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Moving to Montreal - Kids medium of education

Rocky001

Newbie
Feb 28, 2023
2
1
Hello Everyone, I am planning to move to Montreal coming summer with my family. If we are coming with work permit ,

- Do my kids (9th grade and 5th grade) need to attend French school or they are free to go to English mode of education in Elementary and High school through out.
- If they are going to English school, will that be free or Paid.

Please guide.

Thanks!!
 
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Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
45,028
9,582
Hello Everyone, I am planning to move to Montreal coming summer with my family. If we are coming with work permit ,

- Do my kids (9th grade and 5th grade) need to attend French school or they are free to go to English mode of education in Elementary and High school through out.
- If they are going to English school, will that be free or Paid.

Please guide.

Thanks!!
Children will attend a French school. They cannot go to a public English school unless they receive a certificate of eligibility. If you want them to go to an English school and they are not approved then you can send to private school and pay.


http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/en/parents-and-guardians/instruction-in-english/eligibility/
 

Rocky001

Newbie
Feb 28, 2023
2
1
Hi, Thanks for your response! Good to hear, at least we have an option. As we are coming with work permit- 3 years and will apply for PR once we are there.
- Considering my case, do we get the certificate of eligibility. Are there any chances of not getting.
- Does that provide eligibility to complete all 4 years of high school in English school.
- Can we apply for this eligibility before hand.

Apologies for our back to back queries, Appreciate all responses and help !! Please guide !!
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
45,028
9,582
Hi, Thanks for your response! Good to hear, at least we have an option. As we are coming with work permit- 3 years and will apply for PR once we are there.
- Considering my case, do we get the certificate of eligibility. Are there any chances of not getting.
- Does that provide eligibility to complete all 4 years of high school in English school.
- Can we apply for this eligibility before hand.

Apologies for our back to back queries, Appreciate all responses and help !! Please guide !!
Yes. Your kids have to be eligible. Quebec wants students to go to French schools and learn French. Read through the link but you may need to show residency in Quebec first. One child may be approved and one may not. Thinking 5th grader may not be approved. Child is young and can learn French. Look at English private schools and if you for certain want them to go to English school then you may want to live in an area near a private school.
 
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Basher68

Star Member
Mar 10, 2017
124
14
Hello Everyone, I am planning to move to Montreal coming summer with my family. If we are coming with work permit ,

- Do my kids (9th grade and 5th grade) need to attend French school or they are free to go to English mode of education in Elementary and High school through out.
- If they are going to English school, will that be free or Paid.

Please guide.

Thanks!!
Hi,

Yes they are eligible to go to English schools when you come with work permit. You can check the website of (English Montreal School Board).

Good luck.
 
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Reactions: Rocky001

Copingwithlife

VIP Member
Jul 29, 2018
4,494
2,264
Earth
Hi,

Yes they are eligible to go to English schools when you come with work permit. You can check the website of (English Montreal School Board).

Good luck.
It’s not that simple

https://www.emsb.qc.ca/emsb/admissions/eligibility/temporary-residents

If they become PR, the jig is up

“If your family’s status in Canada changes to Permanent Resident or a Certificat de séléction du Québec (CSQ) has been obtained, the Certificate of Eligibility cannot be renewed.”

It’s better to start learning now
 

powereng1982

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2021
880
374
42
Canada
It’s not that simple

https://www.emsb.qc.ca/emsb/admissions/eligibility/temporary-residents

If they become PR, the jig is up

“If your family’s status in Canada changes to Permanent Resident or a Certificat de séléction du Québec (CSQ) has been obtained, the Certificate of Eligibility cannot be renewed.”

It’s better to start learning now
He does not need to learn French, if he intend to apply PR under Canadian Experienced Class. He will need to leave Quebec
 

PowderedT0astMan

Star Member
Dec 22, 2022
79
34
Montreal
Category........
WP
It really depends on how long you're planning to stay in Quebec, and how likely your older child is to pick up the language quickly.

What the others say is mostly correct. The English public schools are primarily for historical Anglophones (English speakers) who are from Canada. So if you're from anywhere in Canada, and you went to school in English, then your child is therefore eligible to go to school in English. But if you went to school in English anywhere else (US, England, Australia), then your child is not eligible, and must go to school in French (unless you want to pay for private).

As a person here on a temporary work permit, your children can attend school in English. If you are coming on the work permit for three years, then leaving, it may be worth it to go through the hoops required to get your kids to be able to go to school in English.

However, even if you do that, if you decide to become PR, then your children will have to switch to a French school, unless you want to pay for private English school. It may make sense, depending on your circumstances and the timing of it, to have your older child go to school in English (public), and then wait to file for PR until your older child has finished school. But your younger child won't finish school by the time you're applying for PR, so for them, unless you want to pay for private English school, you can enroll them in French school. (Although one thing to think about is if you hope that your family, including your older child, will really settle permanently in Quebec, it would be very difficult for them to find a job without any French.)

Feel free to DM me about any of this, I've been here for 3.5 years, and have a 6 year old child, so I've done a bit of research into this.
 

powereng1982

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2021
880
374
42
Canada
At the time I enrolled my 8 years old kid at primary school, my kid was given option whether to study in English or Frech. Staff was very supportive and suggested us to choose French. With zero backgrounf in French, we parents were very stressed if choosing of French language would affect his interest and growth in education. After staff satisfied us with their methods of teaching for new comers, we decided French for our kid.

Its his second year at a French school and he is very fluent in French. Moreover, he is now helping us in learning this language. After seeing his progress, we also enrolled our 4 years old kid in the same school. Both kids are happy and we too.

I have many of friends who left Quebec mainly because of their kids. They did not take risk of enrolling their kids in French. Based on own personal experience, I recommend and suggest parents to enrolling your kids iat French schools.Despite yet we parents are very weak in this language, we have decided to permanently settle in Quebec.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,552
At the time I enrolled my 8 years old kid at primary school, my kid was given option whether to study in English or Frech. Staff was very supportive and suggested us to choose French. With zero backgrounf in French, we parents were very stressed if choosing of French language would affect his interest and growth in education. After staff satisfied us with their methods of teaching for new comers, we decided French for our kid.

Its his second year at a French school and he is very fluent in French. Moreover, he is now helping us in learning this language. After seeing his progress, we also enrolled our 4 years old kid in the same school. Both kids are happy and we too.

I have many of friends who left Quebec mainly because of their kids. They did not take risk of enrolling their kids in French. Based on own personal experience, I recommend and suggest parents to enrolling your kids iat French schools.Despite yet we parents are very weak in this language, we have decided to permanently settle in Quebec.
Seen many parents panic and consider crazy things like splitting up the family so children can attend school in English. It is actually a huge benefit for children to be able to be fluent in English and in French. Longterm it will lead to many more job opportunities especially in the federal government. Many who study in French in Quebec end up pursuing college or university in English. Many have stated that “Quebec is ruining their child’s future” by requiring children of PRs to attend French schooling. Most kids can easily learn new languages. The Quebec education system has a French influence and European education and I think it tends to be more challenging and well rounded although it always depends on the school and the teacher. In a large portion of Canada parents try to secure a French immersion program for their children because they feel that students who can’t adapt to French immersion end up n English only schools (especially in elementary school). In reality relatively new immigrants used to register for primarily English schooling but the trend has changed to a preference for French immersion.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,552
Hello Everyone, I am planning to move to Montreal coming summer with my family. If we are coming with work permit ,

- Do my kids (9th grade and 5th grade) need to attend French school or they are free to go to English mode of education in Elementary and High school through out.
- If they are going to English school, will that be free or Paid.

Please guide.

Thanks!!
As others have stated as a WP holder your children qualify for English schooling. If you have any intention of remaining in Canada I would suggest registering for French school so they can transfer to French schooling at any early age. It becomes much harder to change to French especially closer to high school graduation. Even if you don’t plan on remaining in Quebec longterm, learning French will benefit your children longterm especially when it comes to job oppprtunitiesGovernments often requires people to be bilingual. Teachers that can teach in French are sought after throughout Canada at the moment for example. For your youngest child they should easily be able to adapt to a French school. Within weeks they will be talking in French and by the end of the year they will be fluent. When it comes to your eldest you will need to think of your longterm plans as well as their longterm plans. Definitely possible to change to French at this point a.thought takes mor effort than when you’re in kindergarten or grade one. Actually qualified for English education in Quebec through one of my parents but attended French school for the majority of elementary and high school.