IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2023: Francophone Immigration

Context

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the Department’s Mandate Includes Supporting the Development of Francophone Minority Communities, as Part of the Government’s Commitment to Enhance the Vitality of Official Languages Minorities in Canada

• The 2021 Census confirmed an ongoing demographic decline for Francophones outside Quebec, whose demographic weight is currently 3.5% of the population, as compared to 4.4% in 2001 and 6.1% in 1971. Immigration is one of the solutions to address this decline.
• Additionally, increasing the numbers of French-speakers and bilingual newcomers will support Canada’s economic recovery and respond to a variety of specific labour market needs, as well as help preserve the country’s bilingual character.

The Recently Modernized Official Languages Act (OLA) Makes Francophone Immigration a Permanent Priority for Canada and Imposes Greater Accountability on IRCC; it Now Includes:

• Whole-of-government commitment to restore and increase the demographic weight of Francophones outside Québec (reference year of 1971 for restoration, 6.1% of the population);
• Recognition of the importance of immigration to enhance the vitality of Francophone minority communities, including to restore and increase their demographic weight;
• Recognition of the contribution of Francophone immigration to the economy;
• Obligation for IRCC to adopt a Francophone immigration policy, including objectives, targets, indicators, as well as mechanisms for information sharing and reporting; and,
• Strengthening of positive measures, including to: restore and increase demographic weight of Francophone minority communities and support sectors essential to their vitality.

Impacts         

• With the modernized OLA, IRCC faces a legal context requiring greater ambition and action for attracting and integrating more Francophone immigrants outside Quebec:
  • The Department will need to develop and adopt an approach that allows for  progress toward restoring and increasing the demographic weight of Francophone minority communities.
  • It will also be essential to implement the means necessary to achieve the objectives and targets set by the future Francophone Immigration Policy, and to ensure effective and transparent monitoring
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Current Program

In 2019, the Department Launched its Francophone Immigration Strategy.

• The Strategy aims to:
  • Increase Francophone immigration to reach a 4.4% target of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec by 2023;
  • Support the successful integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers; and,
  • Build the capacity of Francophone minority communities.
• Actions under the Strategy have included:
  • Attraction: targeted promotion, in Canada and overseas, including virtual activities to reach a broader pool of French-speaking / bilingual talent
  • Selection: increased additional points for French language skills and Category-based Selection in Express Entry; time-limited temporary to permanent resident (TR-PR) pathways; expansion of Mobilité Francophone
  • Collaboration: ongoing work with Provinces and Territories (PTs) to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec; strengthened collaboration with federal partners and community stakeholders
  • Settlement services: enhanced Francophone integration pathway offering tailored support to French-speaking newcomers from pre-arrival to citizenship
  • Evidence-based policies: infographics shared with the public on benefits of Francophone immigration; public opinion research on impacts of TR-PR transitions and on Mobilité Francophone
• These concerted actions have allowed IRCC to make important gains:
  • IRCC reached the 4.4% admissions target in 2022, a year ahead of schedule, with 16,370 admissions for French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec: the Department is on track to meet this target again in 2023.
  • Continued increases in the percentage of French-speaking immigrants served by Francophone service providers: 57% in 2021-2022, versus 44% in 2018-2019; and
  • 14 Welcoming Francophone Communities have been established since 2020.

Recent Developments

• Through the 2023 Federal Budget, IRCC secured $137.2 million over five years for seven immigration initiatives under the next Action Plan for Official Languages (APOL) 2023-2028.
  • Francophone Immigration Policy ($13.4M)
  • Targeted expansion of promotion and recruitment support ($18.5M)
  • Corridor for the selection and retention of French teachers ($16.3M)
  • Strengthened Francophone integration pathway ($50M)
  • Targeted mechanisms for the selection of French-speaking and bilingual immigrants and a Francophone lens integrated into economic immigration programs ($3.5M)
  • Language training in English and/or French to French-speaking and allophone newcomers, based on need, to support their settlement in Francophone minority communities ($10.5M)
  • Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration, including a new grants and contributions program to support Francophone immigration ($25M), announced on November 10, 2022
    • Located in Dieppe, NB, the Centre has a national mandate to capitalize on the expertise of Francophone minority communities and facilitate their involvement in innovative projects with key partners to solve barriers to Francophone immigration.
• Per its obligations under the new OLA, IRCC is developing a Francophone Immigration Policy.
  • The Policy will provide the overarching strategic framework to guide the development of policy and programs from attraction to selection, collaboration, and settlement services.
  • In line with new commitments in the OLA, the Policy will aim to enhance the vitality of Francophone minority communities and to chart an ambitious, reasonable, and evidence-based approach to gradually restore their demographic weight to what it was in 1971 (6.1%).
  • Though the Policy would fall under the authority of IRCC, contributions from PTs, the federal family, and communities themselves will be crucial to the long-term success of the Policy, considering the many factors that influence demographic weight.
• IRCC is also developing French-speaking immigrant admissions targets for 2024-2026 that will be announced in the forthcoming Multi-Year Levels Plan.
  • A gradual and progressive approach is being developed that will result in ambitious targets that are realistic and attainable, evidence-based, and take into account third-party perspectives.
  • This multi-year and evidence-based approach to French-speaking immigrant admissions targets will allow time to implement new measures and for these to have an impact.
  • Target scenarios for 2024-2026, as well as new support measures, are currently under development.

Upcoming Milestones

• In the coming months, several major milestones for Francophone immigration are anticipated:
  • Ministerial decision for 2024-2026 admissions targets (August);
  • Consultations with PTs and community stakeholders on the development of a new Francophone Immigration Policy (September);
  • Ministerial approval of the Policy (October) and launch of the Policy (November);
  • Announcement of new Francophone admissions targets for 2024-2026 with the Levels Plan (November);
  • TB submission process for the Action Plan on Official Languages (fall 2023 – PCH lead).
  • Potential announcement of certain Official Languages Action Plan initiatives (November – TBD)