Claudia & James(40)

James and I met at a conference in Brussels. He is Canadian, raised in Quebec City, working as an international relations consultant. After three years of long-distance — him in Quebec, me in Leiden — we decided to live together. The choice fell on Quebec City because James' entire family lives there and his company is based there.

Quebec has its own immigration system, separate from federal Express Entry. The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) has its own criteria and point system. Being married to a Canadian citizen helped but was no guarantee — Quebec selects based on occupation, language skills, age and adaptability. My French knowledge was crucial: Quebec gives maximum points for French proficiency.

I had studied French as a minor in Leiden, but Quebec French is very different from Parisian French. I took an intensive course at Université Laval through the MIDI program (Ministère de l'Immigration) that offers free language classes to newcomers. After six months I could manage daily situations, after a year I conducted business conversations. The Quebecer accent remains a challenge — "tu" becomes "tsu", "pas" becomes "pa" and slang like "tabarnac" you just have to learn.

Quebec City is a fairytale. The old city (Vieux-Québec) with its cobblestones, fortification walls and Chateau Frontenac is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Beyond the tourist core it's a livable city with good neighborhoods, affordable houses and excellent schools. We bought a house in Sainte-Foy for CAD 350,000 — comparable to a family home in Leiden, but with an enormous garden and double garage.

The Quebec health system (RAMQ — Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec) covers all basic care. Wait times for a family doctor are long — I was on a waitlist for nine months. In the meantime I used CLSCs (Centres locaux de services communautaires) for basic care and walk-in clinics for urgent matters. The system works but requires patience.

After three years I speak fluent French, have started my own translation agency (Dutch-French-English is a rare combination) and feel at home in Quebec culture. Quebec is not Canada — it's a nation within a nation, with its own values, traditions and a pride in the French language you must respect. My advice: if you emigrate to Quebec, learn French. Not as a formality, but as a commitment. The Quebecers will appreciate it — and your life will be infinitely richer for it.