How to apply for your SIN online or in person upon arrival — the first step in Canada.

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9 digit federal government number. It's required to: Work in Canada Receive government benefits Open a savings account or an RRSP Apply within your first days after arrival. It's the very first official step in Canada. Documents to bring: Permanent residents: passport + Confirmation of Permanent Residence (or PR card) Work / study permit: passport + valid ...

How to exchange your foreign driver's licence for a Quebec one after you arrive, and drive in Quebec on an international licence.

The SAAQ is the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. It manages driver's licences, vehicle registration, and the public auto insurance plan. All drivers in Quebec must hold a valid licence issued or recognized by the SAAQ. If you are a new resident in Quebec, you can drive on your valid foreign licence for the first 6 months after settling in. After 6 months, you must hold a Quebec lice...

Understanding the federal + provincial double return and how to start.

In Canada, all residents must file a tax return every year — even with no work. It's the condition to receive the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) — which replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026 — and other benefits. In Quebec, you must file two returns every year: The federal return (T1) — for Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) The provincial return (TP1) — fo...

How to notify the Quebec government, Canada Post and other organizations of your new address after a move.

After a move, there's no single button that notifies everyone of your new address. The Quebec government, the federal government, your bank, your employer and your insurers each keep their own file. Forgetting even one of these organizations can delay a refund, a renewed card, or an important document. The Quebec government offers a free service that sends your new address to seven ministries a...

How to create a single account to access RAMQ, Revenu Québec, and other Quebec government services online.

The Quebec government groups access to several of its online services — including RAMQ, Revenu Québec, and Retraite Québec — behind a single login: the Government Authentication Service. You only need to create this account once; it then lets you sign in to every service that requires it. If you've heard of clicSÉQUR from a friend or an online search, know that this name is gradually being repl...

Never held a driver's licence? Here's the full path in Quebec — mandatory driving course, learner's permit, exams and probationary licence.

This guide is for you if you've never held a driver's licence, or if you can't have a foreign licence recognized. That includes young people growing up here, people who have never driven, and newcomers from a country without an agreement with Quebec who didn't hold their licence long enough. You start from zero, through the graduated licensing path. Note: if you already hold a valid licence fro...

Understanding the real expenses of an immigrant family in Montréal — rent, groceries, daycare, transit — and how to balance your budget in the first years.

Budget management is one of the most concrete challenges of the first year in Quebec. This guide gives you realistic 2026 figures for Montréal — rent, groceries, transit, daycare, insurance and leisure — so an immigrant family can plan with eyes open. These figures are realistic ranges, not absolute minimums or luxury maximums. Housing typically represents 30–40% of a family budget. In Montréal...

After a Quebec diploma — the post-graduation work permit, Canadian experience, then Quebec selection toward permanent residence.

You are finishing a study program in Quebec. What follows is not a direct jump to permanent residence: it is a sequence, and each step sets up the next. Study in Quebec Obtain a post graduation work permit (PGWP) Build Canadian work experience Be selected by Quebec, which produces the CSQ Finally obtain permanent residence, granted by the federal government This guide explains the logic of that...

The document by which Quebec selects you for permanent residence — who needs it, and how to obtain it.

The CSQ is the document by which the Quebec government selects you for permanent residence. Do not confuse the CSQ with the CAQ. The CAQ is a temporary authorization to stay, to study or work. The CSQ aims at permanent settlement. One is temporary, the other opens the path to permanent residence. For economic immigration, becoming a permanent resident in Quebec happens in two steps: Selection b...

The CAQ then the study permit, and the off-campus work rules — hour limit, SIN, risks.

To study in Quebec you need two separate documents, issued by two governments: The CAQ for studies — issued by the Quebec government The study permit — issued by the federal government of Canada The order is fixed: the CAQ first, then the study permit. CAQ for studies Study permit Issued by Quebec government (MIFI) Government of Canada (IRCC) Apply First Second Prerequisite Admission letter fro...

Closed or open permit, the LMIA, the CAQ, your rights as a worker and recourse in case of abuse.

There are two broad categories of work permit: The closed permit — tied to a specific employer The open permit — tied to no employer The open permit is intended, for example, for certain spouses of workers or students, and for graduates holding a post graduation work permit. Closed permit Open permit Authorized employer One only, named on the permit Any employer (with restrictions) Changing job...

Renewing a study or work permit before expiry, maintained status, and the bridging open work permit while awaiting permanent residence.

A study or work permit has an expiry date. If you stay in Canada past that date, you must renew or extend it. The golden rule: start the process several months ahead, ideally 4 to 6 months before expiry. For a Quebec linked permit, the CAQ is renewed before the federal permit — Quebec first, federal second. Permit type CAQ to renew first? Recommended lead time before expiry Study permit (linked...

Who can vote at each level — federal, provincial, municipal and school —, voter registration, and election day.

The right to vote in general elections is reserved for Canadian citizens aged at least 18 years old. Permanent residents cannot vote in elections, even after many years in Canada: this is one of the rare differences between permanent resident status and citizenship. The right to vote opens when you , after the oath ceremony. In Canada, you vote at three levels of government, in separate electio...

Where to file the declaration of birth (Directeur de l'état civil, online or on paper), the 30-day deadline, then RAMQ, allowances and QPIP.

The birth declaration: Mandatory within 30 days of birth Automatically triggers several documents and programs Online or on paper at the Directeur de l'état civil du Québec Documents received automatically after the declaration: Official birth certificate SIN (Social Insurance Number) for the baby RAMQ enrollment (baby's carte soleil) Triggers the Quebec family allowance and the CCB — QPIP (pai...

Renew an expired PR card or replace a lost one: documents, fees, IRCC processing times and what to do if you need to travel in the meantime.

The Permanent Resident Card (PR card) proves your status in Canada. It's mandatory for travelling abroad. Validity: 5 years in general. Renew your card once it expires in less than 9 months — or after it has expired. This is not a minimum lead time but a ceiling: if it expires in 11 months you cannot file yet ( ). Check the date on the back of your card. If your card expires during a trip, you ...

The conditions, steps, citizenship test preparation, interview and ceremony to become Canadian.

Canadian citizenship offers: The right to vote in federal, provincial, and municipal elections A Canadian passport — one of the most powerful in the world The unconditional right to remain in Canada Access to certain public sector jobs reserved for citizens You also keep your original citizenship unless your country forbids dual nationality. To apply for citizenship, you must: Be a permanent re...

Conditions, timelines, and steps to sponsor spouse, parents, or children to Canada.

Conditions to sponsor: Canadian citizen or permanent resident At least 18 years old Residing in Canada (except citizens sponsoring a spouse) In Quebec: dual federal + provincial approval Categories of people who can be sponsored: Spouse, common law partner, conjugal partner Dependent children (generally under 22) Parents and grandparents (limited program with annual lottery) Brother / sister / ...

Conditions, documents, and timelines for your first Canadian passport after citizenship.

Only Canadian citizens can hold a Canadian passport. Permanent residents: not eligible, they travel with their origin passport + PR card See our if not yet a citizen Required documents: A completed form Citizenship certificate or Canadian birth certificate Photo ID (driver's licence, etc.) 2 passport photos meeting Canadian specifications A guarantor: a citizen who has known you for 2+ years Th...

The essential Quebec and Canadian government websites: main portals, specialized agencies, online accounts, phone lines and who does what.

Almost all errands pass through an official site. Learning to navigate these sites saves you hours and avoids scams. The 4 main portals: — provincial government — federal government — City of Montreal Your municipality's site (if outside Montreal) Specialized agencies: — health — licence, vehicle — provincial taxes — federal taxes — immigration and citizenship Mon dossier: Mon dossier RAMQ: hea...

GST and QST explained: why the sticker price is never the price you pay in Quebec, the rates, what is taxed and how to calculate the total.

In Quebec, taxes are never included in the displayed price. GST: 5% (federal) QST: 9.975% (provincial) Total added: about 14.975% on top of the displayed price Quick calculation: displayed price × 1.15 approximate price at the register. $20 displayed → $23 $100 displayed → $115 $1,000 displayed → $1,150 Use the for a precise calculation. No taxes on: Basic food: fruits, vegetables, meats, milk,...