IRCC Announces First Francophone Express Entry Round
On May 31, Minister Fraser announced new changes to Express Entry through category-based selection. Today the Minister of Official Languages announced the first Francophone round for category-based selection.
First Francophone Category Draw to Take Place
Canada announced its intention to hold the first-ever Express Entry category draw for Francophone newcomers. The draw was held on Friday and invited 2,300 candidates to apply with a cut-off score of 439, one of the lowest cut-off scores to date.
Since commencing category-specific draws on June 28th, there have already been 3 category-specific draws. On June 28th, 500 health-care workers were invited to apply. Followed by a draw on July 5th for STEM occupations which invited another 500 candidates. Lastly was yesterday’s draw, another for health-care occupations which invited 1,500 applicants.
With these French-speaking draws, Canada hopes to support economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec. These draws will help to grow Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec, a feat that has been challenging in recent years.
Category-based selection shows Canada’s commitment to attracting top global talent and helping meet the need for French-speaking and bilingual workers to support the economy. It also strengthens the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the communities to which Francophone newcomers contribute.
These category-based draws will be held alongside general invitation rounds and will continue throughout the year.
Who Qualifies for these French Speaking Category Draws?
According to the IRCC, to qualify you must:
- have French-language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens
- meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round
All requirements for each category can be viewed on the Canadian government’s website.
What Is the Best Way to Immigrate to Canada for French Speakers?
Depending on your goals there are many ways to immigrate to Canada as a French speaker.
If you want to study, there are dozens of reputable institutions across Canada that provide quality French or bilingual education and programs to suit your needs. Studying in Canada also tends to be more affordable compared to other popular destinations such as the United States.
Receiving a work permit, on the other hand, will allow you to come to Canada specifically to work. Due to an increased labour shortage, many companies are turning to immigration to meet labour demands. Having french proficiency could give applicants a leg up on the competition to land their ideal role.
Once in Canada, if you decide you’d like to make your stay more permanent, you can begin to explore permanent options such as Canadian permanent residency. However, if you are already sure that you would like to make your immigration permanent, you can apply directly for permanent residence through Express Entry from your home country.
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