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First Steps in Quebec

Your first steps after arrival — housing, SIN, banking, phone.

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Admin · Level 5

Preparing Your Move to Quebec: The Pre-Departure Checklist

Services · Level 5

How Much Money to Bring to Canada (and Transfer It)

Services · Level 4

7 Things to Do in Your First Week in Quebec

Housing · Level 6

Housing in Quebec: comparing cities

Housing · Level 6

Finding a Room to Rent in Quebec

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Temporary housing and your first accounts

Temporary housing while you settle in, and your first online accounts. What to prepare before you leave is in the Before You Leave section.

  1. 01Creating Your Online Government Account in QuebecHow to create a single account to access RAMQ, Revenu Québec, and other Quebec government services online.
  2. 02Interac e-Transfer and Online Bill Payment in QuebecHow to send money by Interac e-Transfer and pay your bills directly from your online bank account.

Your first practical steps

Open an account, choose a phone plan, and the seven-day starter list — where to actually begin.

  1. 017 Things to Do in Your First Week in QuebecAccompagnement Québec, SIN, temporary housing, bank account, mobile plan, OPUS card, RAMQ and French classes: the complete checklist for a smooth arrival.
  2. 02Open a Bank Account in Quebec: Chequing AccountComparison of major banks and the steps to open your first chequing (current) account in Quebec as a newcomer.
  3. 03Choosing a Phone Plan in QuebecChoosing a phone plan in Quebec: the big carriers, the budget brands, Fizz, how much data you need and typical plans compared by profile.

Comprendre la société québécoise

Le français, la démocratie, l'égalité, vos droits et la laïcité : les valeurs qui organisent la vie de tous les jours ici.

  1. 01Quebec's Key Values, Explained SimplyFrench, democracy, gender equality, rights and secularism: Quebec's five key values, translated into everyday situations.

Settling in from day one

Electricity, your first credit card, changing your address, finding your way around town, dressing for the climate — the small tasks to handle in the first few days.

  1. 01Hydro-Québec: Open Your Electricity AccountHow to open your Hydro-Québec account online in minutes: documents needed, security deposit, and deadlines before move-in.
  2. 02Change of Address and Mail Forwarding in QuebecHow to notify the Quebec government, Canada Post and other organizations of your new address after a move.

Which city are you arriving in?

Pick your city to see its arrival guide and its housing guide.

  1. 01Your First 48 Hours in MontrealThe essential first steps as soon as you arrive: SIN, housing, banking, transit.
  2. 02Finding Housing in MontrealFinding an apartment in Montréal: where to look, visiting before signing, the Quebec lease, the neighbourhoods to know and July 1st moving day.

Finding housing and staying alert

Find a room to rent, insure your home, and recognize the scams that target newcomers.

  1. 01Housing in Quebec: comparing citiesAverage rents, vacancy rates and city profiles: SCHL figures and practical benchmarks for choosing where to settle in Quebec.
  2. 02Finding a Room to Rent in QuebecRenting a room instead of a whole apartment: where to look, what changes legally, and how to avoid scams.
  3. 03Home Insurance in QuebecHome and tenant insurance in Quebec: why you need it, what it covers, how much it costs and how to choose a policy as a renter or owner.
  4. 04Common Scams in QuebecScams targeting newcomers in Quebec: fake CRA or IRCC calls, fake bank emails, text and Interac scams, job and housing fraud, and how to report them.
Common mistakes

Mistakes that cost months.

Waiting for the SIN before doing anything else

The SIN is needed for a bank account and work, but you can search for housing, compare phone plans and explore your city in parallel. Don't freeze your first weeks.

Signing a lease without reading it

The lease binds you for 12 months and contains important clauses. Read it in full, ask your questions, and never hand over money before you have a signed lease.

Locking into a long phone contract too fast

Plans vary widely and budget brands are often enough. Start with a no-commitment plan while you compare.

Trying to do everything alone

Immigrant welcome organizations are free and know the local pitfalls. Contacting them in your first week saves precious time.

Step-by-step journey · 01/08

Just arrived

Your first actions, in order. From day 1 to the end of your first month.

  1. 1SIN
  2. 2Open a bank account
  3. 3Permanent housing
  4. 4RAMQ
  5. 5Phone and internet
  6. 6Public transit

~2–3 weeks · 6 steps

See the journey

The topic in brief

Getting your first weeks in Quebec right

Settling in Quebec isn't only a matter of paperwork. Alongside the official steps — the SIN, RAMQ, driver's license, all gathered in the Paperwork Simplified section — there are the concrete daily tasks: opening a bank account, getting a phone number, finding a roof, understanding your new city. This section covers those practical first steps. Order matters a little, but less than for the official paperwork: most of these can move forward in parallel during your first two or three weeks.

The bank account first

As soon as you have your SIN, open an account at a Canadian institution. You'll need it to receive your salary, pay rent, and set up automatic payments. The big banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC) and Desjardins — Quebec's own financial cooperative — all offer "newcomer" packages, often free for the first year. Bring your passport, your SIN, and a proof of address, even a temporary one. Opening an account requires no Canadian credit history; building that credit, however, is a separate process that starts with your first card.

Housing: the lease and July 1

Housing is probably your heaviest decision of the first weeks. In Quebec the standard lease runs 12 months and, by tradition, most leases run July 1 to June 30 — which makes July 1 the big moving day, when thousands of households change address on the same day. If you arrive at another time of year you'll still find housing, but the choice is widest in spring. To sign, you'll generally be asked for ID, a proof of income or employment, and sometimes references. Read the lease in full before signing: Quebec rules cap rent increases and strongly protect the tenant.

Phone and internet

A Canadian phone number will be asked of you everywhere — by employers, landlords, government services. Cell plans cost more than in Europe; compare the main providers and their budget brands before committing, and be wary of long-term contracts. At home, internet access is a separate service, often bundled with television.

Your host city

Quebec is not just Montreal. Whether you settle in Quebec City, Laval, Longueuil, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, the Saguenay or elsewhere, each city has its own transit network, neighbourhoods, welcome services and pace. This section has a welcome guide for each major city: it points you to local resources, public transit and the first useful addresses. Pick yours in the "Guides by city" block below.

Frequently asked questions

Your questions about First Steps in Quebec

Answers to the questions readers ask most about this topic.

Get your SIN, then open a bank account and get a Canadian phone number. In parallel, look for housing and find your city's welcome services. The "Your first week in Quebec" guide gives the ordered list.
First Steps in Quebec | VieauQc