Question Period Note: Francophone Immigration in French-speaking minority communities

Budget 2023, announced on March 28, 2023, provides for $123.2 million over 5 years to boost Francophone immigration in Canada.

• Our government recognizes that recruitment, integration, and retention of Francophone immigrants are essential for increasing the demographic weight of Francophone minority communities across the country.
• As part of the 2023-2028 Action Plan, our Government is proud to announce new investments of $123.2 million over five years to boost Francophone immigration to Canada.
• These investments would support Canadian employers in recruiting workers as well as increasing the assistance that is provided to these immigrants following their arrival in Canada.

• Budget 2023, announced on March 28, 2023, provides for $123.2 million over 5 years to boost Francophone immigration in Canada, including support for Canadian employers to recruit French-speaking foreign workers, and increased support for these immigrants once they arrive in Canada.
• On January 23, 2023, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), his Parliamentary Secretary, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Official Languages were on hand at Franco-Cité Catholic High School in Sturgeon Falls to announce that Canada has reached its target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec in 2022, one year earlier than expected. The 16,300 newcomers represent the highest number of newcomers since 2006.
• From January 2021 to January 2022, 61% of French-speaking permanent residents admitted to Canada outside Quebec were in the Economic Class and 43% of French-speaking permanent residents in Canada outside Quebec were admitted via Express Entry. The Canadian Experience Class became the main driver of French-speaking admissions outside Quebec, accounting for close to a third (28%) of all admissions and slightly less than half of admissions of French-speaking admissions (47%) under the economic class.
• Racist acts unfortunately remain a reality for some newcomers. A study conducted by the Réseau de soutien à l'immigration francophone du Nord de l'Ontario indicated that of nearly 200 Black Francophone immigrants consulted, 80% said they perceived discrimination and 57% said they had experienced it. In a community consultation on this issue, participants made recommendations for implementation, including better collaboration with ethno-cultural communities and employer awareness.
• On September 20, 2022, the Minister of IRCC released his plan for immigration, including Francophone immigration. Le Plan has 5 pillars, of which Pillar 4: Support Communities in Attracting and Retaining Newcomers, including through Francophone Immigration. Some of the measures envisaged to increase the number of francophone arrivals in Canada: making the Express Entry program more flexible, revising the access routes to francophone immigration and involving municipalities more. The IRCC Plan aims to ensure that the target of 4.4% Francophone immigrants is met by 2023 to help address labour shortages and promote the vitality of French-speaking minority communities.
• In June 2022, the Minister of IRCC confirmed that a second African visa office will open in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, although the opening date has not been confirmed. The opening of this office responds to a request from the African Francophone community.
• On May 31, 2022, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration tabled its report entitled Differential Treatment in the Recruitment and Acceptance Rates of International Students in Quebec and the Rest of Canada. The report contains 35 recommendations for the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada including recommendation 7, which suggests issuing a directive with respect to Francophone immigration.
• In a press release published on April 4, 2022, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) published a study on the target for Francophone immigration in minority settings. To achieve this, the organization is proposing a marked and progressive increase in the target for Francophone immigration, from the current target of 4.4% to 12% in 2024 and then 20% in 2036. The study published projects several scenarios in order to restore a previous demographic weight of Francophones outside Quebec, which dates from 2001.
• On March 1st, 2022, the Minister of Official Languages tabled Bill C-13 An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts in the House of Commons. The modernized Act would set out the obligation for Canada to have a Francophone immigration policy that will contain objectives, targets and indicators to increase Francophone immigration to Francophone minority communities and a statement that the federal government recognizes that immigration is one of the factors that contribute to maintaining or increasing the demographic weight of Canada's Francophone minorities.
• Changes proposed in the reform document, entitled English and French: Towards Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada (February 2021), include administrative measures to address labour market shortages of French teachers. For example, that the Minister of IRCC set up a new Francophone immigration corridor specifically aimed at recruiting Francophone and French-language teachers—for immersion and teaching of second language programs, and for French-language education; and that the government develop, with the provincial and territorial governments, a framework for the recognition of diplomas in teaching French immersion, French as a second language and teachers of French as a first language that can be applied across the country.

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