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It's interesting most Americans don't seem to be aware of how much good tech work goes on in Quebec (say kay-bec not kwa-bec). I went a few years to work on So
by WhitneyLand 10y ago
It's interesting most Americans don't seem to be aware of how much good tech work goes on in Quebec (say kay-bec not kwa-bec). I went a few years to work on SoftImage3D and it was the same with computer graphics, lots of talent and innovation I was not aware of.
It may not be the "Silicon Valley of AI" but the point is they are a hotbed.
I would recommend it if you have an interest. People are very friendly, tons of good restaurants, night life, and culture. You get a bit of European flavor without leaving the continent. It is advisable to commit to a crash course in French. Yes a lot of people speak english but for a variety of reasons it makes a big difference in what you'll get out of being an expat.
- branchless 10y agoMontreal is the nuts. America won't be singing it's praises mainly because it's quite socialist. Good for Bengio for not going into the private sector, where he would have been forced to put his techniques to utterly pointless work like working out which advertisement can best manipulate someone into buying something they don't need/want. Facebook. Let's hope that Montreal can capture the value added by their public investment to re-invest back into schools and also that they can keep a lid on land prices / banker parasitic behaviour which has clearly blighted California. I'd also agree on learning French, I'm not fluent and it pisses me off. Back to Anki.
- joshwcomeau 10y agoNit: Closer to 'kuh-bec' than 'Kay-bec'. (Born and raised in Montreal)
- WhitneyLand 10y agoThanks for the refinement. Sometimes when I say poutine people think I'm meaning prostitute so I can definitely use the help :).
- scrollaway 10y agoI've been considering for a while moving to Montreal to be closer to the US for practical reasons. Any idea how easy that is as a french citizen?
- StyloBill 10y agoFrench citizen living in Montreal. The easiest way is probably to come here with a PVT (Programme Vacances-Travail, or Working Holiday VISA) but you must be under 35. You could also find a firm willing to hire you but there will be paperwork and they'll have to prove that they haven't found a Canadian citizen for the position you'll occupy. It's a bit of a pain for the company but some companies are used to this (consulting firms mostly). You'll then have a 2 years VISA + working permit. Or you can go the permanent resident way, from France, but it's gonna take a long time (often 3+ years). My advice is to come here as a tourist for a few weeks to have a feeling of the city. Try to come in winter, as it's a bit harsh and a non negligible number of expats go back to their home countries after their first winter here. Other than that, it's a really beautiful place and I love living there (been almost 5 years now). Hope it's helpful!
- scrollaway 10y agoThanks, that's very helpful.