Moving to Canada with your family

🏡 S’expatrier au Canada avec sa famille, c’est l’opportunité de découvrir un nouveau pays, une nouvelle culture et d’offrir à ses enfants une meilleure qualité de vie. Avec un système éducatif de haut niveau, une sécurité renforcée et de nombreuses opportunités professionnelles, le Canada est l’une des destinations les plus prisées pour les familles.

💡 Vous souhaitez partir au Canada en famille mais ne savez pas par où commencer ? Pas de panique ! Voici un guide complet pour vous aider à préparer chaque étape de votre expatriation.

Qui sommes-nous ?

Chez Maplr, nous sommes spécialisés dans le recrutement international et l’accompagnement des talents Tech souhaitant s’expatrier au Canada. Depuis notre création, nous avons aidé de nombreuses familles à réussir leur projet d’expatriation, en les accompagnant à chaque étape : obtention du permis de travail, démarches administratives, recherche de logement et intégration professionnelle.

Nous savons que partir vivre au Canada en famille est une grande aventure, et c’est pourquoi nous mettons tout en œuvre pour rendre cette transition simple et sereine pour vous et vos proches.

Comment obtenir un permis de travail pour s’expatrier au Canada en famille ?

L’un des premiers éléments à prendre en compte est le type de permis de travail dont vous aurez besoin. Si vous partez en famille, le permis de travail fermé peut être une excellente option.

🔹 Pourquoi choisir un permis fermé ?
✅ Votre conjoint(e) pourra obtenir un permis de travail ouvert.
✅ Vos enfants auront accès au système scolaire et de santé publique sans période de carence.
✅ Vous serez éligible à l’assurance maladie publique (RAMQ au Québec).

☝️ A closed permit will also make you eligible for the public health system. If you're moving abroad with children who are minors, they will automatically have access to the public health and education system, with no waiting period. 

To obtain a closed permit such as the Young Professionals Permit or theEIMT, you need a promise of employment from a Canadian employer. Don't hesitate to consult theImmigration Canada to find out which type of permit is best suited to your family expatriation project.

Moving to Canada with your family | What to do before you leave?

Carrying out a health check :

Once you've arrived in Canada, it will take a little time for you and your family to build up your new network of healthcare professionals. To avoid unpleasant surprises when you arrive, it's always a good idea to carry out a medical check-up for all family members before you leave! This will also enable you to collect your health diaries and your various prescriptions.

Preparing your expatriation budget : 

An expatriation project comes with its share of expenses. Let's face it, expatriating as a family also adds extra expenses. You'll need to buy plane tickets for all family members, for example. You'll also need to find a temporary and permanent apartment big enough to accommodate the whole family, buy equipment for the different seasons, make school purchases and so on. You'll need to budget accordingly! 

🙌 Maplr community member tip:
Get a travel bank card. Using a foreign bank card in Canada will incur fees. Using a travel card like Revolut or N26 then becomes an interesting alternative. You can use this type of card during your first few days in Canada while waiting for your Canadian accounts to be opened and your funds transferred.

In fact, we wrote an article on the Canadian banking system. 

Find out about the different services :

Moving to a new country means that you and your family will be discovering a new health and education system. So it's best to gather as much information as possible before you leave!

Are you immigrating to Quebec with your family on a closed work permit? You and your partner can join the Régie d'assurance maladie du Québec. Your minor children (under 18) will also be eligible. It's important to find out in advance what is and isn't covered by this plan.

The city, and more specifically the neighborhood, in which you decide to settle is also very important. These variables will determine which schools and daycares will be eligible for your children. Indeed, in Quebec, it's the geographic area in which you live that determines which schools and daycares are available for your children.

Do you and your family have your heart set on Montreal for your expatriation project? Don't hesitate to consult our article on Montreal's different neighborhoods to find out which one best suits your lifestyle and search criteria.

Getting your plane tickets :

Once you've obtained your work permit, you can finally start shopping for your plane tickets! We always recommend waiting until the work permit process is complete before buying your plane tickets, to avoid complications. It's always possible that administrative delays or delays in receiving the permit may be longer than expected. If not, make sure you buy changeable or refundable tickets.

To find the most advantageous option, using a price comparator like Ulysse is always useful! Within the Maplr community, the most popular airlines are : Air Canada, Air France and Air Transat for a more economical option. 

As a work permit holder, you won't need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). In fact, your AVE will already be included in the letter of introduction linked to your work permit. However, your spouse and children will each need their own AVE.

Get your travel insurance :

Depending on the work permit you hold, you may be required to take out travel insurance. This is the case, for example, for a young professional work permit. This insurance must protect you for the entire duration of your work permit. It's important to check the eligibility criteria of your work permit to see if it applies to you!

You will find interesting information in our article ontravel insurance in Canada.

Please note that if you fail to obtain one, immigration may reserve the right to refuse you entry orshorten the duration of your work permit.

This insurance must cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation costs in the event of serious illness, injury or death. This insurance will also cover you during the three-month RAMQ waiting period. 

The obligation to have private travel insurance will not apply to your spouse. However, the three-month waiting period will also apply. Your spouse can take out private insurance such as Blue Cross or Manulife during these first months. 

Prepare all necessary documents:

Here are all the documents you'll need to prepare for you and your family's arrival in France!

Please note that these documents must be printed, not scanned onto your phone... so you'll need to print them out.

🧳 We also recommend that you pack the following items:

• Adapters for American electrical outlets;
• Your driving licences ;
• Keep your health records up to date. 

*If you are married, you can present your marriage certificate to immigration. Otherwise, you can prove your common-law status.

** A birth certificate is required when registering a child for school or daycare.

Several proofs can be used:

• a lease in both your names;
• joint bank account ;
• tax return.

Note that a PACS is not recognized in Canada, but your form can be used as proof. You can also fill out a signed de facto union form at your nearest town hall.

Want more reasons to move to Canada with your family in 2023? Don't hesitate to consult our article on the advantages and disadvantages of living in Canada.

Moving to Canada with your family | What to do once you arrive?

Congratulations! 🎉 You and your family have now arrived in Canada! It's the beginning of a wonderful adventure. To settle in comfortably, there are still a few steps to prioritize.

Recover your NAS : 

A Social Insurance Number ( SIN ) is essential for working legally in Canada. So apply for yours and your partner's as soon as possible! To apply for a SIN, you'll need to go to a Service Canada office nearest you.

You will need to bring the following documents with you: 

• Passport (ID);
• Proof of address in Canada (permanent or temporary);
• Your work permit.

You'll get your SIN directly after the appointment. Your children will be on the territory with visitor records, so they won't need a SIN, unless they become permanent residents one day or wish to take up student employment later on.

Register your family with the Régie d'assurance maladie du Québec : 

As mentioned earlier, holders of a closed permit for more than six months are eligible for RAMQ (if you choose to expatriate to Quebec). If this is your case, you'll need to register yourself and your family! This plan covers most medical expenses, such as visits to the doctor, hospitalization and part of the cost of medication. You can register online!

Please note Once you've registered, there's a three-month waiting period for you and your spouse. Your private travel insurance will protect you during this period. Don't forget that this waiting period does not apply to children!

Register your children for daycare or school: 

Au Québec, les enfants peuvent être accueillis en garderie dès leur plus jeune âge et ce, jusqu’à leur entrée à l’école à cinq ans. Si votre enfant est en âge d’aller à la garderie, il est essentiel de l’inscrire le plus tôt possible, car les places sont limitées.

📌 Comment trouver une place en garderie ?
L’inscription se fait via la plateforme officielle La Place 0-5 ans, qui regroupe toutes les informations sur les quatre types de services de garde reconnus au Québec :
✔️ CPE (Centres de la Petite Enfance) : Établissements subventionnés avec des éducateurs qualifiés.
✔️ Garderies privées subventionnées ou non subventionnées.
✔️ Services de garde en milieu familial : Accueil dans un cadre plus restreint.

N’attendez pas la dernière minute pour inscrire votre enfant, les listes d’attente peuvent être longues, surtout dans les grandes villes comme Montréal et Québec !

🙌 Conseil des membres de la communauté Maplr :

In Quebec age five that children enter the school system at kindergarten. If you decide to move to Montreal with your family, you'll need to use the Center de services scolaires de Montréal (CSSDM) to register your children for school. This platform is used to register for preschool (kindergarten) through to high school. In the public system, primary and secondary education are offered free of charge. School admission is determined by the student's address. Public schools are obliged to admit students from their respective geographical areas.

To register your children for school, you'll need the following documents: 

• Documents received by the Ministère de l'Immigration du Québec (the child's AND the parents' documents);
• The child's birth certificate ;
• Proof of residence to enroll the child in the local school.

Equip yourself for colder weather:

S’expatrier au Canada en famille, c’est aussi l’opportunité de vivre un véritable hiver nordique ! Entre les premières neiges, les balades en raquettes, les descentes en luge et les soirées au coin du feu, l’hiver canadien offre des moments inoubliables pour toute la famille.

Mais pour en profiter sans grelotter, il est essentiel d’être bien équipé ! 🧣🧤

Vivre l’aventure de l’expatriation en famille

If you're thinking of moving abroad with your family, Canada is the obvious choice. From education and professional opportunities to quality of life and work/family balance, this country opens its doors to you and your family, offering a unique experience.

Do you work in the IT sector and are you planning to move abroad soon? Don't hesitate to apply for our support program ! Maplr may be able to help you and your family make the most of your new life in Canada!