Settling in Quebec

A permanent resident qualifies as a "person settled in Québec" (main residence in Québec, present 183 days or more per calendar year, and an eligible status).

Holders of an open work permit are generally not eligible.

Seasonal agricultural workers are eligible whatever the length of their work permit.

International students qualify only if they come from a country that has a social security agreement with Québec (or hold a Ministère de l'Éducation fellowship).

Students from other countries are not eligible.

Québec has social security agreements with 11 countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Sweden.

The 11 signatory countries as listed by RAMQ (one per line on the page).

A spouse, or a dependant aged 18 to 25, accompanying an eligible worker or student is eligible if they hold an authorization of stay of more than 6 months.

Each family member registers with their own form and documents.

People coming to Québec for 6 months or less cannot register for the plan.

Waiting period: for people arriving from another country, coverage usually begins after a maximum of 3 months.

The waiting period starts on the date you register, if you are in Québec and have all the required documents.

There is no waiting period for people arriving from a social security agreement country.

There is no waiting period for refugees and protected persons.

There is no waiting period for agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador under the SAWP or the agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

RAMQ does not pay for care before coverage starts and strongly recommends private insurance from arrival.

Quebec's newcomer guide gives the same advice for the first three months.

Some care is free during the waiting period, including care related to pregnancy, childbirth or termination of pregnancy (also care for victims of conjugal or sexual violence and for some infectious diseases).

You have 12 months from registration to send missing documents; otherwise the start of coverage is delayed.

You must be in Québec, with a Québec mailing address, to register.

Temporary workers and students attach the federal document authorizing their stay (work permit, study permit or authorization of entry).

A newcomer can drive with a licence from another country for six months after arriving, then needs a Québec licence.

The SAAQ (Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec) states the same six-month rule for new residents.

Licences from these jurisdictions can be exchanged for a Class 5 (passenger vehicle) licence without tests (motorcycle classes need tests): Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Isle of Man, Japan, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan; licences from other Canadian provinces and the United States can also be exchanged.

For other countries, the licence must have been held at least one year before settling in Québec.

A licence from a country without a reciprocity agreement can be exchanged only after passing the knowledge and road tests, and only if held for at least one year.

If that driver fails the road test, they can no longer drive on the foreign licence and receive a learner's licence.

Quebec's newcomer guide says a driver from a country without an agreement must take a practical exam within the six months after arrival.

A temporary worker with a work permit of 12 months or more can use the licence exchange process and book an SAAQ appointment on arrival.

A temporary worker with a permit of six to 12 months needs their home licence plus an international driver's licence.

To enrol a child, parents first contact the school service centre for the area where they live.

Children of newcomers must attend school in French through the end of secondary school (subject to the exceptions below).

A child without enough French is placed in a welcoming (reception) class before joining regular classes.

School is compulsory from age 6 to 16.

Quebec's public school registration page (in French only) says a first registration generally requires the child's birth certificate and a proof of residence.

Free schooling (French page): a child who is not a Québec resident still has the right to free schooling when the parent with parental authority habitually lives in Québec.

For temporary foreign workers, Quebec says their children may not have to pay tuition except at private, college or university institutions.

The same page says that from elementary school, accompanying minor children generally need a Québec Acceptance Certificate and a federal permit; the page says "work permit", which looks like an error for study permit.

An accompanying minor child does not need a CAQ if already in Québec and of compulsory school age while the parent stays as a temporary foreign worker, foreign student or for medical treatment, or if the parent is an asylum claimant, refugee or protected person.

The CAQ exemption for minors already in Canada does not apply to children of visitors who are not authorized to study or work.

French is the language of instruction in public preschool, elementary and secondary school, except where the Charter of the French language allows otherwise.

Children of people living in Québec temporarily to study or work can get a temporary authorization to attend school in English, applied for through the school.

IRCC points to Quebec's free Accompagnement Québec service run by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.

Quebec runs its own integration service, Accompagnement Québec, offered by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI); it is free and personalized.

MIFI integration agents work in every region and build an individual action plan covering settlement, community life, French, recognition of competencies, employment and immigration steps.

To register, a person needs immigration status in Québec: a CSQ, a CAQ or an IRCC client number.

Registration is through the Arrima online platform, and an appointment usually comes within about 5 working days.

Since July 1, 2026, pre-departure settlement help is offered only by MIFI.

Quebec public services have been provided only in French since June 1, 2023, with some exceptions.

The temporary transition measures for that rule ended on December 1, 2025.

The "Settle and integrate in Québec" page is Quebec's newcomer guide (housing, health, transport, schools, French, jobs), written for immigrants selected by Québec.