From Engineer to Entrepreneur in Québec: A Practical Guide

In Quebec, entrepreneurship is a way of socio-economic integration for foreign-trained professionals. This guide takes José's journey through this ecosystem, accelerators, public-private financing and sectoral networks, and draws out decisions that can be replicated for those who wish to start a business rather than join a professional association.

José Luis Chinchilla, a Colombian chemical engineer, arrived in Québec in 2002 with his family and a clear purpose: to build an entrepreneurial future. Two decades later, he is leading the international expansion of the École des Entrepreneurs du Québec (ÉEQ) in 21 countries, demonstrating that it is possible to transform a regulated profile into a high-impact entrepreneurial career.

Description of the profession and the regulatory body

The practice of engineering requires registration with the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ), while the MIFI's Évaluation comparative has a different objective: to accredit the academic correspondence of the diploma without conferring, by itself, the right to practice. Distinguishing between the two processes makes it possible to correctly estimate costs, deadlines and scope of each route.

• OIQ admission profiles: the OIQ evaluates different admission profiles according to education and experience (it is not limited to a fixed number of "types").
• OIQ admission fee: C$180-C$735 (admission file; does not include annual fees and exams, accessed: 8 Aug 2025).

Jose completed the MIFI Évaluation comparative - C$138 (date updated to 8 Aug 2025) and obtained the "diploma in chemical engineering" equivalency, but decided not to go the collegiate route.

Steps to certification and transition to entrepreneurship

The order of actions directly impacts the opportunity cost. José prioritized language, academic validation and market exploration before investing in licensing procedures, freeing up time and capital to test value propositions and later scale with institutional support.

Approximate costs and timing (2025)

1. Évaluation comparative - C$138 (3-5 months) - MIFI - Évaluation comparative.
2. OIQ admission - C$180-C$735 (6-12 months for file evaluation) - OIQ - fees.
3. Integration program recognized by the OIQ (amounts and requirements vary according to profile) - OIQ - admission procedures.
4. OQLF Épreuve de français - free when applicable (for professions with reserved title or specific linguistic obligations; not a general requirement to undertake) - OQLF - épreuves de français.

Key decision: José evaluated the costs/benefits and chose to reinvest his homologation budget in launching his first startup.

Language requirements

Operational proficiency in French accelerates business prospecting, participation in support programs and contracting with public agencies. The OQLF administers assessments and resources that facilitate reaching a functional threshold for professional communication and business documentation.

• French: essential for business and networking.
• Épreuve de l'OQLF: free when applicable (see scope above).
• Recommended resources:
  • Francisation en ligne (intermediate-advanced level) - Québec.
  • OQLF professional writing workshops (free).

Strategies for gaining local expertise

In the Quebec context, employers, investors and public programs value evidence of local traction (first clients, pilots, letters of interest). The following pathways combine applied learning and credible signals to the market.

1. Public programs
   • Soutien au travail autonome (STA) - suspended as of May 1, 2024.
   • Current alternatives:
     • PME MTL - Fonds Entrepreneuriat commercial (Montréal): grant up to C$25,000 for retail projects.
     • Fonds Jeunes Entreprises (Montréal): up to C$15,000 for startups under 5 years old.
     • Futurpreneur Canada (provincial/federal): loan + mentoring for entrepreneurs aged 18-39.
2. Entrepreneurial training
   • ÉEQ - Parcours Démarrage: online course (reference price C$99, subject to change) to structure your business plan.
3. Sectoral networks
   • Latin associations and chambers of commerce - Montréal Chamber of Commerce, sectoral networks.
   • PME MTL and Startup Montréal events.
4. Mentoring
   • ÉEQ Accélération Program.
   • Futurpreneur Mentors - free mentoring for 2 years.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Taking the product-market fit for granted without validating with local customers.
2. Underestimating French in sales, contracts and after-sales service.
3. Relying on a single support program or a single customer.
4. Skipping basic documentation (contracts, TPS/TVQ, CNESST) and signage in French.
5. Burning budget on paperwork that you will not use in your business model.

Accelerating successes

1. Map key players (ÉEQ, PME MTL, Futurpreneur) in 2 weeks.
2. Obtain 2-3 letters of interest from local SMEs in 60-90 days.
3. Use mentoring to adjust pricing and value proposition before scaling.
4. Reinvest early revenues in processes, quality and networking.

Resources mentioned by José

• École des Entrepreneurs du Québec (ÉEQ) - programs, support, acceleration: ÉEQ - Programs / ÉEQ - Parcours Démarrage.
• PME MTL - grants and support (Montréal): FEC / FJE.
• Futurpreneur Canada - funding + mentoring for 2 years: Futurpreneur.
• Latin professional associations and consulates - networking and peer-to-peer mentoring: Directory of associations.
• Startup Montréal - communities and ecosystem events: Startup Montréal.
• OQLF - writing resources and in-company training: OQLF - resources.

Plan B: 5 related careers with fast-track certifications

For technical profiles, these related functions preserve the core competencies (processes, quality, risk and project management) while opening doors to stable jobs and the creation of useful networks for later entrepreneurship.

Advice from our experience

The recommendations synthesize milestones, mistakes and successes over more than two decades. They are not abstract maxims, but operational guidelines that you can incorporate into your plan from the first month.

• Be rigorously prepared: "Every miscalculated step takes its toll on you."
• Authentic networking: register with your consulate and participate in professional associations.
• Humility and purpose: success comes "when you act with heart and perseverance."
• Reinvest in yourself: redirect part of your approval budget to training and validation of your business model.

   

Notice
This guide is purely informative. Requirements and fees change frequently. Before sending documents or making payments, please verify details directly with: