Security guard in Quebec as a newcomer: status, licence, training
Work permit, identity documents, background, 70-hour training, free French courses: becoming a security guard in Quebec as an immigrant.
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Have you arrived in Canada and are you looking for a first steady job? Many newcomers think of security guarding. You can be a security guard as an immigrant in Quebec without being a Canadian citizen, and even with a work permit. Here is what the law and the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP), Quebec's private security regulator, really require to become a security guard in Quebec when you come from elsewhere: status, identity documents, background, training, French and financial assistance.
For the general process, the fees and the renewal, also see our guide to the BSP security guard licence.
Do you have to be a Canadian citizen to be a security guard?
No. The Regulation under the Private Security Act requires that a person applying for an agent licence be in one of these three situations:
- Canadian citizenship
- permanent resident status
- a work permit issued by the competent Canadian immigration authority.
The BSP forms spell out the accepted cases: you can also check registered Indian status, a study permit that includes the right to work, or another valid right to work in Canada. For a work or study permit, the form asks for its expiry date.
The other conditions are the same for everyone. Under section 19 of the Private Security Act, you must be at least 18 years old, be of good moral character, have the training required by regulation and not have been found guilty of a criminal offence related to the activity in question, unless you have obtained a pardon.
What happens if my work permit expires?
A licence holder must notify the BSP without delay of any change that may affect the validity of the licence (section 24 of the Act). The BSP form expressly lists a change of status in Canada among these changes. If your work permit is about to expire, take care of renewing it with Immigration Canada ahead of time and inform the BSP of any change.
The BSP can check your information with the citizenship and immigration authorities: the form asks you to consent to this.
Which identity documents do you provide as an immigrant?
The application must include a copy of both sides of two different documents:
| What you have to prove | Examples accepted by the BSP |
|---|---|
| Your identity | Canadian driver's licence (preferred if you have one). Otherwise a health insurance card, a valid passport or another document with name, date of birth, photo and signature, issued by a Canadian or foreign government |
| Your status in Canada | Permanent resident card or confirmation of permanent residence, valid work permit, valid study permit with the right to work, citizenship certificate or card, or another document showing a right to work |
Your foreign passport can be used as an identity document. Any document written in a language other than French or English must come with a translation done by a member of the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec.
You also need two passport-size photos. One must be signed by a guarantor who has known you personally for at least 1 year and who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 or over. If you arrived recently and have not known anyone for a year, the form provides that a commissioner for oaths, a notary or a lawyer can act as your guarantor.
Does the BSP check my background abroad?
Yes, in the sense that the question covers your whole life. The Act speaks of an offence under the Criminal Code of which a person has been found guilty "in any place". The form asks whether you have been found guilty, in Canada or elsewhere, of a criminal offence without a pardon, and whether you are currently facing charges.
Answer honestly. The BSP explains in its frequently asked questions that it examines whether there is a link between the offence and the private security activity before deciding. The checks go through the Sûreté du Québec or other police forces. The BSP does not publish a list of foreign police documents to provide: if it needs something else, it will ask you for it.
Is my security training from abroad recognized?
The BSP does not automatically recognize training taken outside Canada. In security guarding, it requires at least 70 hours in a school service centre, or other training recognized by the Minister and taken after the date of its recognition. The 70 hours include three modules: environment, role, legislation and standards of conduct (30 h), emergency procedures (24 h) and first aid recognized by the CNESST, Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board (16 h).
Two other routes exist. If you hold a valid licence from another Canadian province, it could exempt you from proving the training. And if you believe you have equivalent knowledge and skills, you can ask the BSP for an equivalence analysis, based in particular on your related training and your experience. In security guarding, you need in all cases proof of 16-hour first aid training, issued by an organization recognized by the CNESST or equivalent.
Our page on the 70-hour security guard training explains where to take it and which questions to ask before you pay.
Do you have to speak French to get the licence?
Neither the Act nor the Regulation sets a language condition for the licence. The BSP forms let you choose French or English as your language of correspondence.
The training, though, is given in a specific language. In addition to the 70 hours, school service centres offer the 390-hour Attestation of Vocational Studies (AEP) "Sécurité privée – Gardiennage": in French under number 4239, and in English under number 4739 ("Private Security Guarding"), according to Inforoute FPT. On the job, however, you will speak to the public, write reports and communicate with emergency services: good French remains a real asset for getting hired in Quebec.
How can you learn French for free?
The Quebec government offers, through Francisation Québec, free French courses to everyone aged 16 and over who lives in Quebec. There are part-time courses (6 to 20 hours a week, daytime, evening or weekend), online courses and even courses in the workplace.
For immigrants admitted to full-time courses, Québec.ca announces financial assistance:
- a participation allowance of $230 a week
- a reimbursement of childcare costs of up to $25 per day of training per child
- transportation assistance of $25 a week, for people who do not receive the $230 allowance because they already receive certain benefits.
Asylum seekers are not entitled to the $230 allowance. Neither are people who already receive certain benefits (employment insurance, social assistance), but they can apply for the transportation assistance, unless they take their courses remotely. The application for assistance is made at the start of the session, within 60 days at the latest.
Can Services Québec pay for my security guard training?
It is possible. With the Mesure de formation de la main-d'œuvre, its workforce training measure, Services Québec can fund training and reimburse certain costs (childcare, transportation, training). According to Québec.ca, you must in particular be 16 or over, have stopped full-time studies at least 24 months ago and show that the lack of training is a major obstacle to employment. Apply before you register, online or at a Services Québec office.
How do you land a first job in security?
- Check your status first. Keep a copy of your work permit or your permanent resident card ready for the BSP application.
- Think about the temporary licence. It lets you work under supervision during your training, for no more than 120 days. Read how the BSP temporary licence works.
- Adapt your resume to Quebec. Highlight your licence number, your first aid training and your languages. Use our security guard resume template as a guide.
- Check your record in the BSP register before your first shift: the status must be "valid".
- Know your rights. The minimum rate is set by the Decree respecting security guards, no matter where you come from: see our page on a security guard's salary.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you be a security guard with a work permit?
Yes. The Regulation accepts a work permit issued by the Canadian immigration authority, and the BSP also accepts a study permit that includes the right to work.
Can an asylum seeker get the BSP licence?
Only with a document that shows a valid right to work in Canada, such as a work permit. Without that document, the status condition is not met.
Does my security diploma from my home country count?
Not automatically. You have to take the 70-hour training or a recognized training program, unless you hold a valid licence from another Canadian province or obtain from the BSP an equivalence analysis of your knowledge and skills.
Can I take the training in English?
Yes, some centres offer the AEP in English (program 4739, 390 hours). The BSP also corresponds in English if you ask.
Coming from France or a country where people talk about CDD and CDI? Read CDD and CDI in Quebec: a security guard's employment statuses.
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Sources
- LégisQuébec: Private Security Act (sections 19, 22 and 24)
- LégisQuébec: Regulation under the Private Security Act (section 12.1)
- BSP: formulaire 194.005 (version 2026-08), status, identity documents and background
- BSP: Foire aux questions
- BSP: Formations requises
- Inforoute FPT: AEP 4739, Private Security Guarding
- Québec.ca: Apprendre le français
- Québec.ca: Aide financière pour les cours de français à temps complet
- Québec.ca: Mesure de formation de la main-d'œuvre