Expat story: Geoffrey Marchal, automation programmer in Montreal
We meet a new French expatriate who arrived in Montreal in November 2021. Find out why he decided to move to Canada and how his immigration process went.
🎙 Hi Geoffrey, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Geoffrey Marchal, I'm 29 years old, I'm originally from Vesoul in France and I'm now living in Longueuil, Canada. I am an automation programmer in Boucherville near Montreal and I came to Canada with a Working Holiday Permit (WHP) in 2021 with my wife.
🎙 In 2021, it was more complicated to get a permit to come to Canada due to Covid, how did you do it?
Indeed, it was a little more particular at the time to enter the territory, the Canadian Government delivered a WHP only if you had a promise of employment. But this did not complicate my arrival in Canada, on the contrary. I've been here for 9 months now and I'm really enjoying it!
🎙 Why did you choose to come and live in Canada and more specifically in Montreal??
There are several reasons, but I will start with the desire to change country, radically and what better than to change continent to go to America. And then there was also the francophone aspect that weighed in the balance.
Montreal is a good way to start speaking English. Of course, the official language is still French, but you may be confronted with situations where you have to speak in English. It is very appreciable because with my spouse, we wish to evolve on this point.
I also got a lot of feedback from people who lived here saying that there was a great comfort of life and a lot of activities in winter as well as in summer. The key words that came out were: serenity and quietness... And I validate them 100%!
🎙 How did you find your job in Canada?
Talentech contacted me directly on LinkedIn following their informational webinar offering me an automation position. I did two/three interviews with Talentech and my current company and then everything went very fast! I got my promise of employment to get my WHP and 5 months later, I was in Montreal!
Fun fact: my wife also found her job in the same company as me.
🎙 So Talentech contacted you to be an automation programmer in Canada, what does your day-to-day work involve?
I work in a product conveying company, which consists of transporting products through different machines or managing internal flows in companies. We allow to automate the manufacturing flows of a company in order to limit the human interventions.
And so to do this, I have several missions, such as :
- Sizing of the equipment necessary for an automated installation;
- Design of electrical diagrams ;
- Design of the associated machine interface program;
- Commissioning at the customer's site;
- Supporting customers to operate the machines;
- And occasionally, repairs on our old installations.
🎙 Have you noticed any differences in your job between Canada and France?
No, there is no difference in the work itself. But there will be technical differences because the electrical standards are not the same here, for example there are not the same voltages or the same frequencies. These are things that can disturb us when we arrive in Canada, but it is very easy to learn.
🎙 What's your experience with the Talentech team?
Very good! My hiring was very quick, everything was done naturally without any hitch, so I had few exchanges with the teams since everything was very clear. I knew what I wanted and they knew how to guide me in the right direction and towards the right company, which was also very accommodating. A perfect expatriation!
🎙 How was your expat experience in Montreal?
In its entirety very good! For me, it was done in two parts, first, I had to buy a car, to find a place to live near our company. This part was the easiest, because we had already found it from France. After a week, we had a car and a furnished and habitable apartment, so it was perfect.
Then comes the part of meeting people, making friends what! We very quickly participated in a meeting of expatriates in Montreal thanks to an advertisement on Facebook (very practical, there is all the time). And since this moment, all our week-ends are taken, we made a lot of meeting.
🎙 What would you say to someone who is still hesitant to come to Canada?
The quality of life is really top, there are very good professional opportunities and the possibility of having a significant improvement in salary. The security of the country makes life much more pleasant. And then Canada and its landscapes, its wide open spaces are things to see and experience in your life. And then everything is possible here, it's like an American dream but in Canada!
Are you interested in the Canadian adventure? Do you also want to discover Canada and more particularly Quebec? Go ahead and join the Talenteam!
You too are looking for a job like Geoffrey in automation, apply on our offer here. Talentech accompanies you in obtaining your job, your immigration process and your relocation to Quebec.
>> Discover also the experience of Enzo, mechanical designer in Montreal.
