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Francophone immigration is vital for the Canadian government as it’s part of the country’s identity, fosters economic growth, and tackles labor shortages. That's why Canada is intensifying its endeavors to embrace French-speaking skilled workers from regions outside Quebec, aiming to sustain and boost the economic development of Francophone minority communities.
In November last year, IRCC confirmed new targets for admitting Francophone immigrants outside Quebec. These targets aim for 6% of total immigration in 2024, rising to 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026. Additionally, in January 2024, several initiatives were announced, including the new Policy on Francophone Immigration and its Implementation Plan. These measures aim to facilitate concrete actions to advance the restoration and augmentation of the demographic presence of Francophone minority communities.
While some of these programs may not be specifically tailored for French speakers, fluency in French can still be advantageous. Here are some of the in Canada for French speakers outside of Quebec:
Express Entry is a federal immigration system that manages applications for three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.
French-speaking applicants can earn additional points through the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for their language skills, which may increase their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence. Additionally, recent draws for this category have invited candidates with significantly lower scores compared to the general category, where scores typically exceed 500 points. In February 2024, the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was an impressive 336.
The category-based selection initiative that started last year gives priority to applicants with a strong French language proficiency and an additional 50 points are granted with a minimum score of 7 in all four language skills in the Canadian Language Proficiency Levels.
If you haven’t yet reached a CLB 7 score, IRCC will still grant you additional points for your second language if you have reached a minimum of CLB 5.
Many Canadian provinces and territories have their own immigration programs designed to meet their specific economic and demographic needs. Some provinces, such as Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Ontario, have PNPs that include streams or categories aimed at attracting French-speaking immigrants.
In Ontario, the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream targets French-speaking skilled workers who have both strong English and French language abilities and who want to live and work permanently in Ontario.
The application should be eligible under Express Entry Skilled Workers Stream or Canadian Experience Class plus he or she must be able to understand, read, write and speak English at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 6 and French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 or higher.
On the other hand, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) offers a pathway to francophones within its Skilled Worker Overseas Stream. This pathway is designed for French-speaking skilled workers who have been invited to apply for provincial nomination and have the intention to settle and work in Manitoba.
To be considered a francophone candidate for the MPNP application, you must possess French language proficiency that is either equivalent to or surpasses your proficiency in English.
If you identify as a francophone candidate and intend to apply to the Skilled Worker Overseas Pathway, you should have professional experience in an occupation listed on the In-Demand Occupations List, or within the sectors of media and communications, or education and training (ranging from primary to post-secondary levels).
In case of New Brunswick, the province has two programs that are good alternatives for French speakers:
The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream welcomes French-speaking individuals possessing the requisite skills, education, and professional background to enrich the province's economy. Applicants should be prepared to make New Brunswick their permanent residence and actively participate in its workforce.
You must demonstrate you meet the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements for each language skill, in French, which is CLB5.
The province is looking for individuals with the necessary experience to fulfill the province's workforce needs. If you are a francophone, and your primary occupation falls within a sector that is in demand in New Brunswick, you may receive consideration and be issued a Letter of Interest (LOI) through the federal Express Entry System. The applicant must meet the eligibility for express entry but a job offer is not required for this stream.
Current in-demand occupations are education, construction, health-related occupations, information and communication technology, forestry, and food production. More information can be found on the following link.
The Nova Scotia PNP is also a great option for French speakers, as it is dedicated to enhancing the presence of Francophone communities by augmenting the influx of French-speaking newcomers. Even though there is no specific program aimed at French speakers, the province has seen a substantial rise in the number of French-speaking candidates approved through provincial immigration programs: From 0,47% in 2017 to 13,72% in 2019, 10.53% in 2020 and 6.40% in 2021.
It aims to attract skilled immigrants to Canada's Atlantic provinces, including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. French language proficiency can be beneficial, particularly in New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia where Francophone communities exist.
This pilot program is designed to address labor market shortages in participating rural and northern communities across Canada. While not specifically for French speakers, some communities may welcome French-speaking immigrants, especially if there is a demand for French-language services or if the community has a Francophone population.
On March 6th, it was announced that the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) will become a permanent program. Additionally, two new immigration pilots will launch in the fall of 2024: the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, aimed at addressing labor shortages in rural areas, and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, focused on increasing the influx of French-speaking newcomers into Francophone minority communities outside Quebec. These initiatives aim to strengthen the economic and cultural foundations of Canada’s rural and Francophone communities by leveraging the job skills of eligible immigrants.
As you can see, now more than ever, Canadian immigration is focusing on French speakers. With various programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the influx of Francophone newcomers, Canada is dedicated to enhancing its Francophone communities and addressing labor shortages. This commitment underscores the importance of French-speaking immigrants in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of the country.
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