Good news for francophones and bilinguals who dream of Canada

Starting in 2025, Canada is entering a new phase of its commitment to francophone immigration. With the new Francophone Immigration Policy and the 2025 to 2029 immigration levels plans, the government is clearly signaling that it wants to significantly increase the number of French speaking permanent residents who settle outside Quebec.

This article explains, in simple language, what that means for you if you are francophone or bilingual and you are thinking about permanent residence in Canada.

1. Why Canada is investing in francophone immigration

For decades, the proportion of francophone communities outside Quebec has been declining. The new Francophone Immigration Policy has a clear goal:

• stabilize, then increase the demographic weight of francophone and Acadian communities outside Quebec
• move toward restoring their historical share of the population

To do this, Canada is using immigration as a key tool. The policy focuses on five big directions:

• integrating a “francophone lens” into immigration programs and decisions
• setting annual targets for the number of francophone permanent residents
• supporting francophone candidates through the whole journey, from promotion to settlement
• working closely with provinces, territories and community organizations
• improving data and research about francophone immigration

In other words, the place of francophones in the immigration system is no longer a side topic. It is a long-term priority.

2. The 2025 to 2029 targets for francophone permanent residents

Canada is putting in place a gradual path that increases each year the proportion of francophone permanent residents admitted outside Quebec.

2025 to 2027

In the 2025 to 2027 immigration levels plan, the federal government sets specific targets for francophone permanent residents (outside Quebec), as a percentage of all new permanent residents:

• 2025: 8.5 percent
• 2026: 9 to 9.5 percent
• 2027: around 10 percent

These percentages grow even while the total number of permanent residents is expected to stabilize or decrease slightly. That shows a clear intention to protect and strengthen francophone communities.

2026 to 2028, with a vision toward 2029

Canada plans to admit roughly 380 000 permanent residents per year in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Within that global number, the targets for francophone permanent residents outside Quebec are expected to be around:

• 2026: close to 9 percent
• 2027: about 9.5 percent
• 2028: around 10.5 percent

The long-term vision is to move toward approximately 12 percent francophone admissions outside Quebec by 2029.

For you, this means that Canada is actively looking for more francophone and French proficient candidates to meet these targets.

3. How Canada plans to reach these targets

The 2025 to 2029 plans are not only about numbers. There are practical measures behind them that can benefit you if you speak French.

a) More promotion for francophone talent

Canada is investing in targeted promotion and recruitment for francophones, including:

• events like Destination Canada Mobility Forum
• recruitment missions in Africa, Europe and other regions
• more support and presence abroad through visa offices and partners

The idea is to position francophone minority communities in Canada as attractive destinations to study, work, live and build a future in French.

b) Dedicated pathways for francophones

To increase francophone admissions, several tools are being used and expanded, especially for people who speak French:

• Express Entry rounds that specifically target candidates with strong French language skills
• the Francophone Mobility work permit, which makes it easier for some francophone workers to come to Canada temporarily
• pilot projects and initiatives focused on francophone communities, such as
  • the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot
• • the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
  • the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative, which is being expanded to more communities

These pathways help Canada attract, select and retain more francophone candidates in economic, family and humanitarian immigration programs.

c) Support for integration in French

The strategy is not limited to bringing you to Canada. It also focuses on helping you settle and succeed in French, including:

• pre arrival services in French
• French language training adapted to life in minority francophone communities
• employment support and networking
• settlement services delivered by francophone organizations in your future region

This support makes it more realistic to live your life in French outside Quebec, while integrating fully into Canadian society.

4. What this means for you in concrete terms

If you are francophone or bilingual, the 2025 to 2029 plans give you several strategic advantages.

• Your French is a key asset, not just a nice detail. It can improve your profile in Express Entry or in some provincial programs.
• The planned intake of francophone permanent residents is increasing. The next few years are a very good window of opportunity to submit or strengthen your application.
• child care, social services and other essential services. If you have experience or training in these areas, that is an extra advantage.
• Francophone communities across Canada are receiving targeted investments and are actively looking for newcomers who want to live, work and raise their families in French.

In simple terms, the immigration system is being structured to find and welcome more people like you.

5. How our office can help you

Immigration policies, levels plans and francophone targets can be complex to interpret. On top of that, every profile is unique, and the best pathway for one person is not always the best for another.

If you are:

• a francophone or bilingual person already in Canada with a study permit or a work permit, or
• living abroad and thinking about a serious immigration project to Canada in French,

then this is the right time to build a clear strategy that aligns with the 2025 to 2029 francophone targets.

Call to action

 If you are francophone or bilingual and Canada is part of your plans, I invite you to book a consultation with our immigration office.

Together, we can:

• assess how your French can help you benefit from the current francophone targets
• choose the path that fits you best, such as Express Entry, a provincial program, a francophone work permit, or a study project that leads to permanent residence
• create a realistic, step by step plan toward permanent residence in Canada

Your French is not just a language; it is a real immigration advantage.
Let us use it fully and turn your Canadian dream into a reality today.