Advice to a 49er fan moving to Montreal

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I would like advice on nursing in Quebec. Next year I will be marrying a Quebec citizen who lives in the Montreal suburb of St. Hubert. I will be applying for permanent residency this week at the San Francisco consulate.

I am a male who currently lives in California and will have completed all U.S. pre-requisites in December, 2014. I understand the Quebec nursing programs are three years compared to U.S. programs which are two, but the Quebec programs consist of the U.S. pre-reqs.

Will I be able to enter Quebec programs as a second year (third semester) student since I have already completed the science courses?

I am concerned that the salary in Montreal is very low compared to the states. I am considering going to school and working in Plattsburg, New York, which is about an hour or so away from Montreal.

Any help regarding my move and becoming a nurse in Montreal...or commuting to work in New York...would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Trace S.

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Specializes in Gerontology.

If you want to work in Montral, you will have to be fluent in French.

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If you want to work in Montral, you will have to be fluent in French.

Yes, but i understand there is a three year grace period

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You would have to contact the school you plan on attending to find the answer to your question. Only they can tell you for sure.

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Does Quebec have an embassy in SF????

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There is a Canadian embassy in SF, yes. I'm not sure how they can answer my questions above though.

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Specializes in ER.

Go Hawks!

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Sorry....a CONSULATE, not an embassy. ;)

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You will have a temporary licence for 4 years, and during these 4 years you have to pass the french exam, which is not easy even for some Quebecois. I would said commute to work in the states and live in Montreal. The pay is in the states and living expense is cheaper in Montreal!

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Quebec has its own exam (from OIIQ) because you can have the title of a RN after doing a 3 year program in a community college (cegep) or in university. The differences between community college and university are cheap tuition fees & lots practices in techniques vs expansive tuition fees & lots of theory. However, if you plan to work in US, you must have a BsN and write the NCLEX, which is only offered outside of Quebec. Then apply to the NY state board(?).

In Quebec, the only English university that has a nursing program is McGill and the English cegeps are Dawson, John Abbott and Vanier. So you have to get more information from those schools about the pre-requisites. If you have questions related to the nursing licence, you can contact OIIQ. Don't forget that you need a functional French to work in Quebec, even in a hospital that is anglophone.

Also, you can also study in Ottawa if you want...Move to Outaouais, or somewhere close to the border of Quebec and go to school in Ottawa (about 2 hours away from Montreal). You practice there and do the board exam there too.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

The pay is very low in Quebec in comparison to the rest of Canada and many American states. The last time I checked, the starting pay for an RN was 21.00 an hour.

If you aren't fluent in French, the move is probably a waste of your time.

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My fiancé owns a home near Montreal so that's where I will be living.

I might get an AS degree at Clinton CC in Plattsburg, NY...then work at a nearby hospital in NY close as possible to the border. Its about an hour away from Montreal but i worry about the weather on the roads

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