On June 15, 2023, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, announced the two-year expansion of the Francophone Mobility Program. This initiative, once reserved for highly skilled French-speaking temporary foreign workers, now permits a wider range of French-speaking immigrants to gain Canadian work experience and potentially qualify for permanent residence. The scheme enables Canadian employers to offer jobs to eligible candidates with moderate French proficiency for all National Occupation Classifications, except jobs in primary agriculture.

The language proficiency criteria have been updated, now requiring moderate language proficiency in French for oral comprehension and expression, equivalent to a level 5 of the language requirements. Applicants need to provide evidence of meeting these language requirements, such as a French evaluation test or French competencies test, a diploma or degree from a French institution, or documentation confirming studies at a French-language institution. These changes are part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to fostering population growth, economic prosperity, and addressing labor shortage while enhancing the vitality of Francophone minority communities.