After successful programs (which are continuing) such as Nova Scotia’s ‘Stay in Scotia‘ initiative the city of Montréal,the largest city in Canada’s francophone province Québec, is asking international graduates to “Choose Montréal”.

“There’s a lot of needs… Montreal is a big [artificial intelligence] hub”

Montréal International is the city’s own international development agency, which hopes to boost the city and wider region’s attractiveness to international business and aide investment in the area. The organisation has launched “Je Choisis Montréal“, or “I Choose Montréal” in English, along with institutional and industry partners, as well as the Ministry of Immigration (Québec).

The city is hoping to capitalise on being named the best ‘student city’ in the Americas, according to QS, as well as Nestpick’s judgement that it is the second best global city for “millennials”.

The project will connect students with cultural and social activities in the city and surrounding area, as providing recruitment advice and assistance for graduates looking for work, and immigration advice for those looking to acquire permanent residency.

The organisation will also assist employers, by connecting them with graduates and promoting their vacancies through social media and “joint activities”.

One area where possibilities for expansion and post-study work are rife is the video game and tech industries, according to Montréal International’s students projects director, Mathieu Lefort.

“There’s a lot of needs, for example, in video games, video effects. Montreal is a big [artificial intelligence] hub and really well known,” he told local broadcaster CTV.

The power of the startup industry’s pull towards the city is shown by programs like the Holt fintech Accelerator, which attracted firms from around the world to Montréal this year.

Although the francophone-first nature of Québec will naturally attract many French students, as UQAM and other institutions already do, but range of graduate voices portrayed on the campaign’s website makes it clear the aim is much broader, and the city hopes to attract truly global talent to the multi-lingual and historically multi-cultural city.