Montréal International supports $3.765B in foreign investment and helps more than 1,100 international workers in Greater Montréal

In 2021, Montréal International supported 100 projects, leading to the creation of 11,550 jobs with average annual salaries of more than $82,000. More than half of the $3.765B in foreign investment is from the Americas, and almost 38% comes from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The foreign companies that have invested or reinvested in one of Greater Montréal’s 82 municipalities are based in 25 different countries.

Our teams made a concerted effort in 2021 to ensure that investment projects decided by head offices come to Greater Montréal rather than a competing city. As a result, reinvestments by subsidiaries already established in the region represent three quarters of investments.

“Greater Montréal continues to stand out in the eyes of foreign investors, international organizations, entrepreneurs as well as students and workers from all over the world,” said Jean Laurin, Chairman of the Board of Montréal International. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it is clear that we have played a key role relaunching Greater Montréal’s economy and we continue to support the performance of its industries of the future. The international factor is a real growth vector and 2021 provides a perfect example.”

“These results were achieved by the efforts of a team of 85 professionals to attract foreign investment, international organizations or foreign talent. They are agile professionals who are able to tailor their strategies and are determined to have an impact on our economy. I would also like to thank our partners, both public and private, who give MI this unique creative strength to benefit Greater Montréal,” said Stéphane Paquet, President and CEO, Montréal International.

Major spinoffs in health, education and IT
While COVID-19 exacerbated labour shortages in health, education and information technology (IT), MI provided support to the Government of Québec for the international recruitment of 250 health professionals—mostly nurses—as well as 115 teachers, specialists and early childhood educators. Businesses in Greater Montréal have also received help with recruiting 357 IT specialists internationally. Our immigration specialists have also helped many employers support the immigration process of their international workers.

Virtual technology comes to the fore in 2021!
Fully virtual recruitment missions held via the ichoosemontreal.com and talentmontreal.com portals have given us access to talent pools in various regions of the world—particularly South America, Europe and Africa. The teams stepped up the number of webinars, digital promotion campaigns and foreign press relations to promote studying, working or living in Greater Montréal.

The talentmontreal.com site registered 54,000 international candidates, mainly in IT, and had almost 900,000 visitors in 2021. Our site matches local employers with skilled foreign workers, and offers a simple and effective solution to meet workforce needs.

MI is also continuing to step up Greater Montréal’s visibility to international students. Study Connect—a virtual prospecting tool that facilitates searching for educational study programs and putting prospective students in touch with educational institutions in Greater Montréal—received 5,600 applications.

Two international organizations to change the world
Montréal International is still one of the few investment promotion agencies with a mandate to attract and retain international organizations. In 2021, MI successfully led Montréal’s bid to host two new international organizations: The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the Global Humanitarian Aviation Organization (GHAO). The ISSB joins a strong sustainable finance centre with an office “of equal importance” as its headquarters. The arrival of GHAO further enhances the cluster of world-renowned international aviation organizations that are already in Montréal.

Click here to view a replay of the press conference.