Hiring teachers in France: A winning strategy in Longueuil

It was a Montréal International webpage that sparked Samir’s interest in the event. As for Emma, she regularly scanned the job offers on our Talent Montréal web portal. She figured the “Journées Québec France-Belgique” event was an opportunity to seize.

Things went very quickly from there on for our two teachers. Shortly after applying, they were contacted by Montréal International: CSS Marie-Victorin‘s team wanted to meet them! The interviews took place online with a recruiter from the school service centre and a school principal.

The stars were aligned. A few weeks later, they received their respective job offers. But were they ready to take the plunge?

Emma Sergent, Teacher, Centre de services scolaires Marie-Victorin

Québec’s calling 

There was no doubt for Emma. She had spent part of her childhood in Québec and made a promise to herself that one day, she would go back. Plus, her husband was ready to follow her. For Samir, it was a family project with its own set of challenges. He had children, a house to manage, and so on. But for him and his wife, the yearning for adventure prevailed.

Besides the obvious cultural and linguistic ties between France and Québec, it seems like our education system held a certain appeal. “Québec is often mentioned in research on pedagogy and didactics”, said Emma. “And the way it prioritizes student well-being. I wanted to put these things into practice.” Samir concurs.

Samir Ouddah, Teacher, Centre de services scolaires Marie-Victorin

Tailor-made support

Moving to another country is a major undertaking. You need to obtain the work permit, to relocate, and, upon your arrival, to adapt to a new environment.

Fortunately, Samir and Emma benefited from personalized support throughout the process: access to online information sessions offered by Montréal International (MI) and support in their immigration process from the CSS Marie-Victorin, which benefited from the services of an immigration lawyer from Montréal International. Integration and relocation services were also offered by their new employer.

New school. New life.

Emma got her contract at École Saint-Joseph at the end of the summer, Samir a few weeks after the start of the school year: kindergarten class for her, 1st grade for him. The school and their new colleagues were ready to welcome them. Samir confirms: “As soon as I arrived, I had an armada of people around me. Two mentor teachers and an amazing school principal determined to make my life easier.”

It was certainly an intense year for both teachers. In addition to moving to a new school, they had to familiarize themselves with a new education system and a new living environment in Québec. But they are both unequivocal: it was all worth it!  “Beyond a job, we found a community,” concludes Emma with a smile.

Isabelle Ross (centre), Principal, École Saint-Joseph, alongside her two hires

A delighted school principal

For the school, it’s also mission accomplished. “When I met Samir and Emma, it was love at first sight, professionally-speaking,” says the principal without hesitation!

For Isabelle Ross, the child’s development is at the heart of everything, and it’s clear that her two new teachers share her vision of an inclusive school where each child is encouraged to develop to the best of his or her abilities.

“Both are committed to meeting the needs of their pupils and mobilize the resources at their disposal to do so. Their day-to-day commitment is praiseworthy.”

Fastforward a year, Samir has been offered a permanent position at École Saint-Joseph, where he now teaches a grade 6 class. Emma still teaches kindergarten, this time at École Monseigneur-Forget. 

Cynthia D’Itri (left) and Vanessa Gomez (right), Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Development Officers, Centre de services scolaires Marie-Victorin

A successful experience for CSS Marie-Victorin

The growing number of students coupled with an aging workforce is increasing the need for teaching staff on the South Shore. Hiring teachers abroad is one of the solutions implemented by the CSS Marie-Victorin to overcome this shortage of qualified talent.

The public institution took part in two international recruitment missions in 2022: Journées Québec France-Belgique* and Journées Québec France**. Cynthia D’Itri and Vanessa Gomez, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Development Officers, describe the experience as a real success.

“The nine teachers in the first cohort completed their first year with us, and to our great delight, they seem happy and fulfilled,” confirms Cynthia. “The second cohort of 15 teachers has just started work.”

Is recruiting abroad difficult? “It’s not as bad as it seems,” replies Vanessa. “You just need to have the right tools and surround yourself with people who know about immigration to provide the right support for recruited candidates. We continue to provide support in the school environment to facilitate the socio-professional integration of our new teachers.”

On the strength of these successes, CSS Marie-Victorin plans to repeat the experience this year. “We really appreciate Montréal International’s services,” concludes Cynthia. “The team listens to our needs and is always available. We were well supported. »

To find out more about Montréal International’s international recruitment and immigration services, click here.

Is your educational institution ready to recruit internationally? You have until September 15 to register for the Journées Québec France. This mission will take place in Paris on December 16 and 17, 2023.

*The Journées Québec France-Belgique event of March 2022 was organized by Montréal International. It was held online.

**The Journées Québec France recruitment events are organized by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec in partnership with Montréal International, Québec International and the Société de développement économique de Drummondville. The December 2022 event was held in Paris.