Moving to Quebec from Syria: what changes in your file

Three things that change when you come from Syria

• Refugee sponsorship and resettlement programmes are the most frequent routes: they go through an organisation or group.
• French is the criterion for economic programmes; resettlement includes francisation after arrival.
• Syrian civil status documents are often unavailable: reconstruction and attestations take time.

The real timeline, seen from Syria

• What takes longest: rebuilding records and the sponsorship or resettlement procedures carried by an organisation.
• Work through the sponsoring organisation, not around it: it holds the file, the deadlines and the follow-up.

Documents and how to get them recognised

• **Some official documents are hard to obtain or to legalise**: plan for months, and for alternatives such as attestations rather than a single path.
• **Legalisation or apostille applies per document**: verify each item, because the rule is not uniform.
• **Certified translations by a Quebec-recognised translator** are required for anything not in French or English.
• **Police certificates and civil records expire**: prepare them at filing time, not at the start.

The programmes that concern you

• **French is the Quebec criterion**: starting before departure also opens access to qualified work after arrival.
• **Humanitarian and sponsorship routes have their own channels and delays**: they are carried by an organisation, rarely by an individual alone.
• **Credentials are assessed before any order application**: equivalency, internship and exams, on the order's timeline.

The first six weeks after arrival

• **First documents of daily life**: social insurance number, bank account, health coverage according to status, transit.
• **Housing**: written lease, condition report, and refusal of any rental paid before a visit or a verification of the owner.
• **Children at school**: enrolment happens on arrival, even when school records are missing — ask in writing for a needs assessment.

The first 90 days: what unlocks the rest

• **Secure the identity documents file first**: nothing else moves without it, and reconstruction takes longer than expected.
• **Register for health coverage and open a bank account** in the same week, with private insurance covering the gap.
• **Contact a community organisation** in the first month: it knows which offices answer and which deadlines are real.

Cost of living, and what you will earn

• **The first quarter costs the most**: rent, deposit, furniture, transit and winter clothing, before any stable income.
• **Transfers to family abroad must be budgeted**, not discovered: fees and rates vary widely.
• **The first job may be below your qualification**: keep a reserve of several months while credentials are assessed.

Related pages

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