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ISS will be closed Dec 24th at 12pm until January 2nd. We re-open January 3rd.

ISS is available virtually and in-person Mondays-Fridays during business hours.

iStep

Now You've Graduated

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

Additionally,many unitsoffer alumni services for a certain period of time after graduation, and someoffer lifetime access.
For example,۲ݮƵ Alumni who graduatewith either a Bachelors, Masters or Ph.D. are eligiblefor free lifetime access to the“myFuture”job search and career tools suite.

Alumni alsohave free access to all CaPS servicesforone yearafter 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.)

Knowing Your Rights

Workplace Regulations:

Theresources below will help you understandthe legal frameworks of Canada's and Quebec'sjob markets to better protect yourself in the workplace.

List of resources

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

    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 notoffer less. Employers must respect the standards set out in the Act.Statements in work contracts that give an employee less than what is in the Act are not valid.

  • :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’s Act Respecting Labour Standards. It provides specific information about labour laws in ϳé.

Salary Negotiation& Salary Search Websites:

Salary negotiations are important – both when you’re first offered a job and during performance reviews.

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

Information for Spouses and Families

Childcare

  • Daycare: Find out the types of daycares, how to register, childcare tax credits andbenefits.
  • Schooling: Findinformation about schooling in Quebec.

Open Work Permit for Spouses and Family Members

  • Under certain circumstances, a spouseor family memberof someone workingtemporarily in Canada (ex. holding a PGWP or any work permit) may be eligible for anopen work permit. Find out .

Adapting to Quebec as a Worker

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

List of resources

  • ​offerspractical information about administrative procedures, housing, employment, health services, etc. in Montreal.
  • : an overview of Quebec society and its values.
  • (in French only)
  • :Free conference at Palais des Congrès focusing onjob search assistance, settlement, employment and recruitment, education and training, entrepreneurship, opportunities outside Montreal, culture, and recreational activities.

In addition, MIFI (Ministry of Immigration, Frenchisation and Inclusion) has workshops andinfo sessions for newcomers to Quebec. These workshops familiarize you withthe job market and the job searchprocess.

Most become available once you obtain yourCertificat de sélection du ϳé (CSQ).

List of workshops from MIFI

  • :The Premières démarches d’installation session is intended for immigrants. It lasts three hours and is presented in French throughout ϳé.
    The information session takes you through the steps for settling in ϳé upon your arrival.
  • :This session is intended for newcomers to ϳé who master French and have obtained, or are in the process of obtaining permanent residency. The total duration of the session is 24hours and is given during the day in Montréal, Laval, Longueuil, ϳé City and Gatineau. The session is also given on evenings and weekends bycertain partner organizations in Montréal.
  • a free and personalized service offered to immigrants.
  • :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 discoverthe Quebec work environment at your own pace, familiarize yourself with the first steps towards getting settled, explore ϳé’s regions, and learn about the common values of ϳé society.

External Resources

CV and cover letter advising &other workshops

These off-campus resources will help youseekemployment,including drop-in and by-appointmentCV andcoverletter advising, career counselling, mock interviews, workshops, and more.

List of resources

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

Employment Assistance Services

If you're looking forsome help inboosting your chances of career success, the measureprovides 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) orEmploi-ϳé 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 requireslong-term dedication. Using Frenchatwork might be a different experience than using French in the classroom.Here are some resources that can help you further improve your professional French:

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

Other resources

  • Certain (for example, )
  • :French For Job Seekers -$75. This intensive, four-week course is specifically designed for learners withbasic knowledge of the French language. Emphasis isplaced 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.
  • ۲ݮƵ School of Continuing Studies: Part-time, intensive, or professional courses.

Completing Essential Documents After Graduation

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 awork permit, RAMQ health insurance, and permanent residency.

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 theGST/HST tax credit, theCanada child benefitand theworking income tax benefit.

If you missed the workshop series: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 afreetax preparation clinic near you.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.

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 andmaintained status.

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

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