How does foreign drivers license exchange work in Quebec?

Question

I have read everything I could find but I did not find answers to the most important question: How does the exchange work PHYSICALLY?

(Note: my DL is from one of the countries with a reciprocal agreement)

Do I need to give them my physical foreign license? If so, do I get it back when I return my Quebec drivers license? Or will my foreign license have added some sort of remarks?

What happens if my foreign license includes classes which I do not want/have/need in Quebec?

Physically taking away my home countries’ drivers license (forever, that means after moving out of Quebec) would not be an option for me since it serves other purposes in my home country and I do have many classes (Truck Trailers etc) in my home country which I would not have/need/want in Quebec.

Answer 1

I can only talk about my Ontario experience, it might work similarly in Quebec, it might not.

When I moved from Germany to Ontario in 2009 I had to visit the "DriveTest Centre". My German DL was partially converted into a Ontario DL.

They converted my car license into "G" - unlimited for cars up to 10,000 lbs. I lost my motorcycle license and my heavy truck license though. I had to hand in my German DL card. I was told it would be shipped back to Germany to the issuing county (Landkreis). If I would ever return to Germany I could pick it up there. I ended up jumping through all the hoops to regain the motorcycle license (M1 ⇾ M2 ⇾ M). I didn't bother with the A-Z licensing because I'm making a living in a different occupation.

BTW: If I had moved from Quebec to Ontario the very same would have happened.

(some similarities here https://expatriates.stackexchange.com/a/9144/909)