MontrealFC

Hi Amit,
I'm maybe exception to the rule here but my experience seems a little different to most people. I was sponsered to come and work here by a Montreal employer. I speak very little French. My job is international so 100% in English. Infact I speak less French here than I did working & living in London. Quebec immigration was a long drawn out process but quite straight forward. Yes there was an hour interview (30mins English 30mins French) but my GCSE C grade schoolboy French got me though...just be polite and rehearse some answers they want to hear (i.e. you love Quebec and the French language etc etc) and you'll be fine. Would suggest you get a Montreal based immigration lawyer. Yes you can do it yourself but these guys will steer you through the process to make it easier. Have lived here now for 8years and just become a Canadian citizen. Don't be scared of Quebec. Its a great place, the whole 'French' thing here tends to keep the 'riff raff' away. French has never got in the way for me...ever. Infact I know about a dozen expats (one in IT) who don't speak any French at all and who, all have great jobs and lives here....its the overseas experience they lack here and thats your advantage ! Montreal is an international city and cosmopolitan... outside Montreal I'd be very careful....thats a different world ! Good luck !

britsnake

When I had my interview in Paris, they only asked me one question in English, the rest was in french. I think that things have gotten much tougher over the last few years when it comes to french and Quebec immigration.

Currently, I work 100% in English. 99% of the friends that I have made are english speakers.

The only time when I need to speak french is when I go to the childrens school for parents evening.

My wife did 6 months full time of french classes. I did 5 months part time. I gave up as I was exhasted by working a full day then having to attend classes most evenings.

I would say that we are integrated in to the community, but it is the english speaking community.

When I first came here, I would be amazed to meet people who had been in Montreal for 30+ years but did not speak any french. Now I have been here for 3 years, I understand. My french has gotten worse since coming here.

Howick

It's such a limiting attitude to suggest one can survive & thrive by being unilingual in Montreal. I also worked 100% in English, but if you are not prepared to learn conversational French, I just see the attitude as incredibly limiting. One meathead I worked with, even had his PA provide his voice mail message in French because he could not be arsed learning. I was once given an insight into how pathetic it was perceived by the French speaking group in the company. Sad, but true.

It takes time. It takes energy. Its draining being unilingual in Quebec. But, in my opinion, its also futile. To intend to live in Montreal & not become bilingual is missing out on a great opportunity. My advice remains that if you are not prepared to learn French, Montreal should not be a long term option for you & family. I have a unilingual mate still in Montreal who says that the relief he feels when he goes to the USA & an English speaking country, and not have to be on his toes, is hard to describe. Sad, but true.

Being unilingual is just an uphill fight.

In my opinion.

amitbajwa

Thanks for sharing your valuable experience guys. I am also looking forward to get settled in Montreal as I am very confident that with 5 years of UK experience, I should be able to find a good job there.

Also as one of you suggested to consult a local Quebec based lawyer. I am already using the services of Campbell Cohen (Canadavisa.Com) who is Montreal based firm.

Tango Mike

Hi there Amit

I cannot comment on how much French you will or won't need in Quebec as won't be moving there ourselves until this summer. However, regarding the French requirement to get through the CSQ I can tell you how it was for us - of course every case may be different but it might help you to hear others' experiences: My husband is French and he was the principle skilled worker applicant. I have lived a year in Senegal, I have a degree in French (1996) and one of my jobs required prominently French for 5 years (1998-2003). We speak French at home and it was our daughter's first language until she started school in the UK and is now bi-lingual. I got a former French boss (and now friend) to write a letter stating my continued 'level' of fluency in French. However, they STILL required me to sit a TEF or equivalent for the CSQ which I had to pay to do at the Alliance in London (36 weeks pregnant at the time!!) There were lots of other people sitting the test who were after an extra point or two on the scoring system to get to Canada generally - not even to go to Qc. I had the choice to do either an oral or an extended written test - I chose the oral.

That said, in spite of having to wait to do the TEF then add in the birth of our son to the CSQ and then get a myriad of police clearance certificates for all the countries we had lived in for the Federal bit, the CSQ took only 8 months start to finish (done via Hong Kong as we were living in Asia at the time) and the Federal part (done in the UK) only 10 months start to finish.... It is overall a much quicker process (if everything else is in order of course.) But then, if they require you to learn French first - it may work out to be the same in terms of timeframe...

Good luck to you in whatever you choose to do.

britsnake

When I came, I did the DELF B1 exam and my wife did the TEF.

They accepted these as valid. At the time I was doing a French degree course, and could have sat the B2 exam as at B1 level I scored almost full marks. If it's just about Quebec immigration then the TEF Oral would be fine (The DELF/ DALF tests all skills and go beyond what is required).

For me, the federal part took only 2 months start to finish. But this was 3 yeas ago.

When I landed in Quebec and had my settlement interview, they told me that the code they put on my CSQ was the code they gave to a native french speaker. An obvious mistake on their part, but I did not complain.

Though the Quebec government does provide free french classes, I must say, that we have not found many native english speakers on them. Most of the people we have seen have been from south america or eastern europe.

anishq

Try

immigrer.com

This is a site dedicated to immigration to Quebec. Although posts are in French (good practice for you) you may get replies in English to any questions you raise.
Good luck.

PMM

Hi


In a sense Quebec doesn't really care if a person leaves (unlike some other provinces) as they get Settlement funds from the Feds based on the number of Immigrants "landed" in Quebec. If the Immigrant leaves, they have still have the money.

Howick

That's an incredibly short sighted viewpoint PMM, Quebec would & does care that it loses people- a federal transfer payment doesn't balance out the loss of, for example, an Quebec educated university graduate who is bilingual & skilled in a trade in high demand- there is no better real life example of this than medical doctors, who have been schooled all at the expense of the QC taxpayer, i.e; McGill, then leaves after graduation. It's real & it happens.

In fact, most first world people have to rely on immigration to replace the deminishing workforce- fewer kids, people living older, etc. There are huge direct & indirect costs to this. Ideally, you retain what you educate.

Montreal used to be the financial capital of Canada. This tragedy started in earnest with the advent of the FLQ disquiet, through until the PQ success in '76, until the alst vestages of the '80 referendum. In this time, there was huge capital & human flight. Financially, Quebec has never recovered & the damage was done. People (and capital) that Montreal could ill afford to lose. Quebec cares when it loses people. It can't afford not to.