Quebec (crime, job market, school) - City-Data Forum

northstar22 · 04-13-2011, 10:17 AM

Hello et bonjour,

So, I'm still thinking about moving to Canada from Minnesota. I'm from the Great Plains, so I considered the Prairies. However, that part of the country is really too conservative, dangerous and cold for me. I have zero interest in going to the Maritimes, BC or Ontario. So, that leaves Quebec. I've always been fascinated with Quebec, and I love the idea of living in a francophone province. I speak pretty good Canadian French, so the language barrier isn't a big deal for me.

Specifically, I'd be interested in working and attending university (grad school; I have a four-year degree) -- is that possible for an American citizen? I took the CIC's general Canadian immigration online points system test, and I scored a 71 (I know the test isn't official). However, doesn't Quebec have it's own immigration process that gives preference to French-speakers?

Anyway, Montreal is too big of a city for me. I wouldn't rule out working in Montreal, but I'd much rather be in a smaller city. I'm thinking Quebec City (Ville de Québec), Three Rivers (Trois-Rivières), Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Rimouski, Gaspe and Val d'Or. What do you guys think of those places? Would a multiracial, bilingual American be accepted in those places? It's not really important for me to be near other anglophones, but it would be a plus.

Sorry for the long post. Merci.

lucknow · 04-13-2011, 10:39 AM

I don't think you are going to get many answers here. By far the best answers to your question would come from people who are not likely to be on a English speaking forum. I love Quebec and I think you should try to take a trip there just to get the feel of the province. It's very liberal and leftist in politics. Quebec city is just awesome. Good luck in your quest!!!

northstar22 · 04-13-2011, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucknow

I don't think you are going to get many answers here. By far the best answers to your question would come from people who are not likely to be on a English speaking forum. I love Quebec and I think you should try to take a trip there just to get the feel of the province. It's very liberal and leftist in politics. Quebec city is just awesome. Good luck in your quest!!!

I know . . . I posted this here to get a anglophone Quebecer perspective on the province. I'm going to post the same question in French on a Québécois forum.

I'm definitely going to try to get to Quebec at some point this summer. I lost my passport, so I'm applying for a new one.

Thanks for the help!!!

Acajack · 04-13-2011, 12:27 PM

Your questions are very broad.

Here are some answers:

Yes, an American can apply to study at any university in Quebec. All Quebec universities teach in French except for three: McGill and Concordia in downtown Montreal and Bishop's (very small) near Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships.

The only three cities in Quebec with significant anglo populations are Montreal (25%), Gatineau (10-15%) and Sherbrooke (6%). All the others are almost completely French-speaking with tiny anglo populations.

With very few exceptions, no matter where you are no one will really care that you are 1) biracial and 2) American. The fact that you can speak passable French (given where you are from and what you look like) will likely make you an interesting curiosity to some people - especially female. I mean this in a positive way.

That said, if it is important to you the places in Quebec where you are more likely to find people who look like you are Montreal, Gatineau, Quebec City and Sherbrooke.

In Quebec City and Sherbrooke, people who are visible minorities (Canadian jargon for non-whites) tend to gravitate around the cities' universities.

jambo101 · 04-13-2011, 12:30 PM

If your French is OK then half the battle is won, as Quebec is huge you may want to start off in Montreal then explore and expand to a place you may feel more comfortable in.
I like the whole Gaspe region but the town of Gaspe is over 600 miles from Montreal.
Your potential student status maybe more of a foot in the door than you think, check out this website =
International Student Services

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm...s/students.asp

northstar22 · 04-13-2011, 01:45 PM

Merci beaucoup.

Sorry my questions were really vague. I'm specifically interested in small towns within a 30 to 90 minute drive of those cities, because I prefer the rural lifestyle but still want to be close enough to work in/near the city. Things like housing costs, cost-of-living, crime rate, social climate, sports and outdoor activities are all important to me. I'd also like to be in an area with plenty of young, single people. I don't need to reside in a major city -- in fact, I'd love to avoid Montreal altogether. I also don't need to go to school or work in English, French would be fine. Being able to speak English outside of work, with friends, etc. in Quebec would certainly be nice, but I'd be fine with life seulement en français. In other words, I wouldn't want to live in the West Island 'burbs or on the US border just so I could speak nothing but English.

Jambo, thanks for the info. I watched the video and read the webpage, and it said the Canadian Experience Class program doesn't apply to people wanting to move to Quebec -- but according to the province's website, Quebec has it's own "Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ)" which I'm assuming is very similar to the CEC program.

Acajack · 04-13-2011, 02:24 PM

Sounds like Sherbrooke might be your best. "Young and single" generally means a smallish-largish city with a decent job market and a university.

It has about 200,000 people and is 90 minutes from Montreal. It has two universities: Bishop's and the much larger Université de Sherbrooke.

Other options might be smaller cities like Drummondville and St-Hyacinthe which are also within striking distance of Montreal and have some educational institutions and decent economies that allow them to hold onto and draw younger people.

barneyg · 04-14-2011, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northstar22

So, I'm still thinking about moving to Canada from Minnesota. I'm from the Great Plains, so I considered the Prairies. However, that part of the country is really too conservative, dangerous and cold for me.

(...)

Anyway, Montreal is too big of a city for me. I wouldn't rule out working in Montreal, but I'd much rather be in a smaller city. I'm thinking Quebec City (Ville de Québec), Three Rivers (Trois-Rivières), Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Rimouski, Gaspe and Val d'Or. What do you guys think of those places? Would a multiracial, bilingual American be accepted in those places? It's not really important for me to be near other anglophones, but it would be a plus.

Quebec City resident here to point out that even though we don't typically get as many horribly cold (-30 C before wind chill) winter nights here, "cold" still describes the cities you listed accurately, except perhaps Gatineau and Sherbrooke.

As usual, I agree with Acajack's suggestion of Sherbrooke.

What type of graduate coursework are you looking to do? The cities you listed each have a branch of the Université du Québec system (except Sherbrooke) but graduate programs offered will likely be limited (and will vary). Professional jobs are also obviously more limited depending on what you'd be looking for so you may not really have that much of a choice.

One last point -- areas around Gaspé and Rimouski may be rural (as opposed to urban) but they're best described as coastal (esp. Gaspe), maybe even insular in feel. A Quebec winter in the St. Lawrence estuary (or in the Gulf) is something you can't really plan for, and will be very different than one in the Eastern Townships around Sherbrooke, or the St. Lawrence Plain around Quebec City and Trois-Rivières.

Acajack · 04-14-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barneyg

Quebec City resident here to point out that even though we don't typically get as many horribly cold (-30 C before wind chill) winter nights here, "cold" still describes the cities you listed accurately, except perhaps Gatineau and Sherbrooke.

As usual, I agree with Acajack's suggestion of Sherbrooke.

What type of graduate coursework are you looking to do? The cities you listed each have a branch of the Université du Québec system (except Sherbrooke) but graduate programs offered will likely be limited (and will vary). Professional jobs are also obviously more limited depending on what you'd be looking for so you may not really have that much of a choice.

One last point -- areas around Gaspé and Rimouski may be rural (as opposed to urban) but they're best described as coastal (esp. Gaspe), maybe even insular in feel. A Quebec winter in the St. Lawrence estuary (or in the Gulf) is something you can't really plan for, and will be very different than one in the Eastern Townships around Sherbrooke, or the St. Lawrence Plain around Quebec City and Trois-Rivières.

Good points and all very true. Although the OP is from Minnesota - he is used to cold and snow!

Robynator · 04-14-2011, 01:56 PM

Not sure why you think the Prairies are dangerous... and no more cold than where you're from. Conservative, sure, but not in the American way. It's not about guns & religion... it's more about federal spending. It's a different ballpark.

Best thing to do would be to read Sacre Blues: An Unsentimental Journey Through Quebec to give you a crash course in contemporary Quebec culture.

A big part of Quebec is understanding its culture, politics, and history - a big part of its identity. If you're ignorant of its background, you'll have a hard time fitting in.

Next thing I'd do is contact Americans currently living in Quebec. Most of them would likely be found at McGill University... so try seeking out forums for McGill students. Search on Facebook, Twitter, etc. as well.

I had a friend from Hawaii who moved to Montreal to go to UQAM - did his Masters in French. He also worked adamantly to learn about Quebecois culture and politics... I think it paid off. He's still there, I believe.