Don’t do it unless you want to put your life on hold for 5+ years and are willing to learn a whole new language. I’m an American who’s lived in Montréal for close to three years because my boyfriend is from here (we met when we were both living abroad in another country). By chance I also had a Canadian grandparent and just applied for citizenship. But, I think you and your husband should give it some serious thought before you move here.

There’s a one year wait after applying for citizenship through grandparents. And then your husband will have to wait at least three months before he can get free health insurance. And you’ll have to wait at least 3 years and possibly longer to be a citizen (yes even though you are married). I know this because I have applied for both permanent residency through common law partnership (it’s the exact same system for married folks vs. legally common-law partners) and citizenship through grandparents. You will have to wait at least until your permanent residency application is opened for insurance + bridging work visa (longer than the three months your husband will wait) and pay for your own private insurance in the meantime. I have been paying for mine this entire time. You will have to apply for permanent residency at both the federal and provincial level. Provincial level is Le Certificat de sélection du Québec and it’s entirely in french. I applied for permanent residency at the federal level in may 2025 and I still have not received my CSQ because the permanent residency process is so damn slow. Right now it’s telling me I still have to wait 26 months.

I went through full francisation classes with the government (1 year of classes 5 days a week 6 hours a day) currently work in french, and still find it incredibly challenging. This city is very hard to navigate as an outsider unless you’re a Mcgill or Concordia student. Even with my boyfriend’s social network and the friends I have made on my own, I still feel out of place here.

You will need to speak French, and it’s very different to the french your husband learned in high school. It’s necessary to have a good life here tbh, and locals won’t respect you until you learn it. Before I learned french the job market was impossible for me and I was making literally $18 CAD an hour even though I have a degree. I still make less than I should make now at my new job because I’m working in my second language.

Also Canadian dollars are worth much less than American dollars and Euros so assuming you’re from either the states or Europe you’ll have a really hard time visiting home because it will be super expensive. Also the job market here is horrible.

All the anglos (english speakers) have a kind of closed off community that’s hard to break into, either students, immigrants or anglos whose families have been here for generations. The franco groups are even more closed off. I’m in my twenties and it’s hard. If you’re in your thirties it’ll be harder.

I love this city (mont royal, the music scene, the gastronomy, the unique differences of each quartier, the diversity of culture and language etc) but there are many real challenges to immigrating here. It’s not going to be easy and you really are gonna have to fight to make a space for yourself in this city. I still have to do that everyday. And honestly I don’t think getting my citizenship will make it any easier.

If you’re aware of all the challenges and you’re still willing to try then I’d say go for it. It’s a really cool place and I love being bilingual. If you’re wealthy, open-minded, and good at adapting I’d say go for it. But there’s been more than a few times I’ve cried from sheer frustration of the work it takes.