I have seen this in many job descriptions for jobs located in non-Quebec provinces including NS. How important is it to possess the ability to speak/read French to work/live in a non French-speaking city such as Vancouver or Halifax?

I don't minding taking French classes though but just wanted to first make sure of the expectations :) ... Thanks.

Lack of French shouldn't hamper you from getting a job outside Quebec or New Brunswick unless you want to work for the federal government or some occupation involving frequent dealings with Quebec, but it is an asset, just like having any other second language.

Not very important.

Even in Montreal which is in Quebec most corporate jobs only require English, all the big corporations have English working environment.

Thinking of moving here? :D

I don't think it'd be too important to know French, but if you want to learn, Universit? Sainte-Anne apparently has very good programs.

Thinking of moving here? :D

I don't think it'd be too important to know French, but if you want to learn, Universit? Sainte-Anne apparently has very good programs.

Where is that school? I'm currently only looking at HRM area since i love ocean and the small town with a big city feel. Would i be welcome here? :)

Where is that school? I'm currently only looking at HRM area since i love ocean and the small town with a big city feel. Would i be welcome here? :)
It's located in some small rural town I forget the name of, but they have a location in Halifax where I think they do evening or summer classes. And yes! :)

It's located in some small rural town I forget the name of, but they have a location in Halifax where I think they do evening or summer classes. And yes! :)

Gracias! ! This would be digressing from the subject but do you guys seem a lot of new immigrants in HRM? I thought most go to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and AB... Are people friendly/welcoming to them?

Gracias! ! This would be digressing from the subject but do you guys seem a lot of new immigrants in HRM? I thought most go to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and AB... Are people friendly/welcoming to them?

I guess another question is: do locals/Nova Scotians think that new immigrants are taking away their jobs and bringing more traffic on the roads etc?? ^_^

No, at least not in the city

I guess another question is: do locals/Nova Scotians think that new immigrants are taking away their jobs and bringing more traffic on the roads etc?? ^_^
Nah, not in Halifax, and also in rural areas you usually don't see those types of bumpkin views.

Here's a government website with a bunch of useful immigration links, although many of them are directed at non-english speakers:

http://www.novascotialife.com/AbsPage.aspx?siteid=1&lang=1&id=4&title=Nova+Scotia+Immigration

I guess another question is: do locals/Nova Scotians think that new immigrants are taking away their jobs and bringing more traffic on the roads etc?? ^_^

No problem there....Nova Scotia and especially Halifax is quite open to immigrants.

Lack of French shouldn't hamper you from getting a job outside Quebec or New Brunswick unless you want to work for the federal government or some occupation involving frequent dealings with Quebec, but it is an asset, just like having any other second language.

Actually the federal government part is partially true. They recruit French English Biligual speakers but for the most part you can get in and advance within the executive without being biligual.

My sister was in the Goods and Servces Taxation and advanced very high in that federal government agency to the point she was able to be transferred to veterans affairs. Her background working in the head offices of Food wholesalers had her with an outstanding resume for clerical and accounting work. Shw lives in Charlottetown and was commuting to Summerside every day so after a decade with GST she applied for the Veterans affairs which is located in Charlottetown.
Not a lick of french she can speak. The thing is in most places in canada it is unrealistic to have totally Biligual staff and really not needed. IF you have some on staff you cover the occassional person. I would dare to say to be a post master you may have to be biligual. There are place in british columbia and newfoundland I am sure that a post master may never encounter a uniligual french speaker and I am sure the same is true of the lake ST john region in quebec for the seapking of french.

I am sure the same type of situation with federal agencies exists with offices located in Quebec. You may have uniligual french speakers in clerical positions and even in managers spots.

Talent can come in many forms and there are too few people and too much need for talent to be rejected on whether they are biligual.

Being Biligual is definately a huge advantage and that is why my two neices are in french emersion school in charlottetown
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jim jones

that is why my two neices are in french emersion school in charlottetown
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jim jones

And they are daughters of your sister who works in veterans services?

I have bilingual relatives who are having a heck of a time finding decent paying 'bilingual-oriented' jobs here in the Toronto area...So now they are pondering going to Alberta to do a unilingual job yet be paid twice as much!

Canada...such an odd place indeed!