Moving to Quebec from Japan: what changes in your file

Three things that change when you come from Japan

• Japanese travellers need an electronic travel authorisation by air; work or study requires a permit.
• French is the main barrier; intensive courses exist in Montreal after arrival.
• Japanese credentials are recognised after assessment; regulated trades go through a professional order.

The real timeline, seen from Japan

• What takes longest: credential recognition and learning French, which is not negotiable for Quebec programmes.
• Compare Montreal with Toronto before deciding: the English-only job market is much larger in Ontario, and that is a legitimate factor in your plan.

Documents and how to get them recognised

• **Credential and transcript assessment is unavoidable**: request detailed records (courses, hours, grades) and have them translated before leaving.
• **Legalisation depends on the document and on the country**: check each item, and do not rely on the general rule for all your papers.
• **Certified translations must be recognised in Quebec**: plan them with a service used to Canadian requirements, not only with a local agency.
• **Police certificates expire quickly**: they are the last document to request, not the first to prepare.

The programmes that concern you

• **Verify eligibility and the weight of French first**: it changes a file more than any diploma, and it is the recurring reason strong profiles are refused.
• **Study routes are fast and costly**: tuition, proof of funds, insurance and housing are all required up front, and the post-graduation path has its own conditions.
• **Regulated trades require a Quebec pathway**: equivalency, internships and exams, on the order's schedule rather than yours.

The first six weeks after arrival

• **First week: social insurance number, bank account, transit card, phone.** These four unlock housing, salary and school.
• **Housing**: written lease, photos on entry, no payment before seeing the place — the three rules that prevent the most common scam.
• **Children: enrol at school on arrival**, and ask in writing for a needs assessment if the placement seems below their level.

The first 90 days: what unlocks the rest

• **Register for health coverage in the first days**, even if the card arrives later: the registration date matters.
• **Open a bank account and a credit file together**: a phone or utility account in your name is the simplest way to start.
• **Contact the professional order in month one**: its document list defines the real length of your professional restart.

Cost of living, and what you will earn

• **Housing dominates the budget**: compare two cities before choosing a neighbourhood, and check what utilities are included.
• **Net salary is lower than gross by a wide margin**: calculate before signing a lease.
• **Winter clothing, transit and childcare** are first-year costs that are rarely in the initial plan.

Related pages

• Moving to Quebec: start here
• Moving to Quebec permanently
• Working in Quebec
• Studying in Quebec