A birth certificate translation that IRCC would accept can be refused by Quebec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI). Same document, same words, two governments, two rules.
Quebec chooses its own economic immigrants and issues its own certificates for students and many temporary workers. MIFI applies its own rule on who may translate, and it is narrower than IRCC's. Files that mix the two lose weeks, and sometimes the application.
This guide covers who may translate for MIFI, the programs open in October 2026, the documents MIFI asks for, and what changes when your file moves to IRCC.
Who handles what in a Quebec immigration file?
Quebec selects; Canada admits. Almost every Quebec file has a provincial step with MIFI and a federal step with IRCC, and each step has its own translation rule.
| Goal | Quebec step (MIFI rule applies) | Federal step (IRCC rule applies) |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence as a worker or graduate | Application for permanent selection in Arrima, leading to a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) | Permanent residence application in the IRCC portal |
| Studies longer than six months | Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) for studies | Study permit |
| Work under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program | CAQ for work | Work permit |
| Sponsoring a relative living in Quebec | Undertaking application to MIFI | Sponsorship eligibility, then permanent residence |
Who can translate documents for MIFI?
Only a recognized translator. MIFI's page on required documents says documents in another language "must be accompanied by a translation signed and authenticated by a professional translator," and then defines who qualifies.
Translations made in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada must come from a translator who is a member of one of these bodies:
- Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ)
- Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO)
- Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC)
- Corporation of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of New Brunswick (CTINB)
- The translation department of the embassy or consulate of the country that issued the document
Translations made outside Canada are accepted only from a translator who is "a member of a professional order or authorized to act as such," or from a translator working in the translation department of the institution that issued the document, of that country's embassy or consulate, or of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Justice. For 13 countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan), a translation without a translator's seal is accepted if a notarial act in English or French accompanies it, giving the notary's name, seal, signature and contact details and the translator's name.
Whoever translates, MIFI wants:
- The original of the complete translation, bearing "the name and seal of the translator"
- Every element translated, "This includes seals and signatures," even a foreign seal on an English or French document
- The translation stapled to the original-language document it belongs to
Certified copies have a parallel trap. When MIFI asks for a certified true copy, it must be certified "by a recognized authority in the country or territory in which the original documents were issued." MIFI says Quebec commissioners of oaths, lawyers and translators are not recognized authorities for this purpose.
Which Quebec immigration programs are open in 2026?
Four routes matter for most people, and each has 2026 rules.
Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ). This Skilled Worker Selection Program replaced the old Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ). You submit an expression of interest in Arrima, and if invited, you have 60 days from accepting to file your application, or one year under Stream 3 (regulated professions) if you still need proof of recognition from the regulator. Stream 1 requires spoken French of at least level 7 and written French of at least level 5 on the Échelle québécoise.
Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ). The PEQ has reopened for two years, from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028. Applications are received in Arrima from July 2 to October 31, 2026, for graduates holding an eligible Quebec diploma, and for temporary workers with at least two years of Quebec work experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, in both cases as of November 19, 2025.
Family sponsorship. From July 2, 2026 to June 30, 2028, MIFI can receive at most 15,700 undertaking applications: 13,300 for spouses and partners, and 2,400 for parents, grandparents and other relatives. A schedule based on the date of your IRCC sponsorship eligibility letter decides when you may file, and dependent children are exempt from the cap. Our spousal sponsorship guide covers the federal documents.
CAQ for studies. From December 17, 2025 to December 16, 2027, Quebec caps the number of study applications each college, university or vocational institution can receive, and an order of July 22, 2026 revised several caps. Documents go through Arrima within 15 days of applying.
What documents does MIFI ask for?
The PSTQ list is the most demanding, and it shows how MIFI thinks. Every document must be "written entirely in French or English," or translated by a recognized translator, and everything is "scanned in colour and compiled into a single PDF file."
| Document | What MIFI specifies |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Issued by the civil registry, for you and everyone in the application |
| Marriage | Marriage certificate, at least two wedding documents (such as a notice of marriage or photos), at least two documents showing life together, and the Declaration by spouses (A-0521-CF) |
| Polygamy countries | A certificate confirming both spouses were single before the marriage |
| Minor child without the other parent | Declaration of consent ME-0032-2309, with a copy of the other parent's ID, or that parent's death certificate |
| Diplomas and transcripts | Transcripts for each year of study, and a course list if titles are missing |
| Each job in the last five years | Employment statement on letterhead with job title, dates, weekly hours, salary, main tasks, employer contact and a handwritten signature, plus at least six pay slips |
If documents are incomplete or in the wrong format, MIFI sends a letter giving you 60 days to fix them; after that, "your application will be rejected."
Do I need a comparative evaluation of my studies?
Usually not for immigration. MIFI's Évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec "is not required to file an immigration application," and the PSTQ page says you do not need one for studies completed outside Quebec.
It still helps with some employers and admissions. It costs $141 as of January 1, 2026, and its translations must be originals, in hard copy, by a recognized translator, with "the seals and certification marks" translated too.
What changes at the federal IRCC stage?
The translation rule changes. Once you hold a CSQ, you apply to IRCC for permanent residence, online only since September 23, 2022, and IRCC says your CSQ "stays valid until we make a decision on your application, even if it has expired."
IRCC accepts documents in English or French and applies its own rule to everything else: a translation by a certified translator or, when the translation is not done by one, a translation with the translator's sworn affidavit. Our IRCC translation requirements guide explains both routes.
Three practical consequences:
- Reuse MIFI translations where you can. A translation by a certified association member whose seal shows a membership number also satisfies IRCC, so you rarely need two translations of the same certificate.
- Some documents go only to IRCC. MIFI's PSTQ list does not include police certificates; IRCC asks for them at the permanent residence stage. See police certificate translation.
- Student funds may go to IRCC. Unless you live in one of the territories MIFI lists, such as France, Mexico or the United States, your proof of financial capacity goes to the Canadian visa office with the study permit application, where IRCC's rule applies. See study permit documents.
IRCC's application page for Quebec-selected workers also lists the IMM 5604 declaration for a child whose other parent is not coming, and IMM 5409 for common-law partners.
Why Quebec files get documents rejected
- A translator in Canada who is not a member of OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB.
- An IRCC-style translation with an affidavit sent to MIFI instead of a recognized translator's sealed translation.
- Seals and signatures left untranslated, including a foreign stamp on an English document.
- Copies certified in Quebec by a commissioner of oaths or lawyer when MIFI wanted a recognized authority in the issuing country.
- Employment letters missing hours, salary, tasks or the supervisor's handwritten signature.
- Missing the 60-day window after a rejection letter, or filing a sponsorship undertaking before your scheduled date.
Checklist for a Quebec immigration file
Questions people ask
Who can translate documents for Quebec immigration?
For translations made in Canada, MIFI accepts only members of OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB, or the translation department of the issuing country's embassy or consulate. Abroad, it accepts members of a professional order and official translation departments, and for 13 listed countries a translation with a notarial act.
Does MIFI accept a translation with a sworn affidavit, like IRCC does?
MIFI's rule does not include the affidavit route. It requires a translation by a recognized translator bearing the translator's name and seal, so a translation that relies on an affidavit for IRCC does not meet MIFI's requirement on that basis. See certified translation vs sworn affidavit.
Can my translations for MIFI be in English, or must they be in French?
MIFI accepts translations into French or English. Expect much of MIFI's own correspondence in French: the Charter of the French Language requires Quebec agencies to write in French, with limited exceptions such as services welcoming immigrants during their first six months in Quebec.
Can I use the same translations for MIFI and IRCC?
Often, yes. A translation by a certified member of OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB whose seal shows a membership number meets both rules. A translation that relies on a translator's affidavit works only for IRCC.
Is the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) open in 2026?
Yes. Quebec reopened the PEQ for two years from July 2, 2026, with applications received in Arrima until October 31, 2026 for graduates and temporary workers who met the receipt criteria on November 19, 2025.
Do I need a CAQ to study in Quebec?
Yes, for programs longer than six months, along with a federal study permit, unless an exemption applies. From December 17, 2025 to December 16, 2027 the number of CAQ applications each institution can receive is capped, so apply as soon as you have your letter of admission.
Can Official Translations translate my documents for MIFI?
No. We are not a member of OTTIAQ, ATIO, STIBC or CTINB, so our translations do not meet MIFI's rule. We translate documents for the federal IRCC stage, such as police certificates, at CA$39.95 per page, with the sworn affidavit IRCC requires at CA$24.95 per document.
