Moving to Montreal

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec in Canada, and is known as one of the most popular French speaking cities outside of France. Today, Montreal is a multi-lingual and bustling city where most people speak both French and English and you will find both Parisian and North American culture blended to make for an exciting place to live. But you might be looking for moving to Montreal tips if you are planning on moving to the region. We have put together a guide on how to move to Montreal so that you have everything you need when making your move.

What to Expect from Montreal

As mentioned, Montreal has transformed in recent years to be a truly multi-lingual city with more than 56% of the population speaking both French and English. The city was traditionally seen as split between East and West for English and French speakers, but there is much more integration in the modern city. Montreal is just 60km from the US border and a short 1.5 hour flight from New York City. You can expect Montreal to have all the North American traits with the Parisian influence of bistros and bakeries.

This mix of cultures creates a blend of high culture and fun in a bustling business-orientated city. The city is home to lots of high industry firms from pharmaceuticals, aerospace, telecom and software industries. Montreal was known as the business capital of Canada for many years and, although recently taken over by Toronto, it still remains a huge centre for business.

Moving to Montreal from the UK

You can move to Montreal from the UK to live and work with the express entry visa process. The most common way to move to Montreal is through the Skilled Worker visa program. If you are working on a short assignment you can visit Canada without a visa for up to 6 months. However, unlike the rest of Canada, Quebec and Montreal are French speaking provinces so it is a good idea to make an effort in learning the basics if you don’t know them already.

If you are moving to Montreal with Children that don’t speak French, there are more than 40 elementary and 17 secondary schools offering education in an English curriculum. The Quebec government offers free online courses and free weekly tuition for permanent residents too, so you can learn French while living in the city. Another factor you should take into account is that although it has a smaller population than London, the area of the city is much larger so you should check out each area and make sure you choose the right one to suit your needs.

Is it Expensive to Live in Montreal?

One of the biggest concerns when moving to a new country and city is whether the cost of living will be different to what you are used to. We have plenty of advice on saving money with a global move in our blog, so make sure to have a read before making any decisions. It can often come as a shock moving abroad if you don’t plan for certain expenses, as it can dramatically change your quality of life. That’s why we have put together a guide to living expenses when compared with London, often considered one of the most expensive cities to live in.

Overall, you can see that the cost of living in Montreal is generally much cheaper than you might expect in London, although it is more expensive for some groceries. If you have a comparable salary in Montreal to the London equivalent, then you will find you have a much higher rate of disposable income than you would do living in London.

These are some top tips to consider when you are thinking about moving to Montreal but there are plenty of other things you should consider too. Make sure you look into the regions of Montreal and find the right neighbourhood for you and your family. You should also consider how you are moving all of your belongings to a new country. GMS Move provides a comprehensive range of international removal services and advice to people worldwide. We can help make sure your move runs smoothly and you have thought about everything you need for your move.