Work & Career
Finding a job, Quebec-style résumé, French interviews.
Recognizing Your Foreign Diplomas in Quebec
Finding a Job in Quebec
Writing a Quebec-Style Résumé
Working in Quebec Without Speaking French
Professional Networking in Quebec: LinkedIn and Events
French at work in Quebec
Not sure which fits? Browse by chapter
Prepare for and land a job
From credential recognition to the interview — the sequence of a successful job search.
- 01Recognizing Your Foreign Diplomas in QuebecComparative evaluation, professional orders, and steps to validate your qualifications.
- 02Finding a Job in QuebecFinding your first job in Quebec: the SIN, a Quebec-style résumé, where to look, job platforms compared, free support programs and the interview.
- 03Writing a Quebec-Style RésuméWriting a Quebec-style résumé: the expected format and structure, what to leave out (no photo, no age) and the cultural codes recruiters look for.
- 04Succeeding at a Job Interview in QuebecPreparation, cultural codes, and classic questions of the Quebec interview.
- 05Professional Networking in Quebec: LinkedIn and EventsA large share of Quebec jobs are found through networks, not posted ads. Here's how to build yours — LinkedIn, informational interviews, events and mentorship.
- 06Working in Quebec Without Speaking FrenchWorking in English in Quebec: which sectors and cities hire without French, what the law allows and strategies to get your first job.
- 07Self-Employed in Quebec: Registering and InvoicingWorking for yourself or starting a small business? Here's when to register, the GST/QST threshold, and how to handle your self-employed taxes.
Your rights and your pay
Understanding your paystub and the protections that cover you as an employee.
- 01Quebec Labour Standards: Your Rights as an EmployeeMinimum wage, hours, overtime, vacation, leaves and end of employment — what the law guarantees almost every employee in Quebec.
- 02Understanding Your Pay Stub in QuebecDecoding your pay stub: gross, net, federal and provincial deductions.
- 03Employment Insurance (EI) in QuebecEmployment Insurance (EI) in Quebec: who qualifies, how much you receive, how long, and the steps to apply after losing your job.
- 04The Quebec Pension Plan (QPP/RRQ) ExplainedQuebec's public pension plan in plain language: who contributes, how much, what you'll receive, when to start, and the disability and survivor benefits.
Travailler en région
Les grands pôles d'emploi régionaux — Bécancour, Saguenay, Jonquière, La Baie — et le travail à Ottawa depuis Gatineau : qui embauche, dans quels secteurs, et comment postuler.
- 01Bécancour Industrial-Port ParkThe major industrial-port park — economic engine of Bécancour and job opportunities.
- 02Industries and Work in SaguenayAluminum, forestry, university, services — Saguenay's economic fabric and where to look for work.
- 03Working at Rio Tinto in JonquièreThe region's largest private employer — plants, positions, and how to apply.
- 04The Industrial Port and Industries of La BaieThe Grande-Anse deep-water port and La Baie's main industries: jobs and salary prospects, how to apply, French at work and union culture.
- 05Working in Ottawa from GatineauUnderstand the daily commute, bridges, transit, and taxes when you live in Gatineau and work in Ontario.
Mistakes that cost months.
Sending a résumé not adapted to Quebec
Photo, date of birth, three pages: an "international" résumé gets set aside here. The Quebec résumé is one to two pages, no photo or personal details, with quantified achievements.
Assuming your degree is automatically recognized
For a regulated occupation, a professional-order licence is required. For others, the Comparative Evaluation helps employers understand your degree. Nothing is automatic — start the process early.
Applying only to posted job ads
A large share of jobs are filled through networks, never publicly posted. Building a local network — LinkedIn, events, employment-help organizations — opens doors no online application opens on its own.
Accepting work below your rights
Minimum wage, paid vacation and health-and-safety are guaranteed by the CNESST for all employees, whatever their immigration status. A job paid "under the table" or below minimum wage is not legal.
Step-by-step journey · 01/08
Just arrived
Your first actions, in order. From day 1 to the end of your first month.
- 1SIN
- 2Open a bank account
- 3Permanent housing
- 4RAMQ
- 5Phone and internet
- 6Public transit
~2–3 weeks · 6 steps
Recent changes that matter to newcomers.
The topic in brief
Understanding the Quebec job market
Finding and keeping a job in Quebec takes more than translating your résumé. The labour market has its own culture, codes and vocabulary — and several sectors face a real labour shortage, which works in your favour. But that advantage only materializes if you adapt your approach to local expectations. This section follows the full chain: getting your qualifications recognized, writing a Quebec-style résumé, succeeding at the interview, decoding your first paystub and knowing your rights.
Credential recognition — the first step, often overlooked
A degree earned abroad is not automatically understood by a Quebec employer. Two cases arise. If your occupation is regulated (nurse, engineer, accountant, teacher, and about forty others), you must obtain a licence from the corresponding professional order before practising — a process that can be lengthy. If your occupation is not regulated, no licence is required, but the Comparative Evaluation of Studies Done Outside Quebec, issued by the Immigration ministry, helps employers situate your degree against the local system. Start this process early: it shapes everything else.
The Quebec résumé — short and factual
Forget the three-page résumé with a photo and date of birth. Here, the résumé is one to two pages, no photo, no date of birth, no family status — that information should in fact be left out, as it exposes the employer to discrimination concerns. What counts: quantified achievements ("increased sales by 20%" rather than "responsible for sales"). The cover letter is short and to the point: why you, for this specific role.
The hidden job market
A large share of positions are never advertised publicly — they're filled through networks. That doesn't work in your favour when you arrive without contacts. The counter: build a local network from the start. A complete LinkedIn profile in French, coffee chats, your sector's events, employment-help organizations for newcomers — each of these opens doors no online application opens on its own.
The interview — honesty over selling
The Quebec interview is generally less formal than elsewhere: informal "tu" comes quickly, the tone is cordial. You'll be asked about the team, the culture, how you work. Prepare your own questions — asking them shows interest. And resist the urge to oversell: exaggerating your skills backfires during the probation period.
Once hired: pay and your rights
Your first paystub often comes as a surprise. From the gross salary are deducted federal tax, Quebec tax, and three contributions — the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), Employment Insurance (EI) and the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP). For a typical income, expect 25% to 32% in deductions. Above all: your rights as an employee are protected by the CNESST, regardless of your immigration status — minimum wage, paid vacation, overtime, health and safety. No one may pay you "under the table" or below minimum wage because you're new.
French and the safety net
You can find a job in Quebec without speaking French, especially in Montreal and in sectors such as technology. But French considerably widens your options and is increasingly expected — French classes are free, start them early. Finally, if you lose your job, Employment Insurance can pay temporary benefits when you've accumulated enough insurable hours: file the claim without delay.
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