Question Period Note: FRANCOPHONE IMMIGRATION TARGET

Increasing Francophone immigration to reach a target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec by 2023

• Ensuring the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec continues to be a key priority for our government and we remain committed to meeting the target of 4.4% French–speaking immigrants outside Quebec by 2023.

• The Government of Canada has made great strides in welcoming more French-speaking newcomers, who continue to build our workforce, grow our economy and strengthen our linguistic duality.

• In fact, from January 1 to September 30, 2022, Canada has already welcomed more than double the number of French-speaking newcomers outside of Quebec compared to the same period in 2021. With close to 12,000 French-speaking permanent residents admitted outside Quebec in nine months, 2022 numbers already reached a historic peak.

If pressed
• We have continued to strengthen our Francophone Immigration Strategy by putting in place targeted initiatives, such as dedicated streams for French-speaking temporary residents as part of the pathways to permanent residence for essential workers and international students in Canada.
• We introduced an ambitious modernization plan to build upon this strategy and create a legislated obligation to adopt a Francophone immigration policy containing objectives, targets and indicators, ensuring strong and prosperous Francophone communities for generations to come.
• IRCC has consulted widely on issues related to Francophone immigration outside Quebec, including a working group with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada to jointly explore the potential of a target beyond 2023. We are taking into consideration all suggestions as we continue to advance this work.
• We look forward to ongoing collaboration with partners, including provinces and territories, to advance our collective interests, recognizing the role of immigration in supporting the demographic growth and vitality of Francophone communities.
If pressed on the Commissioner of Official Languages report
• I recognize the recommendations of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages in its study on the 4.4 % target for French-speaking immigrants to Canada outside Quebec.
• The Commissioner’s engagement on Francophone immigration is important. I welcome the recommendations in the study, which will inform our thinking about the Francophone immigration strategy going forward.
• We continue to be committed to meeting the target by 2023.
If pressed on the Study by the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) :
• We recognize the work and efforts of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne in developing their study on the target for French-speaking immigrants to Canada outside Quebec.
• Their recommendations will inform our thinking going forward.

• Achieving a target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec by 2023 is one of the objectives of the Francophone Immigration Strategy.

• Established in 2003, the target is equal to the proportion of Francophones in the Canadian population outside Quebec as per the 2001 Census. According to the 2021 Census, there are close to one million Francophones in Canada living outside Quebec, representing 3.3% of the population. This is down from 4.4% in 2001. The number of residents of Canada outside Quebec who had French as their exclusive first official language spoken has decreased by 36,000 since 2016, but has continued to top 900,000 people. Representing a decrease from 3.6% in 2016 to 3.3% in 2021, a first decline since the period from 1991 to 1996, and was observed in all the provinces except British Columbia (+1,200). In the territories, the number of French speakers was fairly stable, except in Yukon where it grew (+200).

• Unless actions are taken, the proportion could decrease to 3% by 2036. Immigration is one of the elements to address the demographic decline.

• From 2003 to June 2022, more than 82,000 French-speaking immigrants were admitted to Canada outside Quebec. From January to September 2022, French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec reached 3.9% of all immigrants admitted to Canada outside Quebec, up from 2% in 2021; and closer to the 4.4% target set for 2023.

• Since the 2017 introduction of additional points to French-speakers with strong language skills under Express Entry, an increased share of invitations issued to French-tested candidates under Express Entry has been observed from 2.9% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2020; however, the pandemic had a toll on this trend with a decline to 3% of invitations issued to French-tested candidates in 2021. ITAs between January and August 2022 were at 6%.

• Between January 2021 and January 2022, 43% of French-speaking permanent residents in Canada outside Quebec were admitted via Express Entry, making it the most promising tool to increase French-speaking admissions outside Quebec. In October 2020, IRCC increased additional points for language skills from 15 to 25 for French-speaking candidates and from 30 to 50 for bilingual candidates. This change will help deliver on the government’s commitment.

• Under the Francophone Immigration Strategy, the Department is also pursuing year-round targeted promotion and recruitment support activities to attract a growing number of qualified French-speaking candidates, as well as supporting the successful integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers, through the consolidation of a Francophone integration pathway and adapted language training. This includes the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative aimed at creating lasting ties between French-speaking newcomers and their hosting communities. In fact, in 2021, four of the top ten municipalities of intended destination selected by French-speaking immigrants were part of the Welcoming Francophone Communities Initiative. Those municipalities were Winnipeg (Seine River Region), Calgary, Hamilton and Edmundston (Haut-Saint-Jean Region).

• With regard to the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway, IRCC has received around 7,000 applications from the two streams dedicated to French-speaking essential workers and the stream dedicated to French-speaking recent international graduates, which accounted for 8% of all applications submitted. However, several applicants indicated a residence in Quebec with the intention to move outside Quebec. As of September 30, 2022, over 3,400 permanent residents were admitted under the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway dedicated for French-speakers.

• The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) released a study on the target for French-speaking immigrants to Canada (outside Quebec) by 2023 on April 4, 2022.

• The study makes several recommendations that the Department is currently reviewing.

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