QUÉBEC INTERNATIONAL — Economic Development
QUÉBEC CITY A HUMAN SCALE CITY
PREPARING YOUR ARRIVAL IN QUEBEC
Hello everyone! My name is Karine Ouellet, from Reloc Québec.
Reloc Québec is a business that guides future immigrants and newcomers with their new life project in Quebec.
When preparing to settle in Quebec, you must know that you will have to go through some administrative procedures.
SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER
First, shortly after arriving in Canada, you will need to obtain a SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER at a Service Canada Centre.
The social insurance number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada,
or to have access to government programs and benefits.
HEALTH INSURANCE
You will also need to register with the RÉGIE DE L’ASSURANCE MALADIE DU QUÉBEC (RAMQ)
in order to benefit from the Quebec public health system.
Some countries have entered agreements with the RAMQ and allow you to register directly and benefit from immediate coverage.
If your country does have an agreement with the RAMQ,
like France or Belgium, you must fill a form that is specific for your country.
If your country does not have an agreement with the RAMQ,
there is a two to three-month qualifying period before you can register.
For example, Tunisia and Brazil have not signed an agreement.
One more important thing: not all types of work or study permits give access to the RAMQ.
Be informed! You may need to subscribe to private insurance.
DRIVER’S LICENCE
If you wish to obtain a Quebec driver’s licence, the same goes as with the RAMQ;
you must check whether your country has an agreement with Quebec.
If so, you simply need to set an appointment to exchange your licence and bring a few documents with you.
However, if your country does not have an agreement with Quebec,
you will be required to take knowledge and road tests with the SOCIÉTÉ AUTOMOBILE DU QUÉBEC (SAAQ).
In both cases, you can access study guides available on the SAAQ website:
Driver’s Handbook and Driving a Passenger Vehicle.
Note that you have 6 months to exchange or get your driver’s licence.
SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE
If you have children, you must register them to school. You may choose between public and private school.
Public schools offer a good basic education and many specialized programs such as sports, arts or languages.
You have to pay tuition to send your children to private school.
Some rules apply to English-speaking schools, as not all children can attend English schools.
However, the English language is taught in every French-speaking school, and vice versa.
The school board and sometimes the elementary school that your children will attend are determined by your place of residence.
For younger children, there is a wide array of childcare services available in Quebec,
including daycare centres, home childcare providers, public and private centres, subsidized and non-subsidized centres.
If you want to move to Quebec soon, I recommend that you register through the La Place 0-5 website
and start checking daycare space openings. Start with this website: www.magarderie.com
SETTLEMENT BUDGET
If is very important to plan a budget for your settlement in Quebec.
Depending on your situation, you may need to purchase winter clothes or furniture,
pay for a cell phone plan or your first month of rent!
You typically need to wait a few weeks before receiving your first paycheck.
To properly plan your settlement and monthly budgets,
it is important to know the cost of what you need to buy and take into account the taxes and deductions that will be collected directly from your salary.
FRANCIZATION
If you or a family member are not fluent in French, many organizations and schools offer free or low-cost French classes.
Some employers may pay for these classes.
Moreover, organized groups sometimes go out in cafés or restaurants to practise French conversation.
Support and housing options
In summary, when we start your personalized support,
we meet you virtually for about two hours.
We validate your needs and we will deal with all matters affecting your arrival in Quebec
according to an established procedure.
We inform you about all the steps to follow and we plan the agenda for you, in addition to make all the appointments.
Even your budget is validated and this confirms the monthly rate that can be spent for your future housing.
We then proceed to search for your home, according to your neighborhood preferences
related to your workplace and the lifestyle you are looking for.
We carry out the visits and present you a detailed report of the options identified.
Any other important step is carried out by our experienced team.
You opt for the ease of the procedures on arrival and expertise of many years for a successful project!
If you need assistance, please contact us via email or our Facebook page. Welcome to the Québec City region!
THANK YOU RELOC QUÉBEC
An initiative of: QUÉBEC INTERNATIONAL — Economic Development Government of Canada — Quebec — Québec City