Hi @mrclutch31 , yes you are right that as of today you should expect a 1-year wait between the DQ and an interview at the Montreal embassy. Things might change though. On top of that, personally to get to DQ it took me over a year for an EB-1 and I am a well organized individual. Just gathering all the documents and letters were so much work, but I think you can probably do it in 6 months if you are super motivated. Make sure you have lawyers that are quick. I had to wait 5 months on mine to submit what I gave them.
For getting a work visa, in the meantime, it really depends on your field. In the arts all my friends get a O-1 first, which also takes about 6-8 months last time I check. You should talk to an immigration lawyer to see your options. First call is usually free. I recommend finding a good one who he's used to working in your specific field as they have to prove your "extraordinarity" in your specific field, which leaves to a lot of interpretations.