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By Jocelyne Richer, The Canadian Press

QUEBEC - Quebec is preparing for a major reform of its immigration policy, with proposed changes partly inspired by Ottawa, says the province's immigration minister.

The time has come for Quebec to re-examine its immigration model, and the way the province chooses, welcomes and integrates foreigners into the job market, said Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil ahead of year-long public consultations on the issue set to begin Wednesday at the Quebec legislature.

Weil told The Canadian Press she was ready to launch a "big reform" of relations between new immigrants and Quebec society at-large by the end of the year, a process that will include the revision of Quebec's immigration law.

Everything will be on the table: the number of immigrants welcomed annually, the selection process and favoured countries of origin, the importance of knowing French before arriving, French language courses, the recognition of training undertaken abroad, regionalization, and the sharing of common values.

The minister said she wanted a wide-reaching debate on the issues, and was "very open to everything that will be proposed."

Fifty stakeholders are expected to participate in public consultation hearings over the next few weeks on the future of immigration to Quebec. The province's current policy has been in place for 25 years.

A later consultation will also be held on two specific aspects of immigration: the number of immigrants Quebec wants to welcome every year and their countries of origin.

The emphasis, however, will be placed on the economy and balancing between the recruitment of new immigrants and workforce needs. Finding candidates that can fill empty jobs will be key, and on that point, Quebec is being inspired by Ottawa.

Last year, the federal government reformed its selection process for new immigrants. With the focus now primarily on filling jobs, every candidate for immigration to Canada must produce a "declaration of interest" showcasing his or her ability to meet employers' needs.

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Quebec considers major immigration reform