About Bill 21
On June 16, 2019, the government of Québec passed Bill 21, “An Act respecting the laicity of the State.”
This bill prohibits the wearing of religious symbols by provincial employees or appointees who begin a new position or change positions in a number of job categories, including principals, vice-principals and teachers in publicly-funded school boards.
Frequently asked questions
Bill 21, also known as the "Act respecting the laicity of the State," is a law in Quebec that prohibits certain public sector employees, including teachers in public schools, from wearing religious symbols while performing their duties.
Bill 21 applies to public sector employees in positions of authority, such as police officers, judges, and teachers in public schools. It specifically affects those hired after the law was enacted in June 2019. Teachers who were employed before this date are not subject to the rule unless they change positions or roles.
Religious symbols are defined as any visible article of clothing, jewelry, or accessories that indicate a religious affiliation. This includes, but is not limited to, hijabs, kippahs, turbans, and visible crosses.
Since interns are not officially hired employees of the public school system in Quebec, Bill 21 does not apply to them. Although you may experience pressure or disapproval from staff or colleagues who support the bill, you should know that you are not legally obligated to follow this law. In these instances, your internship supervisor and/or program director will work with you to ensure you feel supported.
Yes, Bill 21 does not apply to Concordia University, so you are allowed to wear religious symbols in your teacher education courses.
No, Bill 21 does not apply to private schools. Teachers and interns in private schools are allowed to wear religious symbols.
If you plan to work in Quebec's public school system, Bill 21 may affect your job search if you wear religious symbols. However, you would be eligible to work elsewhere in Canada, and also within the many private and religious schools that Quebec has to offer.
If the job offer was made after Bill 21 came into effect, you would not be allowed to wear religious symbols. If the offer is from a private school, Bill 21 would not apply.
Bill 21 does not prevent anyone from being hired based on religion alone. However, if you choose to wear visible religious symbols, you may face restrictions when applying for public sector teaching positions.
Yes, Bill 21 only applies within Quebec. In other provinces or countries, different rules apply regarding religious symbols in the workplace.
Refusing to comply with Bill 21 in a public school setting may result in disciplinary actions, including employment termination. During internships, although Bill 21 does not apply, you might encounter staff members who expect adherence to the same rules, which could impact your experience. In these instances, as noted above, your internship supervisor and/or program director will work with you to ensure you feel supported.
No, Bill 21 does not apply to teachers in CEGEPs or universities. It specifically targets primary and secondary school teachers in the public system.
No, Bill 21 does not apply to educators in early childhood settings such as daycares or CPEs.
Non-teaching staff, such as administrative or support staff, are not subject to Bill 21. The law specifically applies to teachers and other employees in positions of authority, such as police officers, judges.
No, Bill 21 does not offer exceptions for specific religious groups. It applies uniformly to all individuals in public sector positions covered by the law.
Although the law is currently in force, it has faced legal challenges. If you feel personally affected, you could consult with legal professionals or advocacy groups that are working to challenge the law.
Additional resources reated to Bill 21
Other related scholarly resources
- El Helou, C. (2021). Loi 21: Neutre sur un terrain divisoire ? Perceptions des personnes s’exprimant sur des groupes Facebook. Unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Ottawa.
- Elbourne, E., Manning, K. S., & Kifell, Z. (2023). The Impact of Law 21 on Québec Students in Law and Education: Executive Summary of Findings.
- Laxer, E., Reitz, J. G., & Stallone, J. (2023). Challenging the legitimacy of exclusion: Muslim women and social boundaries in different headscarf policy contexts. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 46(5), 987-1009.
- Mamlok, D. (2024). Bill 21 as an exemplar of the fragility of tolerance. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 45(1), 58-69.
- McDonough, K., Maxwell, B. & Waddington, D. (2015). Teachers, the state and religious symbols: A question of professional ethics. Theory and Research in Education, 13(3) 249-266.
- Mercier-Dalphond, G. (2023). Loi sur la laïcité de l’État : quelles conséquences sur les personnes de confession musulmane au Québec?
- Potvin, M., Low, B., Doré, E., Tremblay, S., Lefrancois, D., Demers, S., ... Steinbach, M. (2024). Survey of the Effects of Law 21 on Students and Staff in Faculties of Education in Québec. Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d'études canadiennes 58(1), 52-77.
- Taylor, M. (2022). Law 21: Discourse, perceptions & impacts. Association for Canadian Studies.
Coverage in the media
- Elghawaby, A. & Farber, B. (2019, July 11). Quebec's Bill 21 shows why we fear the tyranny of the majority. Ottawa Citizen.
- Montpetit, J. (2019, May 13). “‘Abnormal’ Spike in Muslim Women Reporting Harassment, Discrimination after Quebec Secularism Bill Tabled.” CBC.
- Paré, I. (2019, Mar 30). Le projet de loi, est-il raciste? Le Devoir.
- Waddington, D. (2019, April 17). Opinion: What teaching teachers has taught me about Bill 21. Montreal Gazette.