World Immigration News

As Canada reduces immigration, francophones settling outside Quebec are an exception

Release Date: 2025-08-20
Media: Radio-Canada
Summary: The Canadian government is reducing overall immigration levels but significantly boosting francophone immigration outside Quebec. Prime Minister Mark Carney has set a target for francophones to make up 12% of permanent residents outside Quebec by 2029 — higher than the Liberals’ previous 10% goal and well above the historic rate of under 2%.

This policy shift responds to the long-term decline of French speakers outside Quebec, whose share of the population fell from 6.1% in 1971 to 3.5% in 2021. Francophone immigration is seen as crucial for sustaining minority communities, addressing labor shortages, and ensuring French-language services in sectors such as health care and education.

Although Canada is capping overall permanent residents (395,000 in 2025 vs. the initially planned 500,000) and limiting temporary foreign workers and students due to housing and cost-of-living concerns, francophone admissions are rising. In 2024, 7.2% of newcomers outside Quebec were French speakers (over 30,000 people), surpassing the 6% benchmark.

Programs such as the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot are helping rural and bilingual communities attract French-speaking workers, supporting businesses and revitalizing local economies. Advocates argue that sustained efforts in recruitment, integration, and retention are needed, with some calling for a long-term goal of 20% francophone immigration.
Tags: Canada

Released on

Article Title