À Longueuil, des organismes gratuits accueillent les nouveaux arrivants — installation, français, emploi.
1. Settling in Longueuil with free help
Longueuil and the South Shore welcome many newcomers, and organizations funded by the Ministère de l'Immigration are there to support them for free: paperwork, housing, French, social and professional integration. No need to figure it all out alone or pay for everything.
2. Carrefour le Moutier: welcome and French
Carrefour le Moutier has supported immigrants in their settlement and integration steps for decades. On the settlement side, they can help you understand your first tasks — the RAMQ health-insurance card, the Social Insurance Number, registering children for school, finding housing — and decode official mail. It also offers free French conversation workshops — morning, afternoon or evening — to practise and improve your French, plus pairing with a volunteer who knows French well. The team can also direct you to the right resource for your situation — health, violence, housing, and more.
3. Maison Internationale de la Rive-Sud (MIRS)
The Maison Internationale de la Rive-Sud (MIRS) supports newcomers, immigrants and refugees in their social and professional integration in Quebec. With Carrefour le Moutier, it's one of the pillars of welcome in Longueuil. For French, Francisation Québec is the single point of entry: one registration gives access to free courses, full-time or part-time, in person or online, sometimes with a participation allowance. For employment, these organizations and Services Québec offices offer CV and interview workshops and recognition of skills earned abroad. Depending on your need — general welcome, French, employment, support for women or families — one of these organizations can take you on or steer you.
4. Where to start
Pick a first organization — Carrefour le Moutier or MIRS — and call to book an appointment, saying you're newly arrived. Bring your immigration documents. If unsure, call 211: free, confidential, in over 200 languages.
5. Frequently asked questions
Here are the most common questions about newcomer help in Longueuil: is it free, is it confidential, and are French classes offered.
Are French classes offered in Longueuil?
Yes. Carrefour le Moutier offers free French conversation workshops at several times of day, and the Ministère funds part-time French courses in the region. Ask the organization or check Francisation Québec for the official courses.
Is it confidential?
Yes. Working with a welcome organization is confidential and has no effect on your immigration file. It's a safe place to explain your situation and get oriented, whatever your status.
Is it really free?
Yes. These organizations are funded by the Ministère de l'Immigration and cost you nothing. Be wary of any private agency that charges for help the welcome network provides for free.
Do I need a particular status to be welcomed?
No. The South Shore network welcomes people of every immigration background — permanent residents, temporary workers and students, sponsored people and refugees. Specific programs have their own rules, but the first welcome and referral are open to all.
6. See also
These related guides may be useful:
- Community organizations in Quebec — the province-wide picture.
- Your first-week checklist in Quebec — the essentials on arrival.
- Free Francisation Québec courses — formal French courses.
7. Official sources
To find and contact these organizations, see:
Author's Note: on the South Shore, one call to Carrefour le Moutier or MIRS is enough to stop moving blind. These teams know Longueuil inside out and often speak your language. Come early, come as you are.
