À Montréal, des organismes accompagnent gratuitement les personnes immigrantes — il suffit de pousser la porte.
1. You don't have to do it all alone
In Montreal, community organizations support newcomers — free of charge:
- No specific immigration status required
- No fees: these services are funded for you
- Human guidance, often available in several languages
- The right time to contact them: as soon as you arrive
This guide presents two solid organizations: PROMIS and the YMCA.
2. PROMIS — full settlement support
PROMIS — *Promotion intégration société nouvelle* — has supported immigrants and refugees in Montreal for over 35 years. It's the organization to know if you want one single place to start.
What they offer:
- Settlement and integration: needs assessment and action plan
- Free French classes, daytime or evening
- Job search: CV, skills, employer connections
- Family support and school tutoring for children
- Food security, entrepreneurship and a housing program for women
Who is it for? Almost everyone: temporary workers, international students, permanent residents, naturalized citizens, accepted refugees, and asylum seekers.
When to contact them? As soon as you arrive — or whenever a procedure gets you stuck. The sooner you walk through the door, the sooner you save time.
How to reach them: at 3333, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, in Montreal, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by phone at 514 345-1615. You can also book an appointment online on their website.
3. The YMCA — Zone accueil et découverte
The YMCA of Quebec runs a program designed for young newcomers: the Zone accueil et découverte (ZAD).
The ZAD is a free summer program that helps recently arrived teenagers to:
- practise French in an informal and fun setting
- discover their neighbourhood and the city (libraries, pools, outings)
- make friends and gain confidence
It's eight weeks of educational, sports and recreational activities, Monday to Thursday.
Who is it for? Young people aged 12 to 17 who arrived in Canada during the past school year, especially those in a welcome class. Siblings aged at least 10 can sometimes take part.
When? Summer — the program runs from late June to August. Spots are limited, so ask about it in the spring.
How to register: registration goes through participating schools. For details, contact the YMCA at 1 833 505-9622 or via their site. It is entirely free.
4. PROMIS or the YMCA — which one for you?
Both organizations are free, but they don't meet the same need. PROMIS is the general support for adults and families, year-round. The YMCA's ZAD is a summer program for teenagers. Many families use both.
| Criterion | PROMIS | YMCA — the ZAD |
|---|---|---|
| For what | Settlement, French, jobs, family, housing | Summer program: French, discovery, sports |
| For whom | All immigration statuses — adults and families | Youth aged 12 to 17 recently arrived |
| When | Year-round, from arrival | Summer (late June to August) |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Contact | 514 345-1615 | 1 833 505-9622 |
5. Frequently asked questions
The questions newcomers most often ask cover immigration status, the real cost of services, and where to start.
Do you need to be a permanent resident or citizen to get help?
No. PROMIS explicitly helps people of all immigration statuses: temporary workers, international students, permanent residents, naturalized citizens, accepted refugees, and asylum seekers.
Montreal's community organizations are designed to help newcomers regardless of status. A few specific government-funded programs (like full francisation) have conditions, but the organization's door stays open — and staff will tell you upfront if a particular service has a condition.
Are these services really free?
Yes. Support from PROMIS and the ZAD program at the YMCA is free. These are non-profit organizations funded by government, foundations and donations — precisely so the help reaches newcomers at no cost.
You should never be asked to pay for settlement guidance, a needs assessment, or the summer program. If anyone asks you to pay for « access » to a community organization's services, see it as a warning sign.
I just arrived in Montreal — where do I start?
Start with PROMIS. Call 514 345-1615 or go to 3333, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine and ask for an accueil et établissement meeting. They will assess your situation and build an action plan — French classes, job search, school registration — so you're not guessing the order of the steps.
If you have teenagers aged 12 to 17 who arrived recently, ask their school in the spring about the YMCA's free ZAD summer program. The two work well together: PROMIS for the family's overall settlement, the ZAD to help the teens find their feet.
6. Official sources
For official, up-to-date information:
7. See also
These related guides may help:
- Community resources for newcomers in Quebec — the province-wide version, for organizations beyond Montreal.
- Learning French with Francisation Québec — the government's free French courses, complementing those at PROMIS.
- First steps in Montreal — the overall settlement overview for the city.
- Help organizations in Montreal, by need — the full list, sorted by housing, jobs, paperwork and family.
Author's Note: The highest-payoff move of your first weeks in Montreal is to walk through the door of an organization. You are not a burden — these organizations exist exactly for this, and the people who work there have guided thousands of people before you. One call today can spare you months of paperwork done alone.
