Plan your arrival

Great news: you have been admitted to the ITHQ! It’s now time to prepare for your arrival.

Immigration process

Depending on your country of origin, this process can take up to 6 months. That is why it is important to request a study permit in Québec and Canada as soon as you receive your acceptance letter from the ITHQ.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Find out about the current processing times and fees.
2. Make sure that your passport is valid, as you will be asked for it.
3. Submit a request for a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies with the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec (MIFI).
4. Once you have received your Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), apply for a study permit and a co-op work permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Living expenses and financial capacity

To obtain authorization to study in Québec, candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to cover their tuition fees, health and hospitalization insurance, transportation costs (round trip from their country of origin), installation costs for the first year, and living expenses for the duration of their stay.

• To help you estimate the financial resources needed for your stay, consult the estimate of living expenses established by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec (MIFI).
• In addition to education costs, you must budget for the purchase of uniforms, internships travel expenses, etc. For more details about education costs, refer to the Program fee calculator.
• Please note that international students are not eligible for the Government of Québec loans and bursaries program.

Entry requirements for Canada

Here are the official documents that you must present when you arrive in Canada: 

• A valid passport
• Your Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies
• Your study permit, your co-op work permit or an introduction letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (if necessary)
• A temporary resident visa (TRV) or electronic travel authorization (eTA), if applicable
• Your official acceptance letter from the ITHQ

You must also make sure that you meet the health requirements for travel to Canada at the time of your trip. 

Make your arrival a snap!

Accueil Plus is a free service for new international students arriving at Montréal-Trudeau airport to study at a Québec university or college.

This service offers:

• Streamlined procedures with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• A reception service of the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec (MIFI).
• An information booth at the airport

Once you have your letter of approval to come to Canada and your plane ticket to Montréal, register online to make your arrival to the country that much easier.

Insurance

International students must have health and hospitalization insurance for the duration of their studies. If your country does not have a social security agreement with Québec, you will have to pay for the mandatory private insurance chosen by the ITHQ, as shown on your ColNET student account. This insurance protects you in Québec and, under certain conditions, in the country or countries where you do your internships. 

Housing

To find an apartment, roommate or spot in a student residence, refer to this list of useful resources about housing in Montréal.

Living in Montréal

The ITHQ international student service will invite you soon to participate in information webinars about your host city. You can also take part in orientation activities when you arrive.

In the meantime, here are some useful links to help you get to know your host city and province:

• Period of study in Québec
• I choose Montréal – Greater Montréal’s international students portal

Support service for international students

The ITHQ offers a free personalized service to all international students admitted to one of its programs, including support to facilitate your immigration process.

A few days after you get your admission result, a member of our team will contact you to tell you about our services.

Our team is here to support you at every stage of your study project: don’t hesitate to call on us if you have any questions!