I’m French and I’m looking to move to Canada or the United States.
Posted by Cyclolysis@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 68 comments
Hello everyone,
I’m a 20-year-old French student with Asperger’s, and I’m looking to move to Canada or the United States as soon as I graduate. I wanted to know if there are others in a similar situation and what your experiences and advice are regarding life and work in these countries.
Additionally, I would like to know if I can continue studying in apprenticeship to keep improving my skills and being able to work on a local company.
Thank you in advance for your help. Best regards.
Ok-Difficulty2425@reddit
Canada is drowning, and the US has super high inflation right now. Everything is very expensive. Is there somewhere familiar/comfortable in Europe you can go? Not trying to discourage you, but during this time in the US, especially during election season, some type of citizenship or visa might be hard to acquire.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
What do you mean by Canada is drowning? And the only European destination that would suit me well would be England/U.K.
yallabunchafreaks@reddit
The UK is home to some of the most depressing weather, glass half-empty individuals, noticeable class division and astonishing price of gas/electricity/travel. Do not touch it with a ten-foot pole.
senti_bene@reddit
US inflation is back to the normal range that it sits in. It’s not 2022 anymore.
Quirky-Camera5124@reddit
quebec has its own immigration service for french speakers
IBoris@reddit
Indeed. Half of France has already relocated to Quebec already, OP might as well join them.
LyleLanleysMonorail@reddit
Why do so many French people move to Quebec? I am curious.
IBoris@reddit
10 reasons with each building upon the previous (T.L.;D.R. in bold throughout):
Quebec hosts the second-largest french-speaking city in the world. With 8,6 million speakers in the whole province, of which about 85% are native french speakers, Québec is a destination that makes a lot of sense for French citizens who want to expatriate, but still continue to live in French.
For French people looking for an "american experience", Quebec is much more business friendly and pro-capitalist than France, while still being more progressive and collectivist than the rest of North-America. Hence, it's perceived as somewhat of a Goldilocks for ambitious French people, not as cutthroat capitalist as the US, but not as overbearing as France.
Because of common history, France and Quebec share a lot of reciprocity agreements that make professional mobility easier between both regions. French credentials and experiences are more likely to be appreciated and respected in Quebec vs. other parts of North America. The objective evaluation that allows migration to Quebec (distinct from the Canadian process), favours a French person or someone from a French culture quite simply. It's welcomes lots of french-africans, vietnamese, Haïtians, and people from other french cultures.
Lots of the province, which is already five time the size of France with a bit under 1/5th of its population, is wild and undeveloped territory with pristine wildlife and vistas. Quebec benefits from 4 sharply contrasting seasons which allow a whole range of activities and sports. In summary, you can own land for cheap, you can own lots of it, you can live away from it all, and you can enjoy a greater diversity of climates in comparison to France.
Although, Québécois have a reputation in North-America for being rude and opinionated. From the French perspective, Québécois are rather accommodating, reasonable and pleasant to be around. Often, French perceive their own society as one of extremes, while Québec is seen as more care-free and mellow. Both French and Québécois share that Mediterranean blood which enjoys and values passionate debate. French will argue with anyone, truth be told, but Québecois are amongst the few that understand implicitly the non-antagonistic nature of that method of communication when it comes from them. Both cultures are candide with their thoughts and opinions. There is little doublespeak. Expressing disagreement passionately and aggressively, but without malice, is very hard to grasp for many cultures. If French people could argue as well in english as they do in French, they'd get shot hours upon landing in some parts of the US. Instead, they just come across as snobbish as they think you a fool, but lack the means of explaining it to you.
The "accent" of French people is perceived as sophisticated in Québec and is seen as charming to most Québécois women, who are also more forward with their romantic interest than french women. French men are also seen as more open about their feelings. Québécois men on the other hand are perceived as being a bit more rugged, while also being more respectful of women and maybe less arrogant. French people don't struggle finding romantic partners in Québec. Québécois generally have no problem as individuals or as a society with people dating anyone, from anywhere.
Moving out of France often means a downgrade in terms of food options for most French expats, Québec however has a lot of the "essentials" at a comparable or at least acceptable level while offering other more novel food items that are unpretentious and pleasant to a French palate. Québécois enjoy wine, beer, cheese, bread, and other fine foodstuff that the French also consider essential.
Québec, for the size of its population, has had for decades now a very strong cultural output. If you were to look at Canada's showings in international festivals and competitions, you'll often find that 80% of the time Québécois talent is behind it. Especially if you look beyond the anglosphere. Quebec has many of its own cultural industries (cinema, TV, books, news, magazines, video games, art, poetry, theatre, music, performance arts) and many of its best products end up exporting themselves to France. Like people who romanticize Korean or Japanese culture, Quebec has its (small) share of French people who romanticize Quebec to an extent. Quebec from a French perspective is an intriguing proposition: a former french colony, abandoned for nearly 100s of years surrounded by "enemies" and the wilds, that somehow persisted, and has evolved into its own distinct society. Québec is seen as an interesting unknown.
A lot of the worst societal debates in France are simply not present in Québec. Many younger French people have very negative outlooks on their country. Québec seems unburdened by these troubles, while also being safe and peaceful. What the US use to represent to the anglosphere, a land of opportunity, is a quality that many French people still see in Québec. With the added bonus that Québec is one of the most safe and peace-loving societies on earth.
If you are a professionally ambitious french person, your name, your gender, your background really, truly, will never matter as much in Québec as what you accomplish. Compared to France, the work culture in Québec is significantly less tolerant of sexism, racism, classism, or anything similar. France, for all its qualities, has many glass ceilings that feel bulletproof for young professionals. France is a former colonizer, Québec a former colony, and that kind of shows in its hierarchical structures. France has a lot more family dynasties that monopolize politics, business, and the upper stratas of its society.
yallabunchafreaks@reddit
Mediterranean blood... 🤤
LyleLanleysMonorail@reddit
Oh wow, amazing answer! Very informative! Thank you!
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
In my case. It’s because I really like North America
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Probably
yallabunchafreaks@reddit
Hi, 20 year old British student with Aspergers, looking to move to Canada (in which case the French-speaking part specifically) or even the United States too!
My classmate suggested two things:
VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) which allows you to pay for basic amenities, and (so she says) your flight is prepaid in this instance.
Gap year which means I will be able to return to my current course in the arts/I am unsure about this since the arts are seldom lucrative subjects at all yet I have few ambitions due to looming depression increased further by the depressing climate in this country.
Chances are that I will simply take a visitor visa and stay with my boyfriend - no idea if that makes me a freeloader ou quoi que ce soit.
Good luck my friend.
mikels_burner@reddit
Canada is drowning
FaithOverFear14@reddit
Yes, big time. I'm surprised that many people in Europe don't know that. Canadians are leaving. Apparently, over 400,000 people left last year. We left as well.
mikels_burner@reddit
Where'd ya go?
FaithOverFear14@reddit
Europe
South_Conference_768@reddit
With EU citizenship you have an array of amazing countries you could relocate to…all with a better quality of life than the US.
I can’t comment on Canada, but the grass always appears greener, so you might want to rethink.
The US offers no social services and can be a harsh place without ample financial resources.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Having been on vacation in several European countries (Spain, Croatia, Portugal, Italy), Canada (Montreal, Quebec) and the United States (San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York), I tend to prefer the moments I spent on vacation in North America to those in Europe, and even to those in my own country.
South_Conference_768@reddit
Sure. Those are amazing US cities that you visited.
But my main point is that the US is seeing an increasing wealth divide and an eroding safety net that was never close to what can be found in many EU countries.
I believe the most common and fastest cause for bankruptcy in US households is Medical Debt. Even when paying $2,000 USD per month for insurance, a major medical issue can wipe out everything a family has built.
No country gets everything right.
How about we swap places?
I want to relocate to France and you can take my spot here!
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
It's true that medical care is more expensive in the U.S. than in Europe (especially in France), but we also have a lot of insecurity problems in most French cities, which can sometimes ruin life.
rmadsen93@reddit
Keep in mind that being on vacation some place for a few weeks is VERY different from living there or at least in can be.
wombatpandaa@reddit
Be aware that at least in the US, getting help as a neurodivergent/disabled person is extremely difficult. Canada might be better. Schools in the US are particularly evil about accommodations, but basically any institution will effectively give you an eye roll and tell you to get over it if you ask for help. Not sure how manageable your Aspergers is, but thought I would mention it. My sister is neurodivergent and disabled and it has been absolute hell sometimes to get anyone to help or even enable her to succeed.
from-VTIP-to-REFRAD@reddit
Be sure to go to the Deep South in the USA and tell everyone you’re French. They’ll all be very warm and welcoming!
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Haha, thank you!
rmadsen93@reddit
There is no problem being French, but unless you are a Trump-loving evangelical Christian you won’t fit in very well outside of the core parts of the largest cities.
OfficialHaethus@reddit
There is literally no problem with French people down there. Louisiana has a huge French inspiration.
talktothehan@reddit
Canada absolutely sucks. I just looked at moving there and was so disappointed to hear from Canadian citizens that Canada is mostly PR. The reality of living there is pretty bleak. The US is an absolute shit show. I’m an American and preparing to move to Europe if the evil Cheeto gets elected president. If nothing else, wait to see how the election turns out before you come to America. I love my country. I’m just scared I’m about to watch it crumble. 😔
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
It's interesting because I feel the same way about Europe, that it's going to collapse given the political leaders we have.
rmadsen93@reddit
I emigrated to Europe (Portugal) from the U.S. in part to get away from U.S. politics. Although I worry about the rise of the far right in Europe, I still think the situation is marginally better in Europe, for the time being. Although once France falls to the far right, which seems inevitable, who knows where it will end up. Italy is already there, and if France goes, Germany is probably not far behind and well…let’s just say Germany doesn’t have a great track records when it comes to the results a far-right politics.
It seems to me that far-right voters here are primarily driven by anti-immigrant sentiment and while I think people can have legitimate concerns about immigration, they are not the cause of all the problems that Europe is facing. I worry a lot about where people will focus their inchoate rage once they realize that cracking down on immigration doesn’t magically fix all their problems.
Still in the near-term there is no leader in Western Europe that is anywhere as bad as Trump, so I think democracy has a slightly better chance of prevailing at least for a while here. Any American who doesn’t realize that democracy is hanging on by a thread is following themselves.
Needless to say I would not recommend that anyone move to the U.S. right now, unless they like the idea of living in the “unified Reich” that Trump posted about recently.
rmadsen93@reddit
Montreal is the place for you, tout court. Only drawback is that it’s really really cold in the winter, but you can dress for that.
remi_us_survival@reddit
I'm French living in the US, here's how I did it:
There are a few additional ways that could work:
DiBalls@reddit
Best with a medical condition to stay with your home country that has care.
Tall-Ad895@reddit
What “care” would that be, lol? Neurodivergence does not require medical intervention.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
I don’t have special care about my Asperger in my country.
justanotherlostgirl@reddit
Nobody is calling it 'Asperger' - it was called Asperger's, and that term is no longer used. It's called autism.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Oh okay
DiBalls@reddit
Pace if life in either country will. Stick to France where you have universal health care, a social system, a more telax pace of life.
Soft_Welcome_5621@reddit
Marry someone
itslilou@reddit
Hi! I’m French and lived in Canada since I’m 20, getting my citizenship now. I’m not sure about Quebec bc they have another immigration pathway but the easiest for the rest of Canada is: come with a working holiday visa for 2 years, after a year of qualified work experience in Canada you can ask for the PR through express entry if you have enough points. Being bilingual French/English is already a good start, you also get points with degrees ect. Another option is to get the mobilité francophone, it’s a work visa for French speakers. It’s easy to get and inexpensive if you find a company willing to sponsor you, it’s genuinely low effort but some companies don’t know about it so you need to explain it to them.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Oh that’s interesting, Merci beaucoup !
itslilou@reddit
Je t’en prie! Bon courage
Top-Half7224@reddit
What is your field of study?
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Computer science and Artificial Intelligence
LyleLanleysMonorail@reddit
I recommend targeting Montreal. It's an "AI hub" of North America. It's not gonna be SF Bay Area or NYC, but it definitely punches above its weight, especially with MILA and Yoshua Bengio being based in Montreal. DeepMind and Meta AI Research both have offices in Montreal.
cr1zzl@reddit
Being fluent in French will be an asset if you move to an English speaking Canadian province.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Like Ontario and BC?
cr1zzl@reddit
Yes, and Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI. (I’m biased because I’m originally from NL). It might be difficult to get a job in general in Canada right now, but at least you’ll have the French thing going for you. A lot of federal government jobs in particular require you to be bilingual and there’s a general push for bilingualism. (Although not every provide is the same, bilingualism isn’t seen as much of an asset in Alberta, for instance).
DitaVonTetris@reddit
Check “PVTistes”. There are thousands of French immigrants in Québec every year.
notthegoatseguy@reddit
Doesn't Canada have some medical Inadmissibility? I'd look into that to make sure it doesn't knock your visa.
For the US, you'll need to be a citizen, marry an American, or get a job based visa. If you want to pursue a masters or doctorate, you could come over on a student visa but graduate degrees don't come stapled with a green card.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
I’ve searched about inadmissibility in Canada and Asperger should no longer be a problem with my visa application since 2018
Willtip98@reddit
Being on the spectrum is not an automatic disqualification. Countries tend to consider if it would cost their taxpayers more than a certain amount of money over a certain amount of time, aka being a burden on their healthcare system.
If you’re a high-functioning adult that can hold a job and live on your own/with a partner with no support needed, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
This is the case for me! I only have difficulties when I hold a conversation with people but I don't have any problems when I'm working or when I'm at home.
TheTexadian@reddit
Canada places a lot of value in applicants who can demonstrate they are fluent in French, so long as you are trying to settle in a province other than Quebec. Even more so if you are fluent in both French and English. The federal government routinely conducts drawings of the PR applicant pool where they are only selecting applicants who have French speaking skills.
Regardless of that, you will likely need work experience and/or higher education credentials for your application to meet the minimum criteria for your application to be considered. Look into Canada's express entry program through the federal government and then look into different provinces PNP programs. These are different ways of getting a valid application in to get drawn. As I said, so long as you have met the minimum requirements and youve demonstrated your French speaking skills you will have a very good chance.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
It seems that my level of French is a good advantage in Canada, which is good news!
suddenjay@reddit
check PVT permis vacances travail pour Canada. enter Quebec, stay for 2 yrs and demand a permanent resident as there are different rules for francophone
[Quel statut en attendant la Résidence Permanente canadienne ?
](https://pvtistes.net/dossiers/quel-statut-en-attendant-la-residence-permanente-canadienne/5/)
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much.
JGouws@reddit
At your age, look into the working holiday visa in Canada. It gets you two years, is not expensive, and if you find a job that works well for you they may sponsor you to stay on. It’s a good way to see if the country is for you, make contacts etc, if you are motivated. There are advantages in several industries to being bilingual if you are strong in English.
You will find French people across Canada, and obviously a lot in Quebec. If you live outside Quebec you should be prepared to speak English day to day.
You should understand with the current cost of living that you will likely need to live in some kind of shared accommodation!
I would say you can likely be open with people in Canada about having Aspergers that you work or socialize with, people are aware of neurodiversity and generally tolerant of others.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much for your advice! I'm currently an apprentice with an international company. Can this facilitate my transfer abroad?
JGouws@reddit
If the company has an office in North America you could enquire but that’s very hard to say and is probably specific to your work experience.
LyleLanleysMonorail@reddit
Can you transfer to a Quebec university?
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
I don’t know if is it possible
Fiona-eva@reddit
There are multiple agreements between Quebec and France that make it pretty easy to come live here for a couple years. You should research them, it’s definitely the easiest path for a French citizen
Delicious-Sale6122@reddit
Never Canada.
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Why??
Delicious-Sale6122@reddit
My grandparents migrated from Canada to America, so probably biased
discoltk@reddit
Firstly, r/IWantOut is usually recommended for people looking for advice in leaving their current location.
I don't think Asperger’s is the kind of illness that is going to require expensive medical care, but lack of affordable healthcare is definitely an issue in the US for any person.
You are going to need a visa, and without sufficient work experience not many companies would sponsor you for a work visa. Grad school is probably your best realistic option. Being in an education environment would also help you to be around other people your age, make social and professional connections, figure out how to get the work experience necessary to be hired into a job that would sponsor you. Also having higher education will improve your qualification for such a visa, and help you earn more to afford the cost of living.
Canada and the US are huge countries and have a wide variety of cultures, climates, and costs of living all represented within them. I suggest you try to nail down what exactly you are looking to get out of the move, and focus on schools that offer both the relevant skills, and that are located in the type of area that suits your interests. You might use something like ChatGPT to structure a plan to nail it down (ask it about culture, focus of education, cost of living, etc.)
Cyclolysis@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much for your advice! I'll find out more