Canada unveils new permanent residence pathway for French speakers

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released eligibility criteria and details on a new francophone immigration pathway to Canada opening in 2025. 

The Francophone Community Immigration Class (FCIC) is a new immigration pathway designed to help French-speaking newcomers settle permanently in Canada. 

The FCIC is for newcomers who wish to settle in francophone communities outside Quebec. Candidates will require a job offer and recommendations in order to be eligible. 

This new pathway is currently expected to last for five years. 

This article will
• Cover applicant eligibility for the program; and 
• Provide a broad overview of the new immigration class. 

Certificate of recommendation 
To receive a certificate of recommendation applicants must 

• Have the required work experience relevant to the Training Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) level of the offered employment; 
• Have a genuine offer of employment in a designated occupation (as established by a designated organization), with wages within acceptable levels (as prescribed by Canada’s Job Bank, or the designated organization itself), and supported by supplementary documentation; 
• Possess the required French language proficiency; 
• Meet the education requirements; and 
• Intend to reside in the designated community they will be working in. 

Certificates of recommendation are valid for six months from the date of issue. 

Genuine offer of employment 
An applicant must show that they have a genuine offer of employment from a designated employer for a role that 

• Is for non-seasonal, full-time work of an indeterminate period; 
• Will entail at least 75% of the employment responsibilities completed in the designated community; 
• Involves work that the candidate is qualified to perform, as indicated by their past work experience and/or education; and 
• The applicant meets the work experience criteria for (detailed below). 

Work experience 
To be eligible for this pathway, applicants must have work experience that 

• Was acquired over a continuous one-year period of full-time work, or the equivalent part-time work, in an occupation listed in the National Occupation Classification (NOC); 
• Was acquired no earlier than three years prior to the day the applicant applied for permanent residence (PR); 
• Involved the performance of duties of the role, as described in the NOC system (both in the lead statement and the occupation descriptions); and 
• Was performed under the employ of a third party (unless acquired as a legally licensed medical practitioner). 

If the applicant's work experience was gained in Canada, then the applicant must have been legally authorized to work in Canada. 

Language Proficiency 
Applicants must take an IRCC-approved language test to prove their French proficiency. 

Education 
Education must be proven by either providing a Canadian credential, or the international credential with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA). The ECA must be less than five years old at the time of application. 

Necessary funds 
Applicants will require funds based on the size of their family. Family members are counted toward this number regardless of whether they are accompanying the applicant to Canada.

Source: https://www.cicnews.com/2024/12/canada-unveils-new-permanent-residence-pathway-for-french-speakers-1249580.html#gs.j7aaf5