ARRIMA Points Calculator – Calculate Your Quebec PSTQ Score in 2026
If you are planning to immigrate to Quebec as a skilled worker, your PSTQ score determines whether you receive an invitation to apply. Most online ARRIMA calculators still use the old QSWP scoring system — which Quebec replaced in January 2024. This calculator is built on the current PSTQ framework used by MIFI today, so the score you get here is the one that actually counts.
What Is the ARRIMA Points Calculator?
This tool calculates your PSTQ score — the points-based ranking that MIFI uses to select candidates from the Arrima Expression of Interest pool. Enter your personal profile, occupation details, Quebec connections, and spouse information across all three factor categories. The calculator gives you your total score and shows how each category contributes to your result.
Your PSTQ score determines your position in the Arrima pool. When MIFI holds an invitation round, it selects the highest-scoring profiles that match the round’s targeting criteria. A higher score means a better chance of receiving an invitation to apply for a CSQ.
If another calculator gives you a score out of 120 with a passing score of 43 or 50 — the system it is built on no longer exists. This calculator uses the current PSTQ framework only.
Arrima vs PSTQ vs QSWP — What Changed and Why Most Calculators Are Wrong
In January 2024, Quebec replaced the old Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) with an entirely new system called the PSTQ. The scoring logic, the factors, the point values, and the selection method all changed. The Arrima portal stayed the same. The scoring behind it did not.
| Feature | Old QSWP System | New PSTQ System (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | Pre-2024 | January 2024 |
| Total Points | Maximum 120 points | Maximum ~1,400 points |
| Passing Score | 43/50 (employability); 50/59 (selection) | No fixed pass — highest scores invited |
| Main Scoring Factors | 9 factors (education, language, age, etc.) | 3 categories: Human Capital, Quebec Needs, Adaptation |
| Labour Market Diagnosis | Not used | Core driver of Quebec Needs score (up to 700 pts) |
| Outside-CMM Bonus | Not applicable | Yes — significant bonus across multiple factors |
| Status | ❌ No longer in use | ✅ Current — 2024 onwards |
Most online calculators — including some from high-authority immigration websites — were never updated. They still calculate your score using a system Quebec retired over a year ago. If your score is shown out of 120, your result is incorrect.
What Is the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ) and How Does Arrima Work?
The PSTQ — Programme de Sélection des Travailleurs Qualifiés — is Quebec’s main economic immigration program for skilled workers. It replaced the old QSWP in January 2024 and is administered by MIFI, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration. The program selects candidates based on a points-based ranking and issues invitations to the strongest profiles in each round.
Arrima is the secure online portal where you submit your Expression of Interest. The process works in three steps:
Submit Your EOI in Arrima
Create your profile and submit your Expression of Interest through the Arrima portal.
MIFI Calculates Your PSTQ Score
MIFI scores your profile across Human Capital, Quebec Needs, and Adaptation factors.
Wait for an Invitation Round
When a round is held, MIFI targets specific criteria, then invites the highest-scoring matching candidates to apply for a CSQ.
📊 Already in Express Entry?
Some Quebec applicants qualify for both federal and provincial streams simultaneously. Check your CRS score and see whether you can pursue both pathways at the same time — two parallel paths to Canadian permanent residency.
Check Your CRS Score →How Is the PSTQ Score Calculated? — All Three Factor Categories
Your PSTQ score is divided across three categories. Together they total approximately 1,400 points maximum.
Human Capital Factors Max 520 pts
| Factor | Criteria | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🎂 Age | ||
| 18–35 (peak range) | Maximum | |
| Younger or older than peak | Decreasing scale | |
| 🗣️ French Proficiency — Principal Applicant | ||
| CLB 9–12 (all 4 skills) | Maximum | |
| CLB 7–8 | High | |
| CLB 5–6 | Moderate | |
| CLB 1–4 | Low | |
| 👫 French Proficiency — Spouse | ||
| CLB 4–12 range | Additional points (scaling) | |
| 🎓 Education — Outside Quebec | ||
| University 3rd cycle (PhD) | 26 | |
| University 2nd cycle 2+ years (Master’s) | 24 | |
| University 1st cycle 3–4 years (Bachelor’s) | 20 | |
| University 1st cycle 2 years | 16 | |
| Post-secondary technical 3 years | 14 | |
| Post-secondary technical 1–2 years | 12 | |
| Secondary school | 4 | |
| 💼 Work Experience (last 5 years) | ||
| 48+ months | Maximum | |
| 36–47 months | High | |
| 24–35 months | Moderate | |
| 12–23 months | Lower | |
| 0–11 months | Minimal | |
French proficiency is scored per skill band across all four abilities — reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The exact point values for each band are set by MIFI’s current scoring grid. Reaching CLB 9+ in all four skills unlocks the maximum French score in the Human Capital category.
Quebec Needs Factors Max 700 pts
| Factor | Criteria | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🔬 Labour Market Diagnosis (NOC Code) | ||
| Occupation assessed as shortage | Maximum bonus | |
| Occupation assessed as slight shortage | Moderate bonus | |
| Balanced or no diagnosis | 0 bonus | |
| ⏱️ Main Occupation Duration | ||
| 48+ months in primary occupation | Maximum | |
| 36–47 months | High | |
| 12–35 months | Moderate | |
| 0–11 months | Low | |
| 🏫 Quebec Diploma | ||
| PhD / Master’s / Bachelor’s in Quebec | High bonus | |
| Technical / Secondary in Quebec | Moderate bonus | |
| 🍁 Work Experience in Quebec (last 5 years) | ||
| 48+ months | Maximum | |
| 12–47 months | Scaling bonus | |
| 0–11 months | Minimal | |
| 📍 Residence Outside CMM | ||
| 36+ months | Maximum | |
| 12–35 months | Scaling bonus | |
| 🏢 Work Experience Outside CMM | ||
| 36+ months | Maximum | |
| 12–35 months | Scaling bonus | |
| 📚 Study Outside CMM | ||
| 36+ months | Moderate bonus | |
| 📋 Validated Job Offer | ||
| Outside CMM | Higher bonus | |
| Inside CMM | Lower bonus | |
| ⚙️ Professional Permit | ||
| Authorization to practise regulated profession in Quebec | 50 | |
Labour market diagnosis is determined by MIFI’s list of diagnoses for 516 occupations (2024–2028). Occupations assessed as shortage earn the maximum Quebec Needs bonus — making your NOC code one of the highest-impact choices in your entire application. Always check the official MIFI diagnosis list before selecting your primary occupation.
Adaptation Factors Max 180 pts
| Factor | Criteria | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🏫 Study Stay in Quebec (without diploma) | ||
| 36+ months | Maximum | |
| 12–35 months | Scaling | |
| 👨👩👧 Relatives in Canada | ||
| Spouse, child, parent, or sibling — Canadian citizen or PR, 18+, outside CMM | Significant bonus | |
| 👫 Spouse’s Profile | ||
| Spouse’s education — Quebec or foreign degree, scaling by level | Up to moderate | |
| Spouse’s Quebec diploma — completed in Quebec | Bonus | |
| Spouse’s work experience in Quebec — 12+ months in last 5 years | Bonus | |
| Spouse’s French proficiency — CLB 4 through 12, scaling | Up to moderate | |
What Is a Competitive PSTQ Score — And How Does the Invitation Process Work?
There is no published minimum score for the PSTQ. MIFI holds invitation rounds on an irregular schedule — not monthly or on a predictable timetable. When a round is held, it does not simply invite the top scorers in the pool.
- MIFI targets a specific profile — a particular stream, occupation category, or regional settlement intention for that round.
- It filters candidates who meet those targeting criteria from the Arrima pool.
- From that filtered group, it invites the highest-scoring candidates to submit a full CSQ application.
A very high score can still be passed over if your profile does not match the targeting criteria of that particular round. After each round, MIFI publishes the minimum score invited and the targeting criteria used. Check the latest rounds on quebec.ca to see where recent cutoffs have landed and which profiles were prioritized.
⚡ Key Takeaway
- There is no universal “good” PSTQ score — Quebec targets specific occupations and regional intentions before drawing on raw score.
- A score competitive in one round may not be selected in the next if targeting criteria change.
- Monitoring recent invitation rounds on quebec.ca is essential to judge where your profile actually stands.
How to Improve Your PSTQ Score — Practical Tips
Most applicants calculate their score once and submit. The smarter move is to find where points are being left behind and address that before entering the pool.
Improve Your French Proficiency Above CLB 7
French is the most heavily weighted personal factor in the Human Capital category. The gap between CLB 5–6 and CLB 9–12 is large — and unlike age or work history, language is something you can actively improve before submitting your EOI. If your current French score is in the CLB 5–6 range, retaking your French test is the highest-return investment you can make in your PSTQ score.
Choose a Shortage Occupation If Your Profile Allows
Your NOC code and its labour market diagnosis drives the bulk of your Quebec Needs score — the largest category in the system. Occupations assessed as “shortage” under MIFI’s 2024–2028 diagnosis list for 516 occupations score significantly more than balanced or undiagnosed ones. Before entering your NOC, check the official MIFI diagnosis list to confirm whether your occupation is classified as shortage and whether a related occupation might score higher.
Target a Location Outside the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM)
Work experience, study, residence, and job offers outside the CMM each add bonus points in the Quebec Needs category — and these bonuses stack. If you have any flexibility on where in Quebec you plan to live and work, choosing a region outside Montreal can add substantial points across four separate factors at once. It is one of the few strategies that improves multiple scoring categories simultaneously.
Get Your Quebec Professional Permit Before Applying
If your occupation is regulated in Quebec — nurses, engineers, pharmacists, teachers, and many others — authorization to practise in Quebec, or even partial recognition by the relevant regulatory body, adds 50 flat points to your Quebec Needs score. Many applicants in regulated professions overlook this because the licensing process takes time. Start it early — those 50 points are available before you ever submit your EOI.
Claim All Adaptation Points for Your Spouse
The Adaptation category includes separate scoring for your spouse’s education, Quebec diploma, Quebec work experience, and French proficiency. Many couples calculate only the principal applicant’s total and miss every bonus their spouse qualifies for. Review all spouse fields before you finalize your calculation.
📊 Also Check Your Express Entry CRS Score
If you also have an active Express Entry profile, you may qualify for both federal and Quebec immigration streams simultaneously — giving you two parallel paths to permanent residency. Check your full CRS score to see exactly where your federal ranking stands.
Check Your CRS Score →Frequently Asked Questions About the ARRIMA Points Calculator
What is the ARRIMA points calculator?
It calculates your PSTQ score — the points-based ranking used by Quebec’s MIFI to select candidates from the Arrima Expression of Interest pool. Your score across Human Capital, Quebec Needs, and Adaptation factors determines your position in the pool when invitation rounds are held.
What is the difference between Arrima and PSTQ?
Arrima is the online portal where you submit your Expression of Interest. PSTQ (Programme de Sélection des Travailleurs Qualifiés) is the scoring and selection program you are entering through that portal. They are two parts of the same Quebec immigration system.
Is the PSTQ calculator the same as the old QSWP calculator?
No. The QSWP was replaced by the PSTQ in January 2024 and the scoring systems are completely different. Old calculators showing a score out of 120 with a passing score of 43 or 50 are using the defunct QSWP system. This calculator uses the current PSTQ framework only.
How many points do I need for Quebec immigration in 2026?
There is no fixed minimum. MIFI holds invitation rounds and selects the highest-scoring profiles based on targeting criteria set for each round. Check the latest invitation round results on quebec.ca to see recent cutoff scores and which profiles were prioritized.
Does my occupation affect my PSTQ score?
Yes — significantly. Your NOC code and its labour market diagnosis is the primary driver of your Quebec Needs score, which is worth up to 700 points. Shortage occupations score far more than balanced or undiagnosed ones. Always check the official MIFI diagnosis list before selecting your primary occupation.
Can I apply to both Express Entry and Arrima at the same time?
Yes. Submitting an Expression of Interest in Arrima does not affect your Express Entry profile or vice versa. You can be active in both systems simultaneously and pursue both pathways at the same time.
What is the CMM and why does it affect my score?
The CMM — Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal — is the greater Montreal urban area. Quebec awards bonus points across multiple factors for candidates who plan to live, work, or study outside the CMM, as part of its regional immigration strategy to distribute newcomers beyond Montreal.
What is a validated job offer for PSTQ purposes?
A job offer validated by the Quebec Minister of Immigration in accordance with the Quebec Immigration Regulation. It must be in your primary NOC occupation. Job offers located outside the CMM score more points than those inside it.
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