According to the latest report, the Premier Francois Legault of Quebec has suggested some significant changes to the economic immigration programs of Quebec. The minister said these changes will make sure that by 2026, all the new economic immigrants to Quebec will be proficient in French before they reach the province. This insight is drawn from an announcement made on May 25 by the Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, Christine Frechette, and the Minister of the French Language, Jean-François Roberge.

This change is to encourage the economic immigration of French-speaking people in the province of Quebec.

According to Legault, the French language in Quebec has been declining for many years. Since 2018, the government of Quebec has been making efforts to protect the language compared to other successive governments. Further, the Quebec government aims to have a totally French-speaking economic immigration by 2026. The minister further urges the Quebec people that, as Quebeckers, it is our duty to speak French, transmit our culture forward, and be proud of it.

All adults who wish to immigrate and settle in Quebec must understand verbal French and be able to communicate in French fluently in their everyday interactions.

The modifications are part of Quebec’s new permanent immigration program for skilled workers.

According to the Quebec government, the Skilled Worker selection program will consider the various needs of the province.

The applicants of the program will be assessed in four different categories. The government has not specified the categories yet but mentioned that three of them will require that the applicant and their spouse know the French language.

Further, the Quebec government will also revise the existing programs of the province.

For instance, under the Quebec Experience Program, the Canadian work experience condition for graduate students from a French-language study program will be removed by the Quebec government.

In addition, under the Family reunification efforts, the guarantor is required to present a plan for the person they are hosting that will support his French learning.

In Canada, immigration is a collective responsibility of the federal government and the provincial government.

Quebec has a separate agreement with the federal government that allows it to select its economic immigrants. However, Quebec can not select family sponsorship candidates or candidates who reached Canada via other humanitarian classes or as refugees.

This year, the province of Quebec aims to welcome around 65% of the immigrants via the economic class.

Growing Immigrants to the Quebec.

By the year 2027, the province of Quebec intends to increase the number of permanent immigrants from 50,000 to 60,000 each year.

This data is contrary to the latest remark of Legault that there was nothing related to the province approving the increased number of new immigrants and officially denying the immigration level plan of the Canadian government with a target of admitting 500,000 PRs to the country each year towards the end of 2025.

The changes proposed by the province also comply with the Immigration Levels Plan of Quebec 2023, which states that the province of Quebec will shift away from a one-year plan and start implementing multi-year plans for 2024 immigration.

Why is the province introducing new changes?

Quebec is Canada’s special province, where the official language is French. The province is highly protective of its language and believes it is important to protect the unique culture of the province. 

Legault is the head of the CAQ, Coalition Avenir Quebec, and is presently serving its second period as the premier of Quebec. Protecting the French language in Quebec is one of the main aims of the CAQ Party. In the recent election, immigration was the primary concern. Legault, in his whole campaign, mentioned that only 50,000 immigrants would be permitted in the province each year as it would be challenging to incorporate and adjust an increased number of immigrants to the province. 

However, similar to the other provinces of Canada, Quebec is also undergoing a labor shortage due to the aging population of the country as well as the low birth rate.  

As per the last month’s report of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the province of Quebec might face an annual shortfall of nearly 18,000 immigrants who can fill the labor needs of the province.