This month, Herbert Brownstein outlines the specific benefits for families settling in Quebec. He also explains how to get round regulations which generally forbid the dependents of temporary workers from taking jobs in Canada.

This article deals with the specific benefits that apply to the province of Quebec.

However, the strategies for finding work for your family, outlined later in this briefing, are based on principles which can be adopted in every Canadian province.

When entering the country as a temporary worker, whether you`re a live-in care assistant, domestic worker, president of a multi-national company or whatever, your spouse and children receive certain benefits in the province of Quebec.

Medicare covers all health concerns of the family, and a medicare card is issued to each family member.

Furthermore, children are eligible to attend primary, secondary and Cegep (the Canadian equivalent to A levels) education without any cost to the foreign worker.

Tuition fees for pre-university education are only applicable in the event that children are sent to a private school.

However, employment of spouses or children, is generally forbidden, apart from certain specific exceptions.

If the temporary worker's spouse pursues full-time post-secondary studies in canada, the spouse of the foreign worker may obtain authorization for on-campus employment.

This could be employment for the school, a student organisation or a private contractor, providing on-campus services to the school.

The spouse and children of temporary workers in Canada may also work in the country if they qualify for an employment authorization based on their particular skills.

An employment authorization may be issued to a spouse of a temporary worker, based on the "E05 self-employed person exemption", whereby the spouse shows his or her ability to contribute significant benefits to Canada.

This approach has been successful for computer consultants and artists in certain circumstances.

The "E19 significant benefit exemption" can also be used to supply employment authorizations for spouses if their employment will result in significant benefit for Canada by, for example, creating employment for Canadians or permanent residents in Canada.

This exemption is highly discretionary.

Also, certain international student and young worker employment programmes exist under what is known as the "E-35 exemption".

This can be used by spouses who recently graduated in Canada, based on studies undertaken while their respective husbands or wives had been temporarily working in Canada.

Children of temporary workers can also use the same strategies as outlined above.

However, in the event that the spouse or children of a temporary worker are unable to work in Canada, taking into account the above tactics, it is often desirable for the temporary worker to arrange for landed immigrant status while on his or her work permit, which can be achieved by making an application to the Canadian government office closest to Canada outside the country - usually somewhere in the US.

This process can often be an expedient way to provide your family with the right to work in Canada, as well as with all the rights and privileges conferred upon Canadians, the exception being the right to vote.

After being a landed immigrant in Canada for three years, the temporary worker has the right to apply for Canadian citizenship.

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