Option-travail

What Option-travail does

Option-travail (legal name: Corporation d'Option-travail) is a Quebec-registered non-profit employment counselling and cultural diversity centre headquartered in Québec City, Canada. Founded in 1987 originally to serve youth aged 18–35 with employment integration challenges, the organization expanded its mandate in 1997 following the integration of Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Sainte-Foy, and now serves clients of all ages across the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions. Its core service portfolio spans five areas: individual employment services (career orientation, job search support, skills development, financial education, psychosocial support); cultural diversity services (the Objectif Intégration session, cultural diversity training, and advisory services); youth programs (entrepreneurship projects, volunteer initiatives, school perseverance support under the Crénneau carrefour jeunesse mandate); Desjardins-sponsored financial education workshops (Mes finances, mes choix); and business/HR services for employers (recruitment support, cultural integration consulting, training). The organization has delivered Objectif Intégration to more than 3,000 newcomers since 2010, holding an exclusive mandate as the sole authorized provider in eastern Quebec for 10 years.

The business model is hybrid: the majority of services to individuals are free of charge and funded through significant financial contributions from Quebec provincial ministries — specifically the ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MTESS), the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI), the Secrétariat à la jeunesse, and the Secrétariat à l'action communautaire et aux initiatives sociales (SACAIS). Paid services are directed at employers and organizations, including cultural diversity training (tariffs variable by format and participants, with a fixed $80 per 3-hour session rate for the S'adapter au monde du travail québécois program), HR consulting, and a regional job posting board ($15 + taxes per posting, free for eligible employers from July 2026). Desjardins provides parallel co-funding through three local caisses. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

The underlying technology stack is non-intensive: there is no proprietary software platform, AI/ML capabilities, or API infrastructure disclosed. Operations rely on standard productivity tooling (Microsoft Outlook for appointment booking, WordPress-based website, Zoom/Teams for virtual sessions). Go-to-market is community-led, anchored in referrals from MIFI's Accompagnement Québec service, school boards, community organizations, and partner networks including RCJEQ and AXTRA. Distribution is direct service delivery (in-person, phone, email, virtual) plus a free regional job board and monthly cohort-based employment workshops. The organization is governed by a board of directors and led by a Directrice générale, with a disclosed team of approximately 25 named staff including master's-level career guidance counselors, social workers, and cultural diversity specialists.

Name

Option-travail

Legal name

Corporation d'Option-travail

Website

https://optiontravail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Option-travail is a Quebec City-based non-profit employment counselling and cultural diversity centre serving immigrants, youth, and employers across the Capitale-Nationale region via government-funded individual services and paid corporate training, with over 3,000 newcomers trained since 2010.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employment Counseling Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Workplace & Career Integration for Immigrants (Credentialing, Job Readiness) (EDAAADAE), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

Keywords

• Employment counseling services
• Immigrant integration programs
• Career orientation services
• Cultural diversity training
• Job search support

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarke City

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government grants and subsidies: The majority of Option-travail's services are funded by significant financial contributions from the Government of Quebec, specifically the ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MTESS), the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI), the Secrétariat à la jeunesse, and the Secrétariat à l'action communautaire et aux initiatives sociales (SACAIS). Individual services for businesses (training, consulting, HR support) are offered at commercial rates.
2. Fees for business services: Paid services to enterprises include cultural diversity training, HR consulting, and recruitment support. Some training sessions for immigrant workers are offered at $80 per session. Administrative fees of $15 + taxes apply for job postings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Option-travail is a non-profit employment counseling and cultural diversity center that delivers free individual employment services (career orientation, job search support, skills development, psychosocial support) to immigrants, youth, and job seekers in the Quebec City region, and paid cultural diversity training, HR consulting, and recruitment support to employers. Its flagship program is the MIFI-funded Objectif Intégration session, the sole authorized immigrant integration program in eastern Quebec, complemented by youth entrepreneurship, volunteer, and school perseverance programs under the Crénau carrefour jeunesse mandate, and Desjardins-sponsored financial education workshops.

Product overview

Option-travail operates as a non-profit employment counseling and cultural diversity center serving the Quebec City region. Rather than a unified software platform, the organization offers a portfolio of distinct service programs delivered by counselors, social workers, and cultural diversity specialists. Core services fall into five areas: (1) Individual employment services including career orientation, job search support, and skills development programs; (2) Cultural diversity services including the Objectif Intégration session, cultural diversity training, and advisory services; (3) Youth programs including entrepreneurship projects, volunteer initiatives, and school perseverance support under the Créneau carrefour jeunesse mandate; (4) Financial education through Desjardins-sponsored workshops; and (5) Business/HR services including recruitment support, training, and cultural integration consulting for employers. The majority of services are free, funded by Quebec government ministries including MTESS, MIFI, and Secrétariat à la jeunesse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formations en gestion de la diversité culturelle (Cultural Diversity Management Training) Training programs for organizations on intercultural communication, bias recognition, and inclusive workplace practices, offered in in-person and asynchronous online formats.
• Session Objectif Intégration (Integration Session for Immigrants) MIFI-funded integration session for new immigrants covering democratic values, Quebec values, cultural codes in employment, and the legal framework of the Quebec labour market, delivered in-person and online.
• Orientation professionnelle (Career Orientation) Career orientation service including self-knowledge exercises, competency assessments, psychometric tests, and labour market exploration tools to help individuals define their career path.
• Recherche d'emploi (Job Search Support) Job search support service covering CV and cover letter writing, interview preparation, communication techniques, and practical group workshops spanning two weeks.
• Programme de développement des compétences (Skills Development Program) Skills development program for workers struggling to maintain employment, addressing authority, absenteeism, motivation, adaptation, and workplace relationships through bipartite or tripartite interventions.
• Formation S'adapter au monde du travail québécois (Adapting to the Quebec Job Market Training) Training program for immigrant workers covering cultural adaptation, employer expectations, and intercultural communication, available in French, English, and Spanish at $80 per 3-hour online session.
• Services d'aide en ressources humaines (HR Advisory Services) HR advisory services for SMEs including recruitment support, selection assistance, professional co-development groups, and HR policy development.
• Services-conseils en gestion de la diversité culturelle (Cultural Diversity Advisory) Advisory services for organizations on adapting welcome programs, understanding cultural differences, and preparing candidates before arrival, built on 12 years of experience delivering Objectif Intégration.
• Programme de développement des compétences en entreprise (Enterprise Skills Development Program) Enterprise skills development program including six structured meetings (welcome, midpoint, final) and three individual sessions to identify integration needs and strengthen employability.
• Service d'accompagnement à l'accueil et l'intégration des nouveaux arrivants (Newcomer Welcome and Integration Service) Welcome and integration accompaniment service for newcomers in Sainte-Foy-Sillery-Cap-Rouge, providing personalized support for orientation, daily questions, installation steps, and social/professional integration.
• Projets d'entrepreneuriat jeunesse (Youth Entrepreneurship Projects) Youth entrepreneurship projects under the Crénau carrefour jeunesse program, including Filia (formerly Glambition Québec), Découvreurs en ACTION partnership, and Semer pour partager hydroponics initiative.
• Projets de bénévolat (School Volunteer Projects) Volunteer projects for secondary school students providing social engagement experiences in school or community settings, with financial support and accompaniment.
• Projets de volontariat (Youth Volunteer Projects) Volunteer projects for youth aged 18-35 in Sainte-Foy/Sillery/Cap-Rouge supporting collective utility initiatives with accompaniment and financial allocation.
• Persévérance scolaire et Autonomie personnelle et sociale (School Perseverance and Personal/Social Autonomy) School perseverance services for youth aged 15-19 at risk of dropping out, and personal/social autonomy services for youth aged 16-35 experiencing vulnerabilities, under the Crénau carrefour jeunesse program.
• Ateliers d'éducation financière (Financial Education Workshops) Desjardins-sponsored Mes finances, mes choix workshops covering budgeting, savings, credit, consumer rights, and investments across four learning paths.
• Ateliers sur la recherche d'emploi (School Job Search Workshops) Job search workshops for schools covering CV writing, cover letters, interview preparation, job search techniques, social media use in job hunting, and cultural diversity topics.
• Ateliers pratiques en recherche d'emploi (Practical Employment Workshops) Two-week intensive practical job search workshops offered monthly for unemployed/non-studying residents of Capitale-Nationale, free for eligible participants.
• Offres d'emploi (Free Job Posting Board) Online job posting board for employers in Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches, with a $15 + taxes administrative fee per posting published for one month.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 new arrivals have completed the Objectif Intégration session since its launch
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec (RCJEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOption-travail is a member of RCJEQ, which provides access to pan-provincial tools, platforms, and collective advocacy for youth employment services. RCJEQ mandates guide Option-travail's programming for youth aged 15–35.
• AXTRA (l'alliance des centres-conseils en emploi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOption-travail is a member of AXTRA, the alliance of employment counselling centres, which supports integration of people facing employment difficulties and underrepresented groups in the labour market. Associated platform: Trouve ton X (trouvetonx.ca).
• Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI)coreOthersPrimary government funder for immigrant integration services, including the Objectif Intégration program. Option-travail was the sole authorized provider of this program in eastern Quebec for 10 years. Also funds employment integration and community action programs.
• Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MTESS)coreOthersMajor government funder of employment services and career counselling programs, providing significant ongoing financial support for individual employment services.
• Secrétaire à l'action communautaire et aux initiatives sociales (SACAIS)minorOthersGovernment funding body supporting community and social initiative programs that complement Option-travail's youth and community engagement services.
• Centre de services scolaire des DécouvreurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in youth entrepreneurship programs (Découvreurs en ACTION), school perseverance initiatives, and the Semer pour partager hydroponic agriculture project. Also partner in volunteer and entrepreneurship projects in secondary schools.
• Québec InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuébec International organizes international recruitment activities for workers and international students, referenced as a partner for immigration information on the Québec en tête platform.
• Service d'Accompagnement Québec (MIFI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe government's Accompagnement Québec service is the primary intake channel for the Objectif Intégration session. Immigrants must register through this service to access Option-travail's integration sessions.
• Découvreurs en ACTION partnership (Université Laval, Jeune Coop, Centre de services scolaire des Découvreurs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-partner initiative linking youth entrepreneurship mandates across different organizations to better serve young people in the Capitale-Nationale region. Jointly delivers Filia (entrepreneurship for girls) and Défi OSEntreprendre.
• Filia (formerly Glambition Québec)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurship event for girls in secondary school, raising awareness of entrepreneurial culture and supporting student projects with mentors and seed funding.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Centre Afrika: Montreal-based community organization supporting racialized and immigrant communities through employment-readiness, professional integration, and diversity awareness programming. Comparable on immigrant-integration services and employer cultural-diversity support.

Direct peers

• CIMT – Centre d'intégration multi-services de l'Ouest: Montreal-based immigrant-integration non-profit offering reception, Francisation, job-search support, and HR consulting. Closely aligned scope to Option-travail's diversity-counselling and Objectif Intégration activities, with a similar MIFI-funded programme mix.
• Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Montréal: Peer member of the Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec (RCJEQ) delivering the same youth employment mandate (15–35) with an analogous mix of career counselling, school-perseverance, and entrepreneurship programming funded by the same Quebec ministries. Most comparable peer given the shared RCJEQ mandate and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Services Québec / Emploi-Québec: Government-operated network of employment-service counters providing job-matching, career counselling, and re-employment support across Quebec. A broad incumbent that both funnels and competes for the same clientele (job seekers, immigrants, youth) within Option-travail's territory.
• AXTRA member centres (Québec): AXTRA is the alliance of Quebec employment-counselling centres whose mandate and funding model Option-travail mirrors. Member centres such as Groupe Espaces, IntelliSens, and CJE Avenir Jeunesse deliver parallel career-counselling and immigrant-integration programming in adjacent Quebec regions.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: Large Canadian non-profit delivering settlement, employment, language, and newcomer integration services. Comparable in service breadth (employment counselling, employer cultural-diversity support, HR consulting) but broader in geography and scale.
• YMCA Employment Services (Quebec/Canada): YMCA centres across Canada deliver employment-counselling, immigrant-settlement, and job-search services to individuals and businesses. Broad incumbent with overlapping career-services, job-board, and newcomer-support offerings, though delivered as part of a wider community-services portfolio.

Others

• Cégep Garneau – Formation continue et services aux entreprises: Quebec continuing-education and corporate-services division offering customized workforce training (including cultural-diversity and HR modules) to employers. Comparable adjacent business-training offering and overlaps with a sitting Option-travail board member; not a direct competitor but a corporate-training alternative.

Regional players

• Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de la Capitale-Nationale (sister CJE): Other Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec member operating in the same broader Capitale-Nationale region with parallel youth (15–35) employment programming. Adjacent peer with overlapping school boards, ministerial funders, and youth clientele.
• Accueil multiethnique de Québec: Quebec City-based community organization offering newcomer integration, French-language support, and employment services to immigrants in the same Capitale-Nationale territory. Direct comparator for the Objectif Intégration-type mandate and the immigrant-client segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYzzuX6LXkXDs3pWb46k0lA
• Facebookfacebook.com/optiontravailquebec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/option-travail
• Instagraminstagram.com/optiontravail
• TikToktiktok.com/@optiontravail

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Option-travail