Canada Promotes Francophone Immigration With New Legislation

Canada passed a new law to promote Francophone immigration. The law modernizes the Official Language Act to recognize that French, as an official language of Canada, is being threatened and must be protected.

Bill C-13, the Official Languages Act (OLA) Amendment Act, was passed on June 8, 2023, and relevant parts to Canadian immigration include:

• Part 1 introduces, for the first time, immigration into the OLA.

This means that the federal government is now required to consider the impact of immigration on the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec.

• Part 2 amends the OLA to strengthen the federal government’s commitment to promoting and protecting the French language.

This includes measures to increase the number of Francophone immigrants to Canada, to improve access to French-language services, and to support the development of Francophone minority communities.

• Part 3 makes technical amendments to the OLA.

Who are Francophone Immigrants in Canada?

Francophone immigrants are people who come to Canada to live and work and who speak French as their first language. They come from all over the world, but the majority come from Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

Here are some of the benefits of Francophone immigration to Canada:

• Francophone immigrants contribute to the diversity and richness of Canadian culture.
• They bring with them new skills and ideas that can help to boost the Canadian economy.
• They help to strengthen the French language in Canada.
• They help to build bridges between Canada and other Francophone countries.
• If you are a Francophone immigrant, Canada is a welcoming country where you can build a new life and contribute to the country’s future.

Recent Measures to Attract More Francophone Immigrants to Canada

In 2022, Canada met its target of 4.4% of Francophone immigrants outside Quebec. This means that more than 16,300 new immigrants have settled in Francophone minority communities across Canada. This is a significant increase from the 2,800 Francophone immigrants who settled outside Quebec in 2006.

The government of Canada is committed to promoting Francophone immigration. In 2019, the government launched the Francophone Immigration Strategy, which aims to attract 40,000 Francophone immigrants to Canada each year by 2023.

The strategy includes a number of measures to make it easier for Francophone immigrants to come to Canada, including:

• Increasing the number of Francophone immigration streams under the Express Entry system.
• Providing additional points for French language skills in the Express Entry system.
• Raising awareness of Francophone immigration opportunities among potential immigrants.
• Supporting the development of Francophone settlement services.
• These measures are helping to ensure that Canada continues to be a welcoming destination for Francophone immigrants.

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