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Moving to Montreal or other major cities in Canada is one of the first steps in becoming a Canadian citizen. Whether you do it for the job offers, better education, or just quality of life, gaining permanent residency takes time and proper planning.
But on the same note, don’t overlook the moving requirements either. At Nobel Relocation, we have specialized in international moving solutions, able to offer a full moving package. We’ve always put customer service first, so our popularity has grown with word of mouth.
But before introducing you to our services, here’s what living in Montreal actually means.
If you’d like the architecture and lifestyle of Europe, Montreal is the closest you can get to it without actually traveling to Europe. Most people who move to Montreal do it for the jobs and quality of life, but the architecture and lifestyle are just as attractive.
Montreal is a popular destination for Americans, who are generally welcome there. It’s a French speaking area, but you don’t need to speak French in order to accommodate. Moreover, pretty much every French speaker can speak English as well.
Generally speaking, Montreal is about 13% cheaper than the USA, regardless of what city in the USA you come from. Restaurants and groceries are 5% to 13% cheaper, yet public transportation is about 3% more expensive.
Housing, rent and childcare make the difference, though. Housing is 40% cheaper in Montreal, whether you’re there on a temporary basis or as a permanent resident.
Compared to other big cities, Montreal is also around 40% cheaper than Toronto, 19% more expensive than Quebec and 20% cheaper than Vancouver.
Montreal is the biggest city in Canada where the cost of living is comparable to a small town. It’s also much cheaper than Calgary.
You can stay in Canada for 180 days without requiring a visa, whether you’re in an English or French speaking province. You can exceed six months with an immigration visa. The same rule applies to Montreal, Quebec or any other city. Your age is irrelevant to the government.
Becoming a citizen means you need permanent residence first for five years. To become a permanent resident, you’ll need to go for one of the following visas:
Getting a permanent job, mainly suitable for skilled workers in most places.
Family sponsorship, suitable for those with a family member living in Montreal.
Startup visa, ideal for those who don’t have a job or aren’t looking for jobs, but want to start a business and live in Montreal.
Provincial nominee programs, available through a program and only offered by certain provinces. Quebec has its own rules for this program.
Express entry, suitable for immigrants with education and skills, who can be invited for permanent residence in the country based on a score.
Study permit, great for students. You can apply online or in a government building, whether in Montreal, Quebec or whatever area you choose to live in.
Applying for a visa is cheap and takes your specific needs into consideration. You’ll need to complete a form and bring a photo, among other requirements. Also, you can have dual American and Canadian citizenship.
Your status will determine border regulations. You can immigrate and bring your belongings without paying a tax or having to wait, assuming they’ve been owned and used in your former country. Most household items are accepted.
An inventory will also be required to be granted access, not to mention documents proving ownership and use in certain situations. In other words, we don’t recommend bringing things you don’t really need, unless you’re willing to do it for a cost. Do bring your furniture, art and other valuable things though.
All dogs older than three months must come with proof of vaccination against rabies, apart from service or hearing dogs. Other pets also require vaccination, not to mention a passport with a photo to qualify for approval. The passport must be in English.
Apart from a few exceptions, vehicles older than 15 years cannot be imported to Canada, so age or manufacturing date is an important consideration. Other than that, you’ll have to pay tax for vehicles imported, not to mention passing an inspection from the RIV.
Quality of life depends on the location you pick in Montreal, so you need to decide very carefully before sealing a deal. Some of the most desirable places to live in Montreal include:
Ville Marie is part of downtown Montreal, a cosmopolitan area in the business district, suitable for every skilled worker looking for a job in various industries. There are lots of restaurants and bars in the area too. Friday and Saturday nights are particularly busy.
Old Montreal is the old part of the city. Housing is a bit limited, but it’s a beautiful area. Planning might be required if you’re thinking of buying land and building a house there.
Griffintown is often associated with the Irish community, so the French language isn’t too popular there.
McGill Ghetto is close to universities, so there are plenty of students who choose to live there.
Despite the high living standards, these places are still cheaper than what you can find in other big cities like Quebec.
Speaking French is important because it can open up many job opportunities. Pretty much every company has a website in French too. French on your CV will help the application as well.
But you don’t need to speak French to move to Montreal, as you’ll get along with English as well.
The climate is often considered a challenge, especially during winter.
If you’ve got kids, international schools are expensive, especially since immigration to Montreal is high. Your kid won’t necessarily have to learn French, since international schools teach in English. You’ll also have to apply early, as the application may take long.
Traffic could also be an issue at rush hour. Streams of vehicles could often cause congestion in the morning or afternoon.
While rent won’t cost a fortune compared to a different big city, such as Quebec or Toronto, it won’t be as cheap as in the rural areas.
From cross country skiing to the classic European lifestyle, every American is eligible to move to Montreal and start a new life. At Nobel Relocation, we’ve moved quite a few clients recently, so the process is straightforward for us. We’re a licensed, insured and approved company specialized in international moves, after all.
While we don’t employ any solicitors or lawyers, we know precisely what kind of paperwork you need for the move, as everything’s published on official websites. We have all the details and can give you some instructions, only to make sure you’re ready. However, you’ll have to obtain such papers yourself.
While you don’t need to speak French, we recommend learning it to gain access to more job opportunities.
Moving to a big city is challenging, be it Montreal, Toronto or Quebec. It makes no difference if you move to Canada for education or work. When you immigrate, moving is the last thing to think about, yet it’s extremely important.
At Nobel Relocation, we understand the significance of this transition. Rather than have you book more services, we offer a full package with numerous extras for immigrants.
Packing and unpacking in our own crates, with our own materials
Furniture assembly and disassembly services
Vehicle transportation, ready and waiting for you at your destination
Storage if your dates don’t match
Everyone’s eligible for our extras. Whether you plan to live in Montreal or you’ll be there for a short period of time, the process is simple if you leave it in professional hands.
Immigration is our specialty. Clients thinking about living in Canada called us months before, whether they moved in the winter or summer. That’s what we recommend. Get in touch with us a few months in advance to play it safe, as immigration is a time consuming process.
Make sure you buy or rent an accommodation, in advance of your move. We need to know what city you’re going to, when you need to move, what you have to move and so on. While many of our clients choose Montreal, the truth is we also offer such services in Quebec, Toronto or any other city in Canada.
We offer a full package to help you move to Montreal or any other city in Canada because we know there’s a lot to think about when moving, so we’ve got you covered. When it comes to education, you have a school program to focus on. If you immigrate to a large city in Canada for work, you’ll need accommodation, a doctor, a school, you name it.
We do everything for you while you take care of other things. And since we know the cost of immigration isn’t low at all, we aim to keep our prices to a minimum. Here’s why you should pick us:
Excellent ratings and reviews from past customers.
Specialized in both local and international moves.
Full package to cover all your needs in one place.
Brief education and guidance on the paperwork you require.
Fast and reliable, we do what we promise to do.
Regular updates throughout the process.
Get in touch with our expert team and based on what you need to move, we’ll give you a free quote on the spot, no obligations whatsoever. We’ll ask you the right questions to ensure the quote is accurate with no hidden costs.
