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海角社区.CA / International Student Services / Programs / iSTEP - Life Prep for International Students

iStep

Now You've Graduated

At this stage, the main goal is to prepare for the socio-cultural听differences between campus, society, community, and workplace. There are a lot of resources that can help you gain a more comprehensive understanding听of Quebec's and Canada's society outside of academia.

Additionally,听many units听offer alumni services for a certain period of time after graduation, and some听offer lifetime access.听
For example,听海角社区 Alumni who graduate听with either a Bachelors, Masters or Ph.D. are eligible听for free lifetime access to the听鈥渕yFuture鈥澨齤ob search and career tools suite.

Alumni also听have free access to all CaPS services听for听one year听after paying their final semester Student Services fees in their tuition.

(Please note: to view and register for career fairs, information sessions and workshops offered through CaPS, login to and click on the events tab.)听

Knowing Your Rights

Workplace Regulations:听

The听resources below will help you understand听the legal frameworks of Canada's and Quebec's听job markets to better protect yourself in the workplace.听

List of resources

  • :听Information about federal and provincial labour laws, workplace standards, federal health and safety standards, and labour relations programs.
  • :听

    This law says what is legally acceptable with regards to salaries, the length of the workweek, holidays, termination, etc.

    An employer can go beyond the protections given under the Act and offer better working conditions but may not听offer less. Employers must respect the standards set out in the Act.听听Statements in work contracts that give an employee less than what is in the Act are not valid.

  • :听How many hours are there in the work week? What is the minimum hourly wage? Answers to these questions will help you find out more about the legal world of labour.

  • The enforces the province鈥檚 Act Respecting Labour Standards. It provides specific information about labour laws in 蚕耻茅产别肠.

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Salary Negotiation听& Salary Search Websites:

Salary negotiations are important 鈥� both when you鈥檙e first offered a job and during performance reviews.听

Negotiating your salary can also be uncomfortable, but it is important as your salary and benefits package must meet your personal and industry standards.听听

Information for Spouses and Families

Childcare

  • Daycare: Find out the types of daycares, how to register, childcare tax credits and听benefits.
  • Schooling: Find听information about schooling in Quebec.
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Open Work Permit for Spouses and Family Members

  • Under certain circumstances, a spouse听or family member听of someone working听temporarily in Canada (ex. holding a PGWP or any work permit) may be eligible for an听open work permit. Find out .听

Adapting to Quebec as a Worker

Workplaces in Quebec may have a very different culture than your home country.听Read I Choose Montreal's听 to better understand the basics of the Quebec work culture and see more resources below:听

List of resources

  • 鈥嬏齩ffers听practical information about administrative procedures, housing, employment, health services, etc. in Montreal.
  • : an overview of Quebec society and its values.
  • 听听(in French only)
  • :听Free conference at Palais des Congr猫s focusing on听job search assistance, settlement, employment and recruitment, education and training, entrepreneurship, opportunities outside Montreal, culture, and recreational activities.

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In addition, MIFI (Ministry of Immigration, Frenchisation and Inclusion) has workshops and听info sessions for newcomers to Quebec. These workshops familiarize you with听the job market and the job search听process.

Most become available once you obtain your听Certificat de s茅lection du 蚕耻茅产别肠 (CSQ).听

List of workshops from MIFI

  • :听The Premi猫res d茅marches d鈥檌nstallation session is intended for immigrants. It lasts three hours and is presented in French throughout 蚕耻茅产别肠.
    The information session takes you through the steps for settling in 蚕耻茅产别肠 upon your arrival.
  • :听This session is intended for newcomers to 蚕耻茅产别肠 who master French and have obtained, or are in the process of obtaining permanent residency. The total duration of the session is 24听hours and is given during the day in Montr茅al, Laval, Longueuil, 蚕耻茅产别肠 City and Gatineau. The session is also given on evenings and weekends by听certain partner organizations in Montr茅al.
  • a free and personalized service offered to immigrants.
  • :听If you are an immigrant or from visible minorities, this program aims to help you gain your first work experience in North America in your field of training or professional experience.
  • : This online program will help you discover听the Quebec work environment at your own pace, familiarize yourself with the first steps towards getting settled, explore 蚕耻茅产别肠鈥檚 regions, and learn about the common values of 蚕耻茅产别肠 society.
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External Resources

CV and cover letter advising &听other workshops

These off-campus resources will help you听seek听employment,听including drop-in and by-appointment听CV and听cover听letter advising, career counselling, mock interviews, workshops, and more.听

List of resources

  • 听(CJE) guides young adults ages 16-35 in their social and economic integration. CJE also听helps young adult professionals听find jobs, return to school, or听develop projects.
  • 听provides extensive province-wide job search services for youth and young adults听(ages 16鈥�35) including one-on-one career counselling, workshops, and webinars.
  • 听is an organization offering personalized consultation services and group information sessions to newcomers to help them integrate into their new community.听Their Employment Assistance Services (EAS) provide employment search support to immigrants in the Montr茅al area
  • See a complete that specialize in employability.听

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Employment Assistance Services

If you're looking for听some help in听boosting your chances of career success, the 听measure听provides you with opportunities to:

  • attend information sessions on the labour market
  • get career advice and counselling
  • take part in job-search activities and job-placement assistance activities

An employment assistance officer from a Local Employment Centre (CLE) or听Emploi-蚕耻茅产别肠 partners will help you review your career goals and choose the activities and services most appropriate for you. The activities include job-search clubs, job-hunting strategies, internships and job shadowing. The activities are generally short-term, lasting under 180 hours.

Improving Your French Skills at Work:

Learning French effectively requires听long-term dedication. Using French听at听work might be a different experience than using French in the classroom.听Here are some resources that can help you further improve your professional French:听听

Free resources with a CSQ (provided by the government of Quebec):

Other resources

  • Certain 听(for example, )
  • :听French For Job Seekers -听$75. This intensive, four-week course is specifically designed for learners with听basic knowledge of the French language. Emphasis is听placed on improving conversational skills in a business context while focusing on grammar and vocabulary. Participants also have an opportunity to work on their cover letters and to participate in mock interviews.
  • 海角社区 School of Continuing Studies: Part-time, intensive, or professional courses.听

Completing Essential Documents After Graduation听

Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), RAMQ Health Insurance & Permanent Residency

Please see STEP 3 (under the tab "Essential Documents") for information and resources to help you obtain a听work permit, RAMQ health insurance, and permanent residency.听
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How to file income tax

Filing your taxes is part of your responsibilities as a taxpayer. Doing your taxes means you have to fill out a package of forms you can download from Revenue Quebec and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Processing these forms helps you figure out if you owe tax or if you require a refund.

Regardless of your income, you must do your taxes to receive the benefits and credits you may be entitled to. These may include the听GST/HST tax credit, the听Canada child benefit听and the听working income tax benefit.

If you missed the workshop series:听Financial Skills for the Real World by SKILLSETS, don't worry, there are other resources that are available to you after graduation:

List of resources

  • : Under certain conditions, you may be able to get help at a听free听tax preparation clinic near you.听Community organizations across Canada host tax preparation clinics where volunteers complete tax returns for eligible individuals.
  • has workshops and resources for supporting immigrants and refugees.听

Information for Employers

Can I work while I am waiting to receive my post-graduation work permit?

The simple answer is yes.

You can find regarding this question and听maintained status.听

If employers express any doubt, you can share the following brochure with them to ease their mind:听

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