Education and training: why is Quebec so popular?

  Québec programs and training programs, particularly those based in Montreal, are very popular with French people looking to specialize in their field of activity, to do continuing education or even to retrain professionally. Explanation of the phenomenon.

   Montreal is home to 75% of Quebec's international students and the proportion of international students is steadily increasing in the metropolitan area: from 30,000 students in 2016 to more than 33,300 in 2017, 10.3% more. Among them, there were 11,600 French students in September 2016, or 35% of international students in Greater Montreal.

Recognized programs open to all

 One of the strengths of Montreal explaining this strong attractiveness is undoubtedly the fact that it speaks French. For Nastassia Kodeh, of the University Cooperation Office, it is also a question of culture: "The French are really encouraged to travel, to go abroad. They are sometimes even obliged to leave one or two semesters as part of their studies. "

 It also advances the advantage for French students to find in Montreal a culture that joins theirs. As many compatriots are already there, the newcomer will be more likely to find people he knows. "Students also tell us about the proximity of Montreal, which is only 6 hours by plane from France. It's close compared to many other countries, "she adds.

   As for studies, Montreal offers a good quality of training with programs of all levels and open regardless of age. The city has several including the most prestigious institutions, including McGill University (32 th in the world and 2 nd in Canada in the ranking QS Top Universities 201 8 ) and the University of Montreal (130 th in the world, 5 th in Canada ).

   Continuing training or professional retraining is widely accepted and encouraged in Quebec, which is not always the case elsewhere; the curricula show diversity and flexibility, for example in the possibility of taking distance courses. The student visa also supports international mobility by allowing students to work part-time while studying , but also to work for a while at the end of their studies .

Low costs and quality of life

   The attractiveness of Montreal is no longer to prove. The city is 4 th in the standings QS Best Student Cities 2018 after 1 st in 2017, it retains first place in the ranking of North America. This ranking takes into account criteria such as desirability, the cost of living and education, and the student experience (new criterion this year, and Montréal scores a fine mark for the importance of arts and culture, conviviality and the diversity).

   As for the cost of living and education, if Montreal is 39 th in the world, it is the one offering the most affordable costs in North America. Compared to the United States, where immigration conditions have tightened considerably, "the immigration process is facilitated for students who want to settle in Quebec in a definitive way," explains Julie Brunet of Montreal International.

   Finally, if the metropolis is so well classified, it is also for the activity of its employers; the job market is indeed particularly dynamic. Some sectors and courses attract many French because they will allow them to easily go from a program of studies to a job.

   According to Montréal International, French students first enroll in Business Administration (13.7%), Political Science (6.8%) and Engineering (5.5%). "Many engineering schools in France have partnerships with universities here," says Kodeh.