On 25th May, 2023, Quebec’s (Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration) Christine Frechette and (the Minister of the French Language) Jean-François Roberge Legualt announced that almost everyone coming to Quebec would need to know French. These plans to make French popular will happen by the year 2026.
This will successfully happen as the French language will become mandatory for all Quebec Economic Immigration Programs.
The thing about Quebec is that it is very protective of its culture and tradition. And so, the ministers of Quebec are feeling as if the Francophone province is losing its charming language over the years as newcomers coming to the province have not been able to show fantastic French speaking skills as they used to.
Along with protecting the heritage of the province, this change will also promote Francophone immigration and attract French speaking immigrants to the province.
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What are the Changes?
Quebec’s Government has decided to make it mandatory for all adults, coming to settle down in Quebec, to know French. They should be able to understand French good enough that they can converse easily wherever they are.
Moreover, there’s going to be a new permanent immigration pathway, the Skilled Worker Selection Program, for skilled workers, and these changes are an essential part of that new program. How? The candidates immigrating to Quebec through the new pathway would be evaluated on four factors.
Though there’s not much information on those factors, it is clear that three of those factors would require the candidate, and their spouse, to know French.
Additionally, there are going to be some important changes made in already existing programs. See, if you are a graduate student from a French language study program, and migrating to Quebec via Quebec Experience Program, then you don’t need to show any work experience.
Apart from this, just like the whole of Canada is facing a severe labor shortage, Quebec is also focusing on ways to attract more workers. Hence, to battle the worker shortage, the provincial government has decided to invite 65% of all immigrants from economic class.
What are Quebec’s Plans?
When the announcement about the French language becoming mandatory came out, the province also made an announcement. Quebec is considering increasing the number of immigrants from 50,000 to 60,000 annually by 2027.
Even though Quebec did announce that it will not be increasing the number of immigrants entering the province, the labor shortages have made it reconsider.
Various studies and reports show that the Canadian province needs to invite a much higher number of immigrants to reduce the workforce gap.
