French-speaking immigration outside of Quebec has more than doubled over the past three years and will continue to rise, with a 19.9 percent increase in 2023, according to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This trend indicates that Canada is on track to set a new record by the end of the year.
In 2021, only 6,950 French-speaking immigrants became permanent residents in Canada outside Quebec. This number surged to 16,380 the following year, marking a 135.7 percent increase.
In 2022, francophone immigration outside Quebec reached 19,635 new permanent residents. This year, with 9,220 French-speaking newcomers in the first five months alone, the country is poised to welcome approximately 22,128 new francophone permanent residents by year’s end.
Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, received the majority of francophone immigrants last year, with 11,905 new French-speaking permanent residents settling there.
Other provinces and territories also saw notable numbers of French-speaking immigrants in 2022. New Brunswick welcomed 2,935, Manitoba had 1,020, Alberta saw 1,840, and British Columbia received 975.
Smaller numbers were recorded in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut territories.
Earlier this year, Canada’s immigration minister announced several initiatives to support francophone immigration outside Quebec, including a new francophone immigration policy and the expansion of the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative.
Under the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, Ottawa has committed over $137 million to support the French language in Canada. The new Francophone Immigration Support Program aims to fund innovative projects to eliminate barriers to francophone immigration.
With a modernized Official Languages Act, IRCC has adopted a policy on francophone immigration that includes specific objectives, targets, and indicators. Canada operates a two-tiered immigration system, offering programs for skilled workers at both federal and provincial levels. Through the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), provinces and territories can nominate skilled workers to meet their local economic needs.
The post Canada Sees Surge in Francophone Immigration Across Provinces appeared first on CI News | Latest Canada Immigration News.
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