Many people know Quebec City primarily as a tourist destination, and in fact, it draws more than 4.5 million visitors every year. The only fortified city in North America whose walls are still standing, Old Quebec is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation contest named Quebec’s Old City one of the seven wonders of Canada.

Tourism accounts for many jobs, but if you’re thinking of living in Quebec City, you’ll find employment options beyond the tourism business. More than 40,000 people work in government–Quebec City is the provincial capital–and the region has increasing opportunities in technology, including software, lasers, robotics, biomedical sciences and pharmaceuticals, environmental technology, and telecommunications.

With a population of about 720,000, Quebec isn’t a big city, but it’s one of Canada’s least expensive. Housing prices are among the lowest of Canada’s major metropolitan regions.

If you could see yourself living in a mid-sized city in France, you might consider Quebec City. Like Montreal, Quebec City blends a French-inspired lifestyle with the practicality of Canadian services. Life in Quebec City has a certain peaceful quality absent from larger metropolises. And if you enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, or cycling, there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors just outside of town.

Where to Live

For an overview of Quebec City neighborhoods, see Where to Live in Quebec City.

Learning to Speak French

Do you need to speak French to live in Quebec City? Quebec City is a Francophone city, and you’ll find it much easier to live and work here if you have a working knowledge of French.

Read more about Do I Have to Speak French to Live in Quebec?

Quebec City relocation resources:

• Quebec Immigration: Everything you need to know about immigrating to Quebec
• Learning about Québec: Quebec newcomers’ guide
• Tourism Quebec City: Things to see and do in Quebec City and the surrounding region
• City of Quebec immigrant services: Information about relocating to Quebec City, including cost of living and employment resources. The English-language pages are helpful, but there’s even more information for French-speakers.
• Realtor.ca: Real estate listings in Quebec City (and across Canada)
• Chambre immobilière de Québec: Real estate market information from the Quebec real estate board (French only)
• Emploi Québec: Job-hunting resources provided by the Government of Quebec. For more job search resources, see Finding a Job.
• Invest in Quebec: Resources for starting a business in Quebec
• Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec: How to apply for health insurance in Quebec
• Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure, and Sports: Overview of Quebec’s educational system, including information about who qualifies for instruction in English
• Central Quebec School Board: Administers public schools, including English-language schools, in Quebec City
• Quebec independent schools: Lists private schools throughout Quebec
• French language lessons for newcomers to Quebec
• Getting around Quebec City: Réseau de transport de la Capitale. Although most of the transit information is in French only, click here for an English-language “new customer” guide to the local bus system.
• Quebec English-language media: Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, CBC Radio One (104.7 FM) Quebec AM and Breakaway
• The Morrin Centre: Cultural center offering a variety of programs and workshops for English speakers in Quebec City

– Excerpted (in part) from the book, Living Abroad in Canada. To read more, buy the book.

Photo ©Carolyn B. Heller