Most of us have, at some point, wondered whether the grass is greener at another company. And if you’ve ever caught yourself scrolling LinkedIn for jobs on a slow Tuesday afternoon, you’re probably not alone.
Now, Forbes has put together a list that might help narrow things down.
The magazine recently released its World’s Best Employers 2026 ranking, and a handful of Quebec companies earned a spot among the top workplaces on the planet.
For its seventh annual list, Forbes teamed up with market research firm Statista to survey more than 300,000 employees in over 50 countries. Everyone surveyed worked for multinational companies with more than 1,000 employees.
Participants were asked how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to friends and family. They also rated their company on things like benefits, work environment, talent development and training opportunities. In the end, 900 companies from 52 countries made the list.
Tech giant Microsoft took the top spot for the third year in a row, followed by Delta Air Lines. And Canada can claim the bronze, with Ottawa-based Shopify jumping all the way to No. 3 from No. 14 last year.
Here’s the global top 10:
- Microsoft
- Delta Air Lines
- Shopify
- Costco Wholesale
- NVIDIA
- Adobe
- Apple
- Sony Group
- Alphabet
- Lego Group
Thirty Canadian companies made the list overall, and eight of them have their headquarters in Quebec. That includes RBC and BMO, which keep their official head offices in Montreal even though much of their day-to-day operations are based in Toronto.
Here are the Quebec companies that made the cut, in order of their ranking.
Desjardins
- Rank: 48
- Industry: Banking and financial services
- CEO: Guy Cormier
- Founded: 1900
Desjardins is the highest-ranked Quebec company on the list, and it’s not particularly close. Founded by Alphonse Desjardins in Lévis, it’s grown into the largest cooperative financial group in North America.
National Bank of Canada
- Rank: 235
- Industry: Banking and financial services
- CEO: Laurent Ferreira
- Founded: 1979
Montreal-based National Bank is the sixth-largest bank in the country. The company traces its roots back to the 1800s, but took its current form in 1979 after a merger between two Quebec banks.
Royal Bank of Canada
- Rank: 241
- Industry: Banking and financial services
- CEO: David Ian McKay
- Founded: 1869
Canada’s biggest bank by market value keeps its official head office at Place Ville Marie in downtown Montreal. You’d also have a hard time walking a few blocks in most Canadian cities without passing an RBC branch.
Gildan
- Rank: 422
- Industry: Clothing, shoes and sports equipment
- CEO: Glenn J. Chamandy
- Founded: 1984
There’s a decent chance you own something Gildan made, even if you don’t realize it. The Montreal-based apparel company is one of the world’s biggest makers of basics like T-shirts and sweatshirts, and its brands include Comfort Colors and American Apparel.
BMO
- Rank: 607
- Industry: Banking and financial services
- CEO: Darryl White
- Founded: 1817
BMO is the oldest bank in the country, and it was born right here in Montreal. While much of the bank’s leadership now works out of Toronto, its legal head office is still on Saint-Jacques Street in Old Montreal.
Bombardier
- Rank: 698
- Industry: Aerospace and defense
- CEO: Eric Martel
- Founded: 1942
Bombardier got its start when Joseph-Armand Bombardier began building snow vehicles in Valcourt. Today, the Montreal-area company focuses on business jets, including its Global and Challenger aircraft.
ALDO Group
- Rank: 797
- Industry: Clothing, shoes and sports equipment
- CEO: David Bensadoun
- Founded: 1972
Aldo Bensadoun opened his first shoe shop in Montreal in 1972, and the business has since grown into a global footwear and accessories brand.
CGI
- Rank: 857
- Industry: Professional services
- CEO: Timothy J. Hurlebaus
- Founded: 1976
CGI started out as a two-person IT consulting firm in Quebec City. It’s now one of the largest IT and business consulting companies in the world, with its headquarters in Montreal.
You can explore the entire ranking here.