Immigration, a “vital importance” in the face of the demographic decline

The rooms of commerce in the region, as well as the CEGEP of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, attractiveness Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Experience Québec present a thesis on the importance of immigration for the region, while the demographic decline continues.

These players organized themselves in an immigration committee in winter 2025, to assert the specific needs of the region on the subject. The Committee provided this thesis in the context of the public consultation launched by the government to define its immigration planning for the period 2026-2029.

The thesis highlights the need, presented as vitaleto promote immigration in the region, with regard to demographic decline. According to figures from the Quebec Statistics Institute (ISQ), the population of Abitibi-Témiscamingue could decrease by more than 7 % by 2051.

The recent provincial immigration reforms have forced the ISQ to review its forecasts of rising demographic decline.

If you do not change the rules or do not do somewhat special things for distant regions […]we will not be able to take up the challenge of maintaining our population, so that we can maintain the services that we offer, alerts Sylvain Blais, president of attractiveness Abitibi-Témiscamingue. To maintain life, of course, economic, but also social, artistic.

It is vital for our progression in terms of our population, in terms of our productivity, our competitiveness, yes for these reasons, it’s vitalsupports Sébastien Richard, president of the Val-d’Or Chamber of Commerce.

Reforms that are problematic

Among the recent government reforms, several have a direct impact in the region such as restrictions on the hiring of temporary foreign workers.

They come to meet glaring labor needs in several activity sectorsrecalls Sylvain Blais, while the lack of workforce is one of the main obstacles to business development in the region.

It also raises reforms concerning foreign students. Restrictions have been imposed on the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), quotas have been set up and restrictions have also been brought to obtaining the postdiplôme work permit (PTPD) as well as the management process for permanent residence for graduates.

Quebec experience, which supports foreign students, has seen the number of registrations for training offered in the region of 849 for the year 2024-2025, to 327 for the year 2025-2026. Several programs offered at Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue andUqam are threatened, but the problem goes further for Sylvain Blais.

It is not so much for the teaching house itself. But it is to meet the needs of labor, he explains. If we do not form enough nurses in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, I find it difficult to believe that we can count on the people of Laval and Montreal.

Out of fifty companies surveyed by the regional chambers of commerce during the month of July, 83 % say they are affected by recent immigration reforms and 55 % claim to have vacant positions (127 stations) caused directly by restrictions.

We had people who have suffered from their countries of origin unfortunately. We had to rediscinate [sic] families, which is extremely damaging from a human point of viewsays Sébastien Richard.

A grandfather clause and joint policies

Regional actors offer a series of recommendations to the government, including the establishment of a grandfather clause for people already present on the territory, particularly for students, who would therefore not be affected by the reforms.

These people had come with the hope of, with given conditions. At the very least, we must respect the words, the promises that we made to these people, considers Sylvain Blais. The teaching houses have sold certain elements saying here is how it goes, and there overnight, the changes are made without a grandfather clause.

We are in the process, in my opinion, to deceive them. These people believed us in good faith.

Among the recommendations is also the need to adapt immigration policies to local situations, in particular by looking in more detail which teaching sectors are to be protected, in connection with the needs of labor of the territory.

What we hope most is to have an attentive ear to the specific needs of the regions, therefore to have a government that will seek to adapt to these realitiesindicates Sébastien Richard.

This is about the life of Abitibi-Témiscamingue. If we do not change the turn or the meaning very soon, the capacity for attraction will be even more difficultconsider Sylvain Blais.

The Immigration Committee in Abitibi-Témiscamingue hopes to be able to present its memory and its recommendations during the public hearings of the Commission of Relations with Citizens from September 16.