Convention Région Île-de-France (OFQJ)

What the Île-de-France convention gives you

Live in the Île-de-France region and go to Québec (Canada) for a work placement or professional mission? You get an extra travel grant on top of the standard OFQJ support. The Region adds money to what the OFQJ already pays. The exact regional top-up depends on your case and the places available. For jobseekers on a 2-to-6-month company placement, the standard OFQJ package can include a one-off travel grant of 200 to 800 EUR at the start, a payment from the host company of at least 800 CAD per month (about 540 EUR), and up to 600 EUR per month for the first three months if your total income stays under 1,100 EUR. For entrepreneurs and professionals joining a themed mission, the OFQJ pays 750 EUR, plus the Île-de-France top-up. The OFQJ is a Franco-Québécois youth office run jointly by the two governments. It also handles your work-permit paperwork, insurance and support during the stay.

Who can apply

• Age: You are between 18 and 35.
• Where you live: You have lived in the Île-de-France region for at least one year.
• Who you are: You are a jobseeker (registered with France Travail, with or without benefits), a young entrepreneur, or a professional in the cultural and creative industries with at least one year of work experience.
• Nationality: For company placements you must be French and hold a valid French passport. For themed missions, you can apply if you are French or have lived in France for over a year.
• Where you go: You go to Québec, or French-speaking Canada more broadly.

How to apply

First attend an OFQJ information webinar. Then create an account on the OFQJ platform (totem.ofqj.org) and find a placement or mission, either through the OFQJ job bank or on your own. You submit a CV in Canadian format and a cover letter. The OFQJ checks your application and passes it to the host, who runs the interview and decides. Placements have no fixed deadline, as applications run continuously until the grants are used up, but individual missions have their own dates.

How realistic are your chances?

This support is aimed at a narrow group: you must be 18 to 35, have lived in Île-de-France for at least a year, and be a jobseeker, entrepreneur or creative-industries professional heading to Québec. That keeps the eligible group small. If you clearly fit and apply early, your prospects are good. The main hurdle is landing a host placement, and grants are limited to the number available.