Quebec

[annabruce]

Looking deep into the future ...  after she gives birth .... after we redo the medical ... after she finally gets her PR and card, we were considering a move to other side of the river into Quebec.  Living in Ottawa right now.

If she already has her PR, what steps do I we need to take to move to Quebec?  Do I need to qualify and sign a new sponsorship agreement with the Quebec government?  Does she need to get the, what's it called, "Selection Certificate"?

[AmericaninQuebec]

Most likely yes, if she wants to have access to Quebec's health insurance and government services. Unlike the rest of Canada, Quebec controls who is allowed to immigrate there. Not that she couldn't move and settle there once getting to Canada, but as a permanent resident she would need the certificat de sélection du Québec) to apply for provincial health insurance, French classes, etc.

Usually this is done during the PR application process though, so I'm not certain what the steps would be to obtain the CSQ. You could always try calling MICC and posing your question to them. Hopefully they'll be able to give you some guidance. I'd be curious to hear what they tell you.

[ccbrasil]

Looking deep into the future ...  after she gives birth .... after we redo the medical ... after she finally gets her PR and card, we were considering a move to other side of the river into Quebec.  Living in Ottawa right now.

If she already has her PR, what steps do I we need to take to move to Quebec?  Do I need to qualify and sign a new sponsorship agreement with the Quebec government?  Does she need to get the, what's it called, "Selection Certificate"?

From the research I've done, I understand that once PR is granted and your spouse has landed, it does not matter which province you chose to live. Just like any other resident of Canada if you move from province to province you will have to apply for healthcare but this has nothing to do with immigration anymore. The only thing that may differ is that there are some government programs that are avaiable to new immigrants to Quebec, but again there are programs for Canadians and Permanent residents who relocate to Quebec, which was my case.

If you moved before your spouse's PR is approved and before she has landed, then you would have to consult with immigration ministry of Quebec.

Best thing is to check with MICC if you still have questions, but I doubt you would have any issues or have to apply for CSQ

[AmericaninQuebec]

From the research I've done, I understand that once PR is granted and your spouse has landed, it does not matter which province you chose to live. Just like any other resident of Canada if you move from province to province you will have to apply for healthcare but this has nothing to do with immigration anymore. The only thing that may differ is that there are some government programs that are avaiable to new immigrants to Quebec, but again there are programs for Canadians and Permanent residents who relocate to Quebec, which was my case.

If you moved before your spouse's PR is approved and before she has landed, then you would have to consult with immigration ministry of Quebec.

Best thing is to check with MICC if you still have questions, but I doubt you would have any issues or have to apply for CSQ

That was my first thought, but then I wondered if perhaps she might not need CSQ for the provincial healthcare. This is the language from RAMQ (Quebec health insurance) about how to apply for Health insurance in Quebec when moving there from another province (http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citoyens/assurancemaladie/arriver/autre_prov.shtml):

Permanent residents

Permanent residents must attach to their form the original of:

    their Canadian immigration document attesting to their permanent resident status;
    their Québec selection certificate, in most cases.

Based on that I would say that there is at least a chance that they would need to get a CSQ, especially since this is on the page regarding how to apply when moving to Quebec from another province not from outside of the country.

The OP should either contact MICC or RAMQ (or both) to see what they say.


ETA: On a related note, always assume with Quebec that things aren't the same as they are elsewhere in Canada. The provincial government usually adds an extra step to everything here so that they can claim they are in control.  

[annabruce]

Thanks.

Yes, it is very unclear isn't it.

Looks like my wife is no longer thrilled with the idea of going to Quebec, so maybe it isn't an issue afterall.  She was just telling me about friends of hers in Quebec complaining about the terrible medical system.  Not sure if there is any truth to this.

[AmericaninQuebec]

Thanks.

Yes, it is very unclear isn't it.

Looks like my wife is no longer thrilled with the idea of going to Quebec, so maybe it isn't an issue afterall.  She was just telling me about friends of hers in Quebec complaining about the terrible medical system.  Not sure if there is any truth to this.

I can't speak to the rest of Canada's medical systems, but in Quebec the average time on a waiting list to get a doctor is 2 to 3 yrs. If you don't have a doctor you have to go to a walk-in clinic, and the wait time to see a doctor at the clinic can be up to 4 hrs. There's a pretty long wait time for any surgeries, specialists, etc. not considered critical or urgent. I did learn the other day though that if you're pregnant you can get an ob-gyn right away by calling a local hospital, but he/she is not allowed to see you or treat you for anything outside of the pregnancy.

Coming from the U.S. the wait times drive me absolutely batty (on the flip side it boggles my husband's mind when I can call a doctor in the U.S. and have an appointment the same week, lab work done the same day, and results the very next), but I pay through the nose for my U.S. health insurance in comparison to what everyone pays in Quebec.

[ddobro2]

Don't attempt to land in Quebec (MICC calls these "cas frontieres" or border cases). If you land outside the province, don't write a Quebec address on the form you fill out for your PR card as Mississauga will doubtably issue you one without a CSQ. Also less of a big deal, but still important: don't move to Quebec immediately upon landing. This makes it seem as if your initial intent was always to live in Quebec, which you need to go through the proper procedure to apply for, and you chose to hide that fact to circumvent dealing with the Quebec government. I'm not saying you'll definetely get in trouble, but you can see how they really don't appreciate that.

Once you are both well established in your new home and your wife has her PR card (best wishes on the coming bundle of joy, btw), she will be free to go anywhere in Canada as all permanent residents do. She does not HAVE to apply for a CSQ upon establishing herself in Quebec but if she wants to take advantage of Quebec's services, such as the RAMQ health plan and the Francisation programs, she does need to pay up the $490 and apply to MICC. For the RAMQ coverage, for instance, that website says that when applying for a card, PRs should attach to the registration form the original of "their Canadian immigration document attesting to their permanent resident status;
their Québec selection certificate, in most cases." I don't know what the "in most cases" qualifier might mean but I think it's probably best to apply for the CSQ. I'm also fairly confident that you cannot get access to Francisation courses without the CSQ.

Good luck.

Looking deep into the future ...  after she gives birth .... after we redo the medical ... after she finally gets her PR and card, we were considering a move to other side of the river into Quebec.  Living in Ottawa right now.

If she already has her PR, what steps do I we need to take to move to Quebec?  Do I need to qualify and sign a new sponsorship agreement with the Quebec government?  Does she need to get the, what's it called, "Selection Certificate"?