QUÉBEC INTERNATIONAL — Economic Development
QUÉBEC CITY A HUMAN SCALE CITY
Groupe PERSPECTIVE: Recruitment Experts LABOUR MARKET INTEGRATION
Hello! My name is Maude Mercier Larouche from Groupe Perspective.
Groupe Perspective is a firm specializing in recruitment.
It was established 40 years ago and has been a proud partner of Québec International for the past 10 years.
QUEBEC’S LABOUR MARKET
Now, let’s talk about Quebec’s labour market. For those who may not know, the province of Quebec is in a situation of full employment.
In the Capitale-Nationale region only, the unemployment rate fluctuates around 3.9%, 4% and 4.2%, which is extremely low.
This is why we need an immigrant workforce (you!)
and Quebec employers know that international recruitment is becoming an unavoidable path.
Of course, however, as any good worker, you must do your homework before coming to Quebec.
PREPARING FOR THE LABOUR MARKET
Many probably wonder how to prepare themselves to make their integration easier into the workforce.
The answer is simple: become familiar with Quebec’s labour market.
Nowadays, with technology and the Internet, you can access lots of information on the labour market and potential employers in your field.
So visit the Emploi Québec website, explore the job openings in your field of expertise, and learn about the sector you wish to work in.
Then, if an employer hires you, ask about the organization as soon as possible. Enquire about its size, its positioning in the market,
the number of employees, how it distinguishes itself from other companies, its organizational values and culture.
Remember that in Quebec, employers do not only hire you based on your résumé and what you do, but also based on who you are as a person:
both your professional and social skills. If your values and goals match the organization’s values,
then you will feel more fulfilled at work and are likely to stay there longer. Your employer will only be happier.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Here, a normal workweek typically varies from 35 to 40 hours a week,
but flexible schedules, floating holidays and work-from-home opportunities are increasingly popular when the situation allows it.
In fact, the employer’s flexibility to that effect reflects their desire to meet employee expectations in terms of well-being.
The employer wants employees to be happy in the company, to have flexibility, and to feel trusted by their employer.
HIERARCHY
It is also important to know that in Quebec, the employer-employee relationship may be very different from what we see on other continents.
Here, there is great proximity between the employee and their immediate superior.
Employees often call their immediate superior by their first name,
they eat side by side in the cafeteria, and even discuss their personal lives.
Hierarchy is present in facts, of course, as everyone has a designated boss, but relationships are much more friendly and less rigid.
In most companies in Quebec, people work in close collaboration.
WAGE NEGOTIATION
That said, before living such an experience in a company, you must first be hired.
And sometimes, negotiating your salary can be quite complex if you are not physically here in Quebec’s labour market.
But in fact, it is simple. For everything that has to do with salary, we have a very well-designed website that is accredited by the Government of Quebec
and based on actual statistics from businesses. It is called IMT en ligne, which stands for “information sur le marché du travail”, or “labour market data”
All you need to do is enter your profession, then you can access lots of information about your trade,
employment perspectives, relevant training programs and, of course, wages and statistics.
From there, you can estimate your worth in the market based on your experience and see the associated salary.
However, you must consider that you do not yet have experience in Quebec,
so even if you have a certain salary in mind, you must stay open and flexible
to account for the integration period related to your arrival in Quebec.
RECOGNITION OF DEGREES
Now, for those who may wonder if foreign degrees are recognized in Quebec,
or if they need to get an official certificate of equivalence, the answer is actually pretty straightforward.
In general, when a Quebec employer hires you, they take care of the process themselves or ask questions to confirm the equivalence of your degrees.
Alternatively, you can also obtain an official document,
called Évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec (Comparative evaluation for studies done outside Quebec).
This evaluation is an expert opinion issued by Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion for information purposes only.
It is neither a diploma nor the equivalent of a diploma.
The comparative evaluation establishes a general comparison between two official education systems.
It indicates which Quebec academic milestones (or principal diplomas) and areas of training are comparable to studies done outside Quebec.
For the employer, it can provide a better understanding of your degree obtained outside Quebec but it is not necessarily required.
However, it is certainly an added value for some employers, for example in public services.
To access public service jobs in Quebec, the comparative evaluation is considered as equivalent to diplomas obtained in Quebec.
And now, for those wondering about trades governed by professional orders in Quebec:
Well, it is clear that current governments are aware of the issue and are slowly working toward getting foreign diplomas recognized by professional orders.
But what you must know is that even though you cannot systematically become a member of a professional order upon your arrival in Quebec,
you can still practice your trade with some restrictions.
For example, if you are trained as an engineer or an architect, you can work in Quebec,
but will not be authorized to sign official plans and specifications that require a signature by a member of the order.
So, in summary, the message that Quebec wants to impart to foreign workers who wish to move to Quebec, and more specifically Québec City,
is that there is a great place for you in the labour market given the current labour shortages.
Know that employers are increasingly aware that international recruitment is becoming a priority to meet business needs
and that the situation is likely to accentuate in the coming years.
So I invite you to start your immigration project today, because Quebec is a great place to live, and we need you.
GROUPE PERSPECTIVE Recruitment Experts
An initiative of: QUÉBEC INTERNATIONAL — Economic Development Government of Canada — Quebec — Québec City