Everything you need to know about living, working or studying in Montreal

Your first impressions of a city will always be subjective, so it’s difficult to make an objective list of the positive and negative sides of Montreal. Drop a comment below if you disagree with any of our pros or cons!

The pros of life in Montreal

• An economically dynamic city, where the chances of a job offer are higher than in other, smaller cities
• A culturally rich city, where everyone is welcome
• Always lots going on
• A good location for exploring the province of Quebec, eastern Canada (the Atlantic provinces), Ontario and the American east coast (New York, New England, etc.)
• Many flight connections to Latin America, Western Canada and mainland US
• Being able to get around the city without needing to buy a car
• A green metropolis with numerous parks.

The cons of life in Montreal

• The traffic! Rush hour can be difficult to avoid if you don’t work close to home
• Permanent roadworks and noise can be unpleasant, whether you are a driver, pedestrian or cyclist
• The cost of living has skyrocketed in recent years, where it is no longer easy to find accommodation at a reasonable price.

Other things to consider

• If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you may want to buy a car, as a lot of the nature in the surrounding areas is outside of the city’s public transport system
• It is the number one destination for French-speakers in Canada. This could be a good thing if you speak French and are looking for companionship, but it could be limiting if you aren’t fluent yet. You may also struggle to find work if you cannot use the official language.

Some testimonies of life in Montreal

Here are some testimonials from members of the pvtistes community who have chosen Montreal for their IEC permit:

“Where everyone can express themselves through the art that is omnipresent in the city.”
Marie-Charlotte

“Like any city, Montreal has its good and bad sides. I like it because it’s a typically North American city. It is pleasant to walk around here and discover its different neighbourhoods, which can change completely from one street to another. I also like its architecture. But Montreal also knows how to exasperate me with the constant roadworks. We get lost because the signage is poorly thought out and misleading. It’s also a city that isn’t always the most welcoming, especially when people hear my accent. In short, I’m happy to have tried it but I don’t see myself living here for more than a few months; many other things await me elsewhere in Canada!”
Benjamin

“A cosmopolitan, warm and lively city: the best place in Canada!”
Margaux

“Montreal is often tiring, but it becomes sublime and intimate when it is covered in its first snowfall. A white carpet that absorbs noise and enhances its red bricks… Summer is more cheerful, more lively, more colourful, but winter envelops us like a cocoon.”
Isabelle

“A peaceful city full of opportunities.”
Anne Sophie

“For me, living in Montreal also means confronting people who will do anything to get a seat on the metro, even if it means running for a seat (yes, I’ve seen that several times!). We may say that we don’t judge, but I’ve seen a lot of judgement, especially if you’re not 100% bilingual. It’s difficult to live with the judgement every day. I work in recruitment and the number of times I’ve been told, We don’t need him, he’s French and there are already enough of them… even when we know about the labour shortage in Montreal. Montreal is a grey city in winter. The buildings are grey, the sky is grey, the snow is white. My boyfriend’s little sister asked him if he had put a filter on during a video call because she only saw greyscale!”
Chloe and Jerome

“For me, Montreal is like my second home! From the moment I got off the plane until today, I felt at home here. It’s quite rare when a city has that effect on me! Besides the fact that Quebecers are very nice, there is a calming and freeing atmosphere here; everyone is chill. It’s the same atmosphere as holidays, where you feel rested, free from stress and worries. It’s a city on a human scale but it has everything you need. Montreal is open-minded and cosmopolitan. There is always something to do: you never get bored. The bad sides: it’s not the best place to improve your language skills but it is possible; I’m proof of that. And it’s a city that remains quite expensive…”
Raphael