Quebec Immigration Application and Lock-in Dates

The application date for most immigrant categories is the date on which a complete application is received by the Embassy. When received by the Embassy, all applications are date-stamped and this date is considered the application date for both Federal Economic and Quebec Economic files. The application date is usually used as a reference to calculate the processing times.

On the other hand, the lock-in date is a reference point used to freeze certain factors for the purpose of processing applications, such as the dependency or payable fees. On Federal Economic files, the application date and the lock-in date are the same, namely, the date on which a complete application, with fees, is received by the Embassy.



However, for Quebec Economic files, the application date and the lock-in date are different. Indeed, unlike applicants destined to other provinces, since the application is first submitted to the Service d’Immigration du Québec (SIQ), the lock-in date is the date the application for a Certificate of Selection from Quebec (CSQ) is received by Quebec. In certain cases, when there is no proof of when the file was received by Quebec, the date of the CSQ issuance will be used as the lock-in date. The fees payable for the dependent child should also be determined based on the age of the child at the lock in date. For example, if a child was 21 years old when the application for a CSQ was submitted but is 23 years old when the application is received by the Embassy, the fee would be $150 (i.e. fee for a 21 year old).

Please also note that for Quebec selected entrepreneur cases, the conditions lock-in date is the CSQ issuance date.

Veronique Raymond, Attorney at Law.