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

On November 1, 2023, the government announced that it would maintain the number of new permanent residents in Canada at 500,000 in 2026. In addition, it will increase its target for Francophone immigration from 4.4% to 6% in 2024, and then raise its target for Francophone newcomers outside Quebec to 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026.

• Francophone immigration is fundamental to the future of Francophone minority communities, and with the modernized Official Languages Act and the 2023-2028 Action Plan, our government is putting in place the mechanisms and investments needed to achieve ambitious yet realistic targets.
• With new targets for Francophone immigration increasing from 4.4% to 8% by 2026, we are supporting the economic prosperity, vitality, recovery and growth of the demographic weight of the country's Francophone minority communities.
• We will continue to work closely with provinces and territories, employers and francophone communities to help them adapt to the realities of this demographic growth.

• On November 1, 2023, the government announced that it would maintain the number of new permanent residents in Canada at 500,000 in 2026. In addition, it will increase its target for Francophone immigration from 4.4% to 6% in 2024, and then raise its target for Francophone newcomers outside Quebec to 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026.
• Last year, the government announced levels of 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024, and 500,000 in 2025. Today, the federal government has adjusted these levels to 485,000 in 2024, 500,000 in 2025 and 500,000 in 2026. The government is thus stabilizing this level for the year 2026, in contrast to its upward trend in recent years.
• The president of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) said she was very disappointed by the new targets. In a press release published on April 4, 2022, the FCFA published a study on the target for Francophone immigration in minority settings. To achieve this, the organization was 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 the previous demographic weight of Francophones outside Quebec dating back to 2001.
• On June 20, 2023, Bill C-13 - An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses and to make related amendments to other Acts received Royal Assent. The modernized Act sets out Canada’s obligation to have a Francophone immigration policy with objectives, targets, and indicators, as well as a statement that the federal government recognizes the importance of francophone immigration in enhancing the vitality of French linguistic minority communities, including by restoring and increasing their demographic weight.
• The Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028: Protection - Promotion - Collaboration provides for an investment of $137.2 million for the Francophone immigration pillar: towards restoring the demographic weight of Francophones, in order to implement 7 initiatives that will put forward a series of measures in support of the immigration continuum: from the promotion of Francophone minority communities, to recruitment abroad, to the successful integration of new arrivals.
• The 2023 Federal Budget, 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), announced that Canada has reached its target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec in 2022 (16,300 newcomers), one year earlier than expected.
• 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. The Plan sets out a number of measures to increase the number of French-speaking newcomers to Canada, including making the Express Entry program more flexible, revising the pathways to French-speaking immigration, and getting municipalities more involved.
• 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 IRCC, including recommendation 7, which suggests issuing a directive with respect to Francophone immigration.
• On February 10, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages published its 2nd report - Francophone immigration to minority communities: towards a bold, strong and coordinated approach in which it proposes 12 recommendations. A government response is currently being developed and should be tabled in autumn 2023.
• On November 30, 2021, the Commissioner of Official Languages (Commissioner) published the report “Statistical analysis of the 4.4% immigration target for French-speaking immigrants in Francophone minority communities: Almost 20 years after setting the target, it is time to do more and do better”. His report contained three recommendations, including one for the adoption of a French-language immigration policy for minority communities.

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