Canada Surpasses 2025 Francophone Immigration Target, Plans Further Increases

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that for the fourth consecutive year, Canada has exceeded its francophone immigration goal outside Quebec for 2025. Approximately 8.9% of permanent residents admitted outside Quebec were French-speaking, surpassing the target of 8.5%. This progress results from coordinated efforts with provinces, territories, and communities. Looking ahead, the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan will raise the targets for French-speaking immigrants admitted outside Quebec—from 9% in 2026 to 10.5% in 2028. As part of this plan, Canada will allocate 5,000 dedicated federal spots annually from 2026 for provinces and territories to select French-speaking candidates, supplementing existing Provincial Nominee Program quotas. IRCC continues to support francophone immigration through initiatives such as the French-language proficiency category in Express Entry, the Francophone Mobility program, and the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative. These measures aim to boost the presence and economic contribution of Francophone and Acadian minority communities across Canada.