Announced on June 15, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will expand the Francophone Mobility Program (the "Program") for a period of two years.

Under the new requirements, the minimum language proficiency has been reduced to a moderate command of French. The Program will apply to all occupations with the exception of jobs in primary agriculture.

The requirements, initially only reserved for highly skilled French speakers, now facilitates increased flexibility for employers and will address labour shortages outside of Quebec in two ways:

  • The Program has been expanded to include occupations in all skill levels, so employers can now recruit eligible candidates for lower skill (TEER 4 and TEER 5) occupations
  • Lowering the minimum French language proficiency requirement will allow more candidates to qualify

Candidates will be required to provide proof of French proficiency in order to apply and the program is expected to increase the likelihood that French-speaking temporary foreign workers will be invited to apply for permanent residence if they have submitted an Express Entry profile. The full details of the announcement can be found here.

Immigration legislation and practices continue to change frequently. Our Immigration Group would be pleased to help with any questions you may have about immigration into Canada or the U.S. To find out more about our group, reach out to a member of our team and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.