Canada's Francophone Immigration Targets and the 2024 Action Plan

TL;DR — Canada has set progressive Francophone immigration targets for permanent-residence admissions outside Quebec: 6% in 2024, growing to 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026 (and beyond). These targets sit within the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028 and are supported by tools including category-based Express Entry draws for French speakers, the Mobilité Francophone work permit category, the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, and dedicated Francophone settlement services. Together they aim to maintain and grow Francophone minority communities outside Quebec.

The targets, in detail

The federal Francophone target is the share of permanent-residence admissions to Canada outside Quebec that come from French-speaking applicants:

The targets are progressive — IRCC committed to step-changes upward each year for the next several years to support demographic vitality of Francophone minority communities. The 2024 target represented a significant jump from the 4.4% achieved in 2023.

The target is outside Quebec — Quebec administers its own French-speaking immigration through the Canada-Quebec Accord and is excluded from the federal Francophone target.

Tools for hitting the targets

IRCC uses multiple instruments to attract and retain Francophone immigrants:

1. Category-based Express Entry — French language

Introduced in mid-2023 and used extensively since. IRCC conducts dedicated Express Entry draws for candidates with NCLC 7+ in French. Key features:

• CRS cutoffs significantly below general draws (often in the 360s-440s vs 510+ general).
• Increased frequency under the 2024 plan.
• Higher invitation volumes.
• Applies to FSWP, FST, CEC, and PNP-aligned profiles.

2. Mobilité Francophone

LMIA-exempt work permit category for French-speaking foreign workers with offers from Canadian employers outside Quebec. Saves the employer the LMIA fee ($1,000) and time. Workers must demonstrate NCLC 7+ in French and the position must be TEER 0/1/2/3.

3. Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

A new federal pilot announced in 2024 modelled on the Rural Community Immigration Pilot. Designated Francophone-minority communities outside Quebec partner with IRCC. Designated employers in these communities can hire French-speaking foreign workers under a streamlined pathway leading to permanent residence.

4. Francophone settlement services

• Expanded network of Francophone settlement service provider organizations (SPOs).
• Welcome and orientation in French.
• French-language assessment through CLARS.
• Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada (CLIC).
• French-language employment counselling.
• Connections to local Francophone communities.

5. Francophone PNP streams

Provinces with significant Francophone communities (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) operate dedicated Francophone PNP streams. These streams add 600 CRS points (for Express Entry-aligned PNPs) and prioritize candidates with French ability and connections to Francophone communities.

6. Atlantic Immigration Program

Prioritizes French-speaking applicants in the four Atlantic provinces, especially New Brunswick (which has the highest Francophone share among Atlantic provinces).

Source countries for Francophone immigration

IRCC's Francophone strategy targets candidates from:

Europe

• France (visa-exempt, eTA-eligible).
• Belgium (visa-exempt, eTA-eligible).
• Switzerland (visa-exempt, eTA-eligible).
• Luxembourg, Monaco.

Africa (Francophone Africa is a major source)

• Senegal — visa office in Dakar serves 16 countries.
• Côte d'Ivoire.
• Cameroon (visa office in Yaoundé).
• Morocco (visa office in Rabat; eTA-conditional eligibility).
• Tunisia, Algeria (visa-required).
• Madagascar, Mauritius.
• Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Benin, Togo, Guinea.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon.
• Haiti (with humanitarian pathways and special PR pathway under Guide 5991).

Lebanon and other diaspora

Lebanon (officially trilingual Arabic/French/English) and other countries with French-speaking diaspora.

Linkage to the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028

The Government's Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028 invested $4.1 billion over 5 years to:

• Support and strengthen French- and English-minority communities.
• Promote French immersion education.
• Strengthen Francophone immigration.
• Modernize the Official Languages Act.
• Build economic vitality for Francophone communities.

Francophone immigration is one pillar of the broader plan.

Challenges

Meeting the rising targets faces real challenges:

• Processing capacity at visa offices serving Francophone Africa needs to scale.
• Source-country English/French ability — some Francophone-Africa applicants need to demonstrate NCLC 7 specifically in their official language.
• Settlement infrastructure in rural and remote Francophone communities is uneven.
• Retention — newcomers sometimes settle in Francophone communities and then move to larger English-speaking cities.
• Reduced overall PR levels under the 2025-2027 Plan create competition for slots.

Despite these challenges, IRCC has consistently moved Francophone immigration upward year by year.

Implications for prospective Francophone immigrants

French-speaking foreign nationals interested in coming to Canada should:

1. Demonstrate French language proficiency — TEF Canada or TCF Canada at NCLC 7+.
2. Submit an Express Entry profile — qualify for FSWP, FSTP, or CEC.
3. Wait for category-based French-language draws — historically lower CRS cutoffs.
4. Consider Mobilité Francophone with a Canadian job offer outside Quebec.
5. Explore the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot for designated communities.
6. Settle in a Francophone community — Saint-Boniface (Manitoba), Hearst or Sudbury (Ontario), Moncton (New Brunswick), Hawkesbury (Ontario), etc.

Key facts at a glance

• 2023 result: 4.4% Francophone admissions outside Quebec (target met).
• 2024 target: 6% (~25,000 admissions).
• 2025 target: 7% (~28,000).
• 2026 target: 8% (~32,000).
• Outside Quebec: Quebec has its own Francophone strategy.
• Action Plan: $4.1 billion over 5 years for Official Languages.
• Tools: category-based EE draws, Mobilité Francophone, Francophone Community Pilot, settlement services, Francophone PNP, Atlantic Immigration Program.
• Major sources: France, Belgium, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Haiti, others.

Source attribution

This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/minister-miller-to-update-on-francophone-immigration-policy-initiatives-and-target-achievement.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.

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Francophone targets, draw cadence, and policy details change. Verify current commitments at canada.ca.

IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.