IENs wanting to work in Quebec

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hi

I'm charmzele...

I'm actually a newbie in this forum and I'm so glad to find some helpful information... Thanks to everyone.. the thing is I think I'm in the same boat with simon.. I'm really eager to find out how's the life of foreign nurses in quebec nowadays? you're response will truly be appreciated..

Thank you

No, it's reality. Planning to move to Quebec is totally different from planning to move to the rest of Canada. You have to do research.

Why do you want to live in the "distinct society"? Do you have familial ties?

You need to research the place you plan to make your future and see if it fits your life plan, not just it's a place you might find it faster to migrate to.

truly discouraging! But I appreciate the information you give me. Before I signed up for my agency, I had been trying hard to find forums like this to aid me in my research and since my agency had been promising that in a few month's time, I will be fluent in French which of course I had doubts, I guess I just jumped in and decided to go with my Quebec plans.

I have already paid a certain amount and now I am starting to regret it. It is not too late though.I may have to rethink my plan

The Cdn. government is currently running ads aimed at potential migrants NOT to believe immigration lawyers and consultants who promise jobs and "guaranteed acceptance of your application".

If you look around their website, you'll find it.

I know Canadian nurses who are married to men in the Canadian military who refuse to go to Quebec for the issues concerning language, non-use of English and the difficulties in obtaining practice permits there.

For any agency in the Phillipines to go making these promises and making it appear "easy" to migrate to Quebec to non-French speakers is truly wrong and in a way dangerous.

Quebec has traditionally recruited it's migrants from Europe and former French colonial territories (think Haiti, Morocco, even Viet Nam). It's not the first choice for English speaking migrants. Even educating your children in English is a major hurdle/challenge.

This is just a bit baffling.

If Quebec does not welcome non-French speakers, how come OIIQ has already accommodated fellow Filipinos?

Shouldn't they have refused these applications at the start?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

You don't understand how all this works. OIIQ is only concerned with the regulation of registered nurses. They, like any of the other regulatory bodies in Canada (and anywhere else for that matter) don't care if the applicant is eligible for emigration, they don't care if the applicant has a job or even the potential to find a job, and they don't care if you can speak French or not. All they care about is if your education and experience are close enough to equivalent to that of the locally-grown nurses and whether you're eligible to be registered by their agency... and that you pay the fees they charge to accomplish it. All the rest of the details are inconsequential to them. What happens to you once you have their permit to practice in your hand doesn't matter. The expectation is that applicants are intelligent, educated adults who are capable of and responsible enough to ensure that all those other details are resolved or at least in the process of resolution BEFORE they apply for registration. Far too many people put the cart before the horse and think that because they're now registered with a College of Nursing that all the rest will just naturally follow but it doesn't work that way. There is no silver platter.

Thank You, janfrn! At least I am informed now of the downsides.

I did some surfing and came across hospitals in Montreal that do not necessarily require one to speak French.

What can you say about that?

Do you think I may land a job there?

Lastly, are you aware of some of the living conditions of Filipino nurses and how are they holding up?

Thank You, janfrn! At least I am informed now of the downsides.

I did some surfing and came across hospitals in Montreal that do not necessarily require one to speak French.

What can you say about that?

Do you think I may land a job there?

Lastly, are you aware of some of the living conditions of Filipino nurses and how are they holding up?

It seems as if you have decided to believe the word of a recruiter who will make money off you rather than people who actually live in the country and have visited the province in question.

Yes, they may not require you to speak French, BUT and this is a big but the Quebec practice permit requires YOU to be fluent within a specified time period.

If you want to live in a ghetto environment and try to shop and socialize with only those who speak English and Tagalog you are in for a very restricted life. Try shopping in the large malls, riding public transit, dealing with schools. French only.

Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.
If you are planning to move to a new life and country, you need more than "pocket money".

Number three just shows how little research you have put into moving to Canada. The divide between English Canada and Quebec is huge. Are you even aware of the seperatist movement there, that wants Quebec to be an independent nation?

Quebec has language laws that pretty much make it illegal to even post signs in English, never mind having a conversation in English. The Quebecers will just ignore you and talk over and around you.

Have you ever been to Quebec? It a very unique part of Canada and frankly Old Quebec city is one of my favourite places in this country. During my many visits to Quebec I did not find that people "ignored or talked around me". As long as you make a little effort to use their language and maintain their fabulous culture then you should have no problems!

Plus I see in a earlier post the OP was asking about how much pocket money she would need.

My response to that is this: Quebec is a very cost effective part of Canada, rent, groceries etc are much cheaper than in any province west of Quebec. I have moved several times across this county to different provinces. If you have a job lined up before you go then all you really need is enough for your first months rent, deposit, your flight here and enough spending money to last you till your first pay check (providing you will be starting right away). People always seem to think you need a fortune to move any where but its not the case. Mind you I am speaking form the perspective of having moved several times to new cities with just my husband and I. We do not have any kids so I guess that would be a whole other story.

Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.

Oh also something you can think about if you are set on living in Quebec but are having trouble getting around the French hurdle is living in Gatineau. Gatineau Quebec is right on the border of Ottawa Ontario. I have several english speaking friends that live in Gatineau and work in Ottawa. Its a VERY quick commute.

@Lilaclover:

You don't have the right to know my full biography and work history.

Yes, I have lived in Quebec. My husband has had to work there. At the time my children were young, so I stayed at home with them.

My current employer has many nurses working who are military spouses or retired military members. They have worked or lived in la belle province. My opinion is formed by my life experience and the experiences of others who have been there.

We were happy to leave. Visiting a place and appreciating it's beauty and culture is one thing, having to work and raise a family is an entirely different kettle of fish. The language laws are restrictive and draconian. People who make their living off tourists will be nice to tourists. Living in small town PQ when an anglophone is a nightmare.

If I remember correctly, you are planning on moving to Alberta from BC. Very different province, different culture. Go with an open mind and don't expect it to be easy and all rosy.

Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.
@Lilaclover:

You don't have the right to know my full biography and work history.

Yes, I have lived in Quebec. My husband has had to work there. At the time my children were young, so I stayed at home with them.

My current employer has many nurses working who are military spouses or retired military members. They have worked or lived in la belle province. My opinion is formed by my life experience and the experiences of others who have been there.

We were happy to leave. Visiting a place and appreciating it's beauty and culture is one thing, having to work and raise a family is an entirely different kettle of fish. The language laws are restrictive and draconian. People who make their living off tourists will be nice to tourists. Living in small town PQ when an anglophone is a nightmare.

If I remember correctly, you are planning on moving to Alberta from BC. Very different province, different culture. Go with an open mind and don't expect it to be easy and all rosy.

Nor do you have the right to pretend to know mine :)

My Opinion is also formed by life experiences. I have more than visited Quebec. I grew up in New Brunswick, very close to the border of Quebec. I have family in Quebec and have spent several summers there as a child as well as many extended visits since.

Yes I am moving to Alberta. And yes I do know what its like there already. I moved there when I was 19 before my nursing days. I had no job lined up and not even $100 in my pocket. I made out just fine. I don't need a cushy savings account to keep me happy. I spent my first night in Alberta on a park bench and it was all a part of the adventure that has made up my life. I got a job after only a few days at a 5 star hotel and ended up meeting my future husband there.

We have since moved to and lived in the following provinces for at least a year each: New Brunswick ( 3 different cities), Newfoundland, Alberta, BC, Ontario. We made most of these moves working on a hotel workers wage and very little savings. Made out just fine. But I guess I don't ever go with the expectation of things being rosy. I grew up very poor and don't mind going without a few things to move myself up the ladder of life and have a few adventures.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Plus I see in a earlier post the OP was asking about how much pocket money she would need.

My response to that is this: Quebec is a very cost effective part of Canada, rent, groceries etc are much cheaper than in any province west of Quebec. I have moved several times across this county to different provinces. If you have a job lined up before you go then all you really need is enough for your first months rent, deposit, your flight here and enough spending money to last you till your first pay check (providing you will be starting right away). People always seem to think you need a fortune to move any where but its not the case. Mind you I am speaking form the perspective of having moved several times to new cities with just my husband and I. We do not have any kids so I guess that would be a whole other story.

Theresaaiza was asking about the amount of money immigrants are required by federal law to have ready access to before they're permitted to come to Canada on a work permit. The federal government requires them to prove they have at least $11,115 readily available to pay their expenses for their first year here. This is not the same thing as moving from Bathurst to St John's.

Oh also something you can think about if you are set on living in Quebec but are having trouble getting around the French hurdle is living in Gatineau. Gatineau Quebec is right on the border of Ottawa Ontario. I have several english speaking friends that live in Gatineau and work in Ottawa. Its a VERY quick commute.

Except that she has not applied for registration in Ontario and therefore would not be able to work in Ottawa, where there is still an expectation of fluency in French - been there, couldn't get a job due to my weak French. All moot, since there are very few vacancies in Ontario at the moment. The reason she's looking at Quebec in the first place is that they're still hiring. The fact that they pay their nurses the lowest in the country and have some of the highest nurse-patient rations with the poorest working conditions may have something to do with that.

Yes, Theresaaiza, there are hospitals that might not require you to be fluent in French, but as Fiona59 says, it's not up to them. The provincial government mandates that all health care providers be bilingual and to prove their fluency within a certain period of time once they've been licensed. No exceptions. One of my children lives and works in a health care setting in Montreal , having demonstrated fluency several years ago after being educated in French immersion and the International Baccalaureate program. Although my offspring works in an "English" hospital there are days when there's very little English spoken and the complexity of the language used is high.

Obtaining a job there is certainly possible. Keeping it might be more of a challenge.

As I mentioned before, there are very few Filipinos who have made the move to Quebec so far so I can't say what their living conditions are like. I can tell you that my family member is highly educated (PhD), lives in a very old three storey walk-up in a run-down part of the city, rides the subway to and from work, has a significant debt load and makes more than a new nurse in Quebec.

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