OLLO – Summary Francophone Immigration – February 6, 2023

On January 23, IRCC announced that Canada had reached its target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec in 2022, one year ahead of schedule. This is a significant achievement.

The target of 4.4% was established by a specialized committee and in collaboration with the communities to enhance the vitality of Francophone minority communities across the country.

In the past year, Canada has admitted more than 16,300 French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec. This is an increase of nearly 450% since 2015, or more than three times the number of French-speaking newcomers to Canada outside Quebec at the time the strategy was implemented in 2018. It is also the largest number of French-speaking immigrants admitted to Canada outside Quebec since we began tracking data in 2006.

IRCC has increased its initiatives and many measures have been put in place to support Francophone immigration, including the launch of the Francophone integration pathway in 2019 and the establishment of additional points in Express Entry for Francophone and bilingual candidates in 2020. The Department also implemented the new temporary resident to permanent resident pathway in 2021, which included an uncapped stream for French speakers, and developed promotional initiatives in Canada and abroad, notably at the Destination Canada Mobility Forum.

The return to overseas processing in early 2022 also contributed to the increase in Francophone admissions.

This achievement would not have been possible without our partners and collaborators who support the government’s commitment to promoting population growth and economic prosperity in Francophone minority communities. By combining our strengths and dedication, we have made history.

We recognize that we still have work to do to achieve our goals and that efforts will continue.

IRCC will set a new target beyond 2023 that will be ambitious, realistic and achievable in order to reverse the decline of Francophone communities across Canada. It will be evidence-based and take into account the perspectives of third parties, including community stakeholders.

IRCC has also established a working group, co-chaired by the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA), to guide the development of a new Francophone immigration policy and related consultations.

IRCC works closely with its partners on an ongoing basis to ensure that the immigration system offers Francophones the option of settling wherever they wish in Canada.

Canada is continuing its efforts to promote Francophone immigration outside Quebec, a key priority for the coming years. The road to success has begun, and work will continue towards achieving ambitious Francophone immigration targets in the years to come.