The work permit can be issued by the border services upon arrival at the airport. It is important to verify the following information before leaving the immigration service:

• Dates of the validity: as per your contract
• Title: Postdoctoral fellow
• Nam of the employer: Polytechnique Montreal

The social insurance number (SIN) is essential to work in Canada and to be eligible to the governmental programs services. Each postdoc must hold a valid social insurance number.

For more information about this topic, please consult this website: Social Insurance Number – apply and required documents.

All the international postdocs with a contract more than 6 months and permanent residents must therefore apply for a health insurance card from the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

Canadian postdocs from other Canadian provinces:

" If you are coming to Québec for temporary work lasting 12 months or less, you remain covered by your province or territory of origin. Contact the organization responsible for health insurance in your province or territory to inform them of your temporary stay in Québec and to find out what to do according to your situation.

If the duration of your contract is more than 12 months, you are considered a person who is settling in Québec and must register for Québec health insurance." RAMQ web site

Registration and re-registration for foreign workers and their families.

International postdocs have to contact Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec (RAMQ) as soon as possible after arrival to register and verify how the Social security agreements with other countries affect their situation. The postdocs who have recently become permanent residents must ensure that they have RAMQ coverage.

For more information, please contact:

In person: 425 de Maisonneuve Blvd West, 3rd floor, Bur. 300, Montreal, H3X 2T8
By phone: +1 514 864-3411

" When you come to Québec to pursue work, you are usually covered by Québec health insurance after a waiting period of up to 3 months after your registration. This period also applies if you hold Canadian citizenship, but does not apply to children under age 18 accompanying you. We therefore advise you to take out private insurance in the 5 days following your arrival in Québec so that you are covered during the waiting period." RAMQ web site

" You can purchase a medical insurance in your home country or a private insurance in Canada. Please consult the Ombudsman for life and Health Insurance website for more information. The Canadian Association or Postdoctoral Scholars also offers the possibility of joining a group insurance plan. " _{Extract from Postdoctoral Fellow Guide, Université de Montréal, August 2022}

Rules to follow to remain eligible (RAMQ) :

" You must be present in Québec for the entire duration of your stay here to remain covered by Québec health insurance. However, you are allowed to leave Québec for periods of 21 consecutive days or less. The days on which you leave and return are excluded from the 21 days. If you plan to be outside Québec for more than 21 days, let RAMQ know before you leave."

" If you do not comply with the conditions, you could lose your eligibility and have to repay the cost of the covered health care received during the year. " RAMQ web site

Renew RAMQ health insurance card : 

" You must renew your Health Insurance Card before it expires. Otherwise, you will have to pay for any services covered under the Québec Health Insurance Plan that you receive and then apply for a reimbursement once your card has been renewed. " For more information, please check : Renew the Health Insurance Card

As of January 1st, 2023, postdocs can benefit from group insurance coverage. This coverage begins three (3) months after the start of the 1st contract.

" In order to benefit from health care coverage, you must have, at all times, the provincial health care coverage offered by the Régie de l'Assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). On the other hand, in order to have family coverage, your dependents must also hold, at all times, the provincial health care coverage offered by the RAMQ. " For more details on group insurance, please consult the document on the group insurance plan for postdoctoral fellows (Fr).

For more information, please watch this video and consult the decision guide (Fr). 

As soon as possible (within 72 hours after your arrival), please take an appointment with a banking institution to open a Canadian bank account.

Please upload, as soon as possible, the following documents in Alfresco (see Alfresco documents submission procedure section):

• Social insurance number (SIN), that is mandatory to pay employee postdocs;
• Copy of your work permit;
• “Fiche personnelle - nouvel employé (.pdf) (.docx)” duly filled (including your address in Québec)
• “Formulaire de dépôt direct (.docx)” (employee postdocs);
• A void cheque: available from your online bank account (employee postdocs).

Once we receive your work permit, your SIN and your bank account information, we will be able to process your file, to make the link with the internal involved authorities and to have your employee number issued (“P matricule”: Polytechnique identification number allowing you to obtain the necessary access).

Note: Scholar postdocs do not need to send us the direct deposit form and the sample cheque. They will be given “U matricule” in order to have access.

You will also receive from us, if necessary, an amendment to your initial letter of invitation to the postdoctoral fellowship, in order to correct the dates and conform them to the work permit, in case of major differences with your initial contract.

All employees, professors and students must have a Polytechnique Montreal ID card. The ID card attests of the status of the person entering Polytechnique Montreal.

Once your file is complete and you get your “P matricule”, you can fill out the identity card application form and have it signed by the Department director, via the person in charge of the postdocs within your Department (see the Contacts section). Afterwards, you must take an appointment online (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and go to the photo room C-234.1 (Main Building). You must bring a photo ID and the completed ID card application form.

Settle and integrate in Québec: https://www.quebec.ca/en/immigration/settle-and-integrate-in-quebec

Information Session - First steps to settling in : https://www.quebec.ca/en/immigration/settle-and-integrate-in-quebec/first-steps-settling-in

Living in Montréal: https://www.montrealinternational.com/app/uploads/2019/04/guide-living-in-montreal.pdf