Canada Exceeds Francophone Immigration Target for 2025, Announces 5,000 New Federal Selection Spaces
Sreejith
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that Canada has exceeded its Francophone immigration target for 2025 for the fourth consecutive year, while also announcing 5,000 new federal selection spaces starting in 2026 to support Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
According to a news release issued on January 19, 2026, Canada reached 8.9% admissions of French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec in 2025, surpassing the original target of 8.5%. Preliminary year-end data shows that over 29,500 Francophone permanent residents were admitted, reflecting strong federal, provincial, and community collaboration.
Key Highlights
Record-setting Francophone admissions
The 2025 results mark the fourth straight year Canada has exceeded its Francophone immigration goals, reinforcing the importance of Francophone immigration in addressing labour shortages and strengthening minority communities.
5,000 new federal selection spaces from 2026
Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC will reserve 5,000 federal selection spaces to allow provinces and territories to designate French-speaking immigrants. These spaces will be in addition to regular Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations, providing expanded pathways for Francophone and bilingual workers.
Clear pathway to a 12% target by 2029
These measures support Canada’s long-term objective of reaching 12% French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec by 2029, helping restore the demographic weight of Francophone and Acadian minority communities.
Programs Driving Francophone Immigration
IRCC highlighted several initiatives contributing to this success:
- French-language proficiency category under Express Entry
- Francophone Mobility Program
- Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative, expanded from 14 to 24 communities
- Targeted projects funded through the Francophone Immigration Support Program
Francophone immigration targets will continue to rise to 9% in 2026, 9.5% in 2027, and 10.5% in 2028, confirming the government’s sustained priority in this area.
Why This Matters
Francophone immigration aligns with Canada’s Budget 2025 priorities to attract global talent, strengthen the workforce, and promote linguistic duality nationwide. The announcement of 5,000 additional federal selection spaces significantly expands opportunities for French-speaking candidates seeking permanent residence outside Quebec.