Canada Expands Francophone Communities by Welcoming French-Speaking Students and Immigrants

Canada is strengthening its national identity by boosting Francophone immigration, enriching the linguistic, social, cultural, and economic diversity of Francophone minority communities (FMCs).

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the launch of the new Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) program on August 26, 2024. This program, developed in collaboration with designated French-language and bilingual post-secondary institutions, aims to attract French-speaking international students to FMCs. In addition, ten new communities were added to the Welcoming Francophone Communities (WFC) initiative.

The FMCSP will facilitate access for international students from French-speaking regions in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas by adjusting study permit requirements. To help boost approval rates, applicants will not need to demonstrate intent to leave Canada after their studies, and financial requirements will be modified. Participants in this pilot will also have a streamlined path to permanent residency after graduation, along with settlement services to support their integration into Canadian communities.

For the program's first year, 2,300 study permit applications will be accepted, exempt from the annual study permit cap. The number for the second year will be determined by August 2025.

Moreover, ten new communities have joined the WFC initiative, bringing the total to 24 across Canada. These communities will help create a welcoming environment for Francophone newcomers, supporting their integration and ensuring that their identity is valued.

The new WFCs include Nanaimo (British Columbia), Red River (Manitoba), Chéticamp (Nova Scotia), Belle-Baie, Caraquet, and Restigouche West Region (New Brunswick), Prince Albert (Saskatchewan), Cornwall and Cochrane District (Ontario), and London (Ontario).