Charter of the French Language at work (Quebec)

Quebec's Charter of the French Language sets rules on French at work. For example, job offers in Quebec must be written in French.

Also called: Bill 101, Bill 96, French Language Charter, Charte de la langue française, language of work in Quebec

What charter of the French Language at work (Quebec) means

The Charter of the French Language is the Quebec law that makes French the official language of Quebec, including in the workplace. It is often called Bill 101, and it was changed substantially by Bill 96. It is overseen by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

For employers with staff in Quebec, the Charter affects hiring and day-to-day work: the language of job offers, of written communications with staff, of employment documents, and whether you can require knowledge of a language other than French for a job.

One rule is simple and confirmed: job offers in Quebec must be written in French. You can publish a version in another language at the same time. The Charter's other workplace rules are more detailed, and several changed in recent years, so check the OQLF's current guidance before relying on older advice.

How it works

Start with your job postings. Write each Quebec job offer in French. If you also want an English version, publish it at the same time as the French one, not instead of it, through comparable channels that reach a similar audience.

Next, look at the documents your employees receive. Employment contracts, offer letters, policies, schedules, forms and training material are all things the Charter's workplace rules can apply to. Workers have the right to carry on their activities in French, and written communications with staff must be in French. Make sure you can provide these documents in French, and check the OQLF's guidance on when another language version is allowed.

Think carefully before requiring English or another language. You can make knowledge of a language other than French a condition of getting or keeping a job only if the duties actually require it, and only after taking all reasonable means to avoid the requirement. That means three things: assess the real language needs of the job, check that the language skills of your existing staff are not enough to cover those tasks, and keep the number of jobs that require another language as small as possible. If you skip any of these, you are treated as not having taken all reasonable means. The job offer must then state the reasons for the requirement. Regular contact with clients outside Quebec does not automatically justify requiring every employee to know another language.

If your business grows, check whether the Charter's francization rules apply to you. These rules depend on the number of employees in Quebec. The OQLF can tell you what applies at your size.

A practical approach for a small business is to make French the default for everything you write for staff, and to add other languages only where you have checked that it is allowed and needed.

Is it the same in every province?

The Charter of the French Language applies only to work in Quebec. Outside Quebec, follow the posting and hiring rules of the province or territory where the work is done.

Example: A Montreal café posts in two languages

Nathan runs a 7-person café in Montreal and has always posted jobs in English only, because many customers are tourists.

For his next barista job, he writes the offer in French and publishes an English version at the same time on the same job board. He also asks the OQLF what applies to his staff documents and whether he can list English as a requirement, before adding it to the posting.

Job descriptions in Staffkin

In Staffkin, a job description is attached to each job and exports to Word, so you can prepare a French version alongside any other language you use.

See the job description templates

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about charter of the French Language at work (Quebec)

Do job postings in Quebec have to be in French?

Yes. Job offers in Quebec must be written in French. A version in another language can be published at the same time.

Can I post a job in English only in Quebec?

No. You may publish an English version, but only alongside a French version published at the same time.

Can I require English for a job in Quebec?

Only if the job actually needs it and you have first taken all reasonable means to avoid the requirement: assessing the real needs, checking your existing staff's language skills and limiting the number of such jobs. The job offer must say why.

Who enforces the Charter of the French Language?

The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) oversees the Charter and can answer employer questions.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 5 November 2026.