Canada cuts immigration but sets higher goal for French-speaking newcomers in Canada

Canada is tightening its overall immigration intake but carving out a special exception for French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec. Prime Minister Mark Carney has set a new target to admit 12 per cent of permanent residents as francophones in these regions by 2029, raising the benchmark from the 10 per cent goal earlier set by the Liberals under Justin Trudeau.

For years, Canada struggled to meet even 2 per cent annually. It took until 2022 to reach 4.4 per cent, a milestone first established in 2003 to slow the decline of French across the country. Despite recent gains, the proportion of francophones outside Quebec has dropped from 6.1 per cent in 1971 to just 3.5 per cent in 2021.

Liane Roy, president of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, told CBC News, “A lot of our communities may disappear ... especially in rural areas,” warning that labour shortages will worsen without stronger francophone migration.

French-speaking admissions rose to 7.2 per cent outside Quebec in 2024, equal to 30,550 people. “I hope we can one day reach 20 per cent,” Roy said.

The federal government has said the new target is intended to support economic prosperity and strengthen minority-language communities. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has begun holding express entry draws for French speakers, and Ottawa is testing the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot in regions such as northern New Brunswick.

Raymond Théberge, commissioner of official languages, told CBC News, “Sustained efforts will be required across the entire Francophone immigration continuum, from promotion to full integration and retention.” He also called on Ottawa to allocate clear resources and timelines to restore the demographic weight of francophones outside Quebec.

At the same time, Carney’s government is reducing the broader flow of newcomers. Permanent resident admissions are being capped at 395,000 in 2025, down from the earlier 500,000 target. Annual admissions will be limited to less than one per cent of the population, while foreign students and temporary workers will be capped at under five per cent by 2027.

The government has positioned these cuts as a response to housing shortages and rising living costs. Statistics Canada has already reported zero population growth in early 2025, with the number of non-permanent residents declining for two consecutive quarters.