be submitted in their original language, accompanied by a translation signed by a professional translator. This applies to press reviews, bibliographies, and supporting materials.
Identification and agreement form (64 KB)
The personal information contained on this form is not forwarded to the expert assessors.
The form must be signed by the applicant. Electronic signatures are accepted.
Cover letter, signed by the applicant (2 pages maximum, in PDF format)
A cover letter in French describing:
- how the applicant's background is exceptional;
- the applicant's motivation for immigrating to Quebec;
- and how their expertise will contribute to the Quebec arts community.The cover letter must be signed by the applicant. Electronic signatures are accepted.
- Letter of support (maximum 2 pages, in PDF format)
A letter of support from an artist or organization of reference in the Quebec arts community attesting to the quality and exceptional nature of the applicant's talent.
- Proof of address in Québec OR Confirmation of professionnal relashionship (use the template provided by the CALQ) (50 KB)
For proof of address, accepted documents must be less than one year old. These include: a driver’s license, a municipal or school tax bill, a government letter received by mail, a bill from Hydro-Québec, Énergir, or a telecommunications provider, a statement of employment or pay stub, a home or car insurance certificate, a university or college transcript, a bank statement, or a change-of-address receipt from Canada Post.
- Résumé (5 pages maximum, in PDF format), use the template provided by the CALQ (46 KB)
A résumé presenting the following information:- Candidate identification and spoken and written languages
- Academic background
Educational institutions attended, principal professors, degrees obtained - Scholarships, awards, and distinctions
Scholarships or research grants awarded by recognized institutions, significant international distinctions or awards in the field of expertise - Artistic production
Chronological list of works constituting the artist's artistic production - Leadership and influence
Chronological list of activities related to the dissemination of works, notable artistic collaborations, national and international invitations, etc.
- List of achievements (2 pages maximum, in PDF format)
A list of 3 to 5 achievements that have had the greatest impact on the artist's career development or contribution to the discipline, with commentary.
Supporting materials (99 KB)
For all works that contain text, submit the documents in their original language accompanied by a French translation signed by a professional translator.Submission of works or excerpts from works illustrating the distinctive character of the artist's production. Depending on the artistic discipline, these may include images, audio or video documents, texts, web links, etc. The various documents must be presented and contextualized in the Supporting Material Presentation form.
Please note: Artists must present personal works created independently.
Press kit (20 pages maximum, in a single PDF)
This document is required in the original language and must be accompanied by a French translation signed by a professional translator.Compilation of reviews and articles published or broadcast in major national and international media outlets. The translation of articles or transcripts of reports into French is mandatory and is the responsibility of the applicant.
Important: The press review should not be confused with the press kit used as promotional material to present the artist and their work.
Bibliography (if applicable, 2 pages maximum, in a single PDF)
This document is required in the original language and must be accompanied by a French translation signed by a professional translator.List of references from specialists who have written about the applicant's work or career. These may include critical works, monographs, exhibition catalogs, scientific articles, digital publications, or academic works.
Pages beyond the authorized number will be removed from the file submitted for evaluation.
Documents other than those required may not be submitted for evaluation.
Subject to the provisions of Québec’s Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information, the CALQ respects the confidentiality of documents and information in its possession and sent to it.
Evaluation criteria
Requests for opinions are evaluated based on the following criteria.
The examples mentioned for each subcriterion reflect the evaluation grid used by external evaluators.
- THE EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER OF THE ARTISTIC OUTPUT (50%)
- The strength and unique character of artistic works;
For example: Does the artist stand out for the quality of their work? What makes it unique and singular? Do they have a genuine artistic signature? What elements of their work are striking in terms of their strength, evocative power, emotional impact, distinctive aesthetic, etc.? - The importance of the body of work and the scope of the career;
For example: Given their field of expertise and experience, is the number of works or presentations that make up the artist's artistic output significant? How well known is the artist? What are the milestones in their career or artistic approach? What would be their contribution to the development of the discipline? Have they innovated in their field, developed their own language, or developed a personal approach to their practice? - The influence of the artist and their work on the thinking and practice in their field of expertise.
For example: How does the artist's work fit into the different trends in their field? In what way(s) do they influence the evolution of practices? Does the artist teach at a high level? Have they inspired the work of other artists? Have any specialist writings (critical works, monographs, academic research, etc.) been devoted to them?
- The strength and unique character of artistic works;
- THE EXCEPTIONAL IMPACT OF THE CAREER OR BODY OF WORK (50%)
- The scale of national and international presentation of works (volume of activity, size of the presentation network, reputation of partners, etc.);
For example: Are the artist's works widely distributed in their country or abroad? Are the venues (festivals, museums, galleries, theaters, publishing houses, etc.) that have hosted or distributed their work in their country or abroad recognized, important, prestigious? Is there significant media coverage? Is there a large audience (visitors, spectators, buyers, collectors, etc.)? - Recognition of the work or the career (grants, honours and prestigious awards);
For example: Given the possibilities within their field of expertise, has the quality and significance of the artist's work been confirmed by the awarding of scholarships or research grants by recognized institutions in their country or internationally? Has their work been recognized with significant national or international distinctions or awards in their field of expertise? Have they received one or more tributes in any form from peers, fellow citizens, the media, etc.? - The potential contribution of the artist to Québec’s artistic and cultural life.
For example: How could the artist integrate into the Quebec art scene? Do they already have a network of collaborators in Quebec, or have they developed ties with the Quebec art scene? What could their contribution to the community be? Does the artist fill a gap in Quebec's artistic community? What would their employment prospects be? Do you believe that the artistic life here would be enriched by their presence in Quebec?
- The scale of national and international presentation of works (volume of activity, size of the presentation network, reputation of partners, etc.);
Evaluation process
Peer appraisal is central to the CALQ’s evaluation process. CALQ employees and members of its board of directors do not intervene in the artistic evaluation process.
Applications deemed eligible by CALQ employees are sent to three independent evaluators, outside the organization. The three evaluators are seasoned professionals, recognized for their skills and specialized knowledge in the applicant’s artistic field.
Evaluators study the request for an opinion based on established criteria and provide the CALQ an individual written evaluation of the application and a recommendation regarding its exceptional character.
The CALQ makes its decision based on the majority point of view of the experts consulted.
The CALQ’s decisions are final and without appeal.
Ethics
Members of the CALQ’s board of directors, employees and members of juries and committees are governed by a code of ethics This link will open in a new window. They must act in good faith in exercising their duties and refrain from discussions of applications for financial aid, which could give the appearance of a conflict of interest. Furthermore, none of these individuals may use confidential or privileged information they receive for their own ends.
Submitting a request for an opinion
A request for an opinion may be submitted at any time.
Artists who would like to submit a request for an opinion to the CALQ must :
- provide a complete file that includes all the required documents;
- ensure they use every possible option to limit the size of the documents (black and white, image size, Acrobat optimization options, etc.);
- ensure PDF documents are not protected.
The file must be submitted to the CALQ via WeTransfer. Instructions for doing so can be found on the Identification and agreement form:
To affix the required signatures to the identification form and the cover letter, the applicant must include their electronic signature (PDF format) or sign and scan the paper document (Word or PDF formats).
N.B.: Attached documents must not exceed 40 Mb.
The CALQ will email an acknowledgement of receipt.
Decision
The CALQ communicates its decision in writing.
If the opinion is positive, the applicant must attach the CALQ’s opinion to its expression of interest to immigrate to Québec through the SWSP’s Exceptional Talents stream.
If the opinion is negative, new applications will not be accepted within two years following the first submission.
The CALQ’s opinion, whether positive or negative, is valid for two years.