Le CV québécois — court, neutre, et précis.
1. The basic format
The basic format:
- 1 page for young professionals, 2 pages maximum for experienced profiles
- Sober font: Calibri, Arial, size 10 or 11
- No bright colors, no backgrounds, no decorative frames
2. What you do NOT include
Do NOT include:
- No photo
- No date of birth or age
- No marital status
- No nationality
- No religion or origin
This is protected by Quebec's Charter of Rights.
3. The standard structure
Recommended structure, in this order:
- Name + contact info (phone, email, city)
- Professional profile: 2-3 sentences summarizing your profile
- Professional experience: reverse chronological order (most recent first)
- Education (degrees earned)
- Technical skills and language skills
4. Contact info: what's needed
Contact info to include:
- Full name
- Canadian phone number
- Professional email address (avoid nicknames)
- City and province (not the full address)
- LinkedIn (optional, but recommended if up to date)
5. Describing your experience
For each experience:
- Job title + Company + City + Dates (month/year)
- 3 to 5 bullets describing your concrete achievements
- Start each bullet with an action verb: Managed, Designed, Increased, Reduced, Launched...
- Include numbers when possible (« increased sales by 25 % »)
6. The cover letter
The cover letter is often requested:
- 1 page maximum
- Explains why you want this specific role
- And what you can bring to the company
- Personalized for each application
7. Quebec résumé vs résumés from other countries — key differences
Résumé format varies enormously by country. Here are the most common differences.
| Element | Quebec / Canada | France | United States | Intl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Date of birth / age | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Marital status, nationality, religion | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ideal length | 1-2 pages | 1-2 pages | 1 page | 3-5 pages |
| « Hobbies » section | Optional | Common | Rare | Common |
| References listed in the résumé | ❌ « On request » | Optional | ❌ « On request » | ✅ Listed |
| Cover letter | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Variable |
| Quantified action verbs | ✅ Expected | Variable | ✅ Strongly expected | Rare |
Practical consequence: a résumé sent as-is from France or francophone Africa often gets rejected in Quebec because of the photo or date of birth — recruiters see it as a legal risk of discrimination accusation, even unintentional. Removing these elements is the first adaptation to make before your first Quebec application.
8. Frequently asked questions
The most common questions about Quebec résumés: whether to translate to French, how to present foreign diplomas, how often to adapt the résumé, and what to do without Canadian experience.
Should I translate my diplomas and experience into French?
Depends on the job's language. For a job posted in French, a French résumé is expected — even if some technical terms stay in English (IT acronyms, for example).
For a bilingual or English-speaking role, you can send an English résumé. For a role requiring both languages, many candidates prepare two versions and send the one that matches the posting's language.
How to present degrees earned abroad?
List the degree in its original language, followed in parentheses by a local equivalence if it exists: for example, *Licence en informatique (équivalent to Canadian Bachelor's)*.
For regulated professions (nurse, engineer, accountant…), the official evaluation by a recognized body is essential and should be mentioned if completed. Without evaluation, some employers don't know how to position the degree.
How often should I adapt my résumé for different applications?
Ideally, for each application — at least the professional profile and the experience bullet selection.
The ATS (Applicant Tracking System) algorithms used by large companies scan the résumé for keywords from the posting. A résumé that uses the posting's exact vocabulary passes automatic filters. Plan 15 to 30 minutes of adaptation per application — well worth it.
What if I have no Canadian experience?
This is the most common situation for newcomers. Three levers:
- Frame foreign experience in universal terms (transferable skills rather than unknown company names)
- Do volunteer work in your field to add a Canadian line
- Accept a first job below your level to break the local-inexperience barrier
The period of 6 to 12 months without Canadian experience is one of the hardest — it's temporary.
9. Official sources
For official advice:
You can also book an appointment with a counsellor at a Services Québec office — it's free.
10. See also
Related guides that may be useful:
- Succeeding at a Quebec job interview — the next step after your CV passes the initial screen.
- Finding a job in Quebec — the overall view of job searching (platforms, support, PRIIME).
- Get foreign degrees recognized in Quebec — to showcase your qualifications in the Education section of the CV.
- Build your CV with our generator — an interactive form that produces a Quebec-format CV, ready to download as a PDF.
Author's Note: Have a Quebecer read your résumé before applying. Community organizations often offer this service free of charge.
