Looking for work in the right places! Emploi-Québec estimates that 640,000 jobs will be created in Québec by 2007, either due to vacancies caused by retirements, or simply to meet the needs of expanding companies. Of these jobs, 47% will be created outside of the greater Montréal area, in all the other regions of Québec. Meanwhile, 90% of the approximately 40,000 immigrants that arrive each year in Québec settle in the greater Montréal area. There, on the labour market, they are in direct competition with thousands of young graduates from the four universities and ten-odd colleges. It is no wonder that many immigrants experience great difficulty in finding a job that corresponds with their skills. Dozens of immigrants have chosen to not follow that path, and have instead found work in the Lower St. Lawrence. The page entitled "We Chose the Lower St. Lawrence" gives several examples.

The people of the Lower St. Lawrence are friendly and open to sharing the exceptional environment in which they live with people from all over the world who long for a better life.

Would you first like to come and study at the postsecondary level in the Lower St. Lawrence? That would be a good idea, considering that obtaining a degree from a Québec institution increases your chances of finding a job here. You could even hold down a part-time job as you study. In this way, you would be able to develop a network of contacts. Several hundred young people from various countries have already taken this route.

If you would rather start the immigration process right away, you can be assured that the Lower St. Lawrence is open to immigration and has structures in place to welcome and integrate new immigrants. Among Québec's resource regions, the Lower St. Lawrence has the most diversified economic structure. Many institutions and companies are having problems finding workers and skilled human resources, and are willing to recruit immigrants.

Settling in the Lower St. Lawrence

If you want to settle in the Lower St. Lawrence, you need to start the immigration process with Québec immigration services. We invite you to carefully read all the steps to follow on Immigration-Québec's web site:

• http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/anglais/index.html

The Government of Québec is responsible for selecting immigrants who wish to settle in Québec, but it is the Canadian federal government that grants "permanent resident" status. We encourage you to also consult Citizenship and Immigration Canada's web site:

• http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.html

Warning: We recommend that you go through the immigration progress without using the services of an intermediary (e.g. legal firm). Intermediaries have no power to accelerate the rate at which your file will be dealt with, and you will therefore be able to avoid unnecessary expenses.

If you wish to settle in the Lower St. Lawrence, we invite you to let us know at the beginning of, or during, your immigration process by contacting:

La Conférence régionale des élus du Bas-Saint-Laurent
186, rue Lavoie
Rimouski (Québec) G5L 5Z1
Telephone: 418-724-6440
Fax: 418-724-6054
E-mail: immigrationbsl@bas-saint-laurent.org
Web site: www.crebsl.org
Consultation and Development Officer: Mrs. Suzette de Rome

We will then evaluate your chances of finding a job in the region that fits with your skills and expectations. You would then be able to count on help from various welcome and integration support organizations for new immigrants to the Lower St. Lawrence.

Welcome and Integration Services

The Lower St. Lawrence has different welcome and integration organizations in place for new immigrants. They are as follows:

Welcome and integration services
Accueil et intégration Bas-Saint-Laurent (Lower St. Lawrence Welcome and Integration) 300, Allée des Ursulines, local D-014 Rimouski (Québec) G5L 3A1 Telephone: (418) 723-1986 extension 1595 Fax: (418) 724-1525 E-mail: accueilbsl@uqar.qc.ca Web site: www.aibsl.org Director: Mrs. Mahnaz Fozi Welcome and Integration Officer: Mrs. Mochira Atallah (extension 1803)
Centre local de développement de la région de Rivière-du-Loup (Riviere-du-Loup RCM's Local Development Centre - Immigration Service) 646, rue Lafontaine Rivière-du-Loup (Québec) G5R 3C8 Telephone : 418-862-1823 Toll-free number in Québec: 1-877-872-4384 Fax: 418-862-3726 E-mail: orene@cldrdl.com Web site: www.riviereduloup.ca Coordinator: Ms. Odile René

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