The Canadian federal government has recently released its Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, with a focus on increasing the demographic weight of Francophones through Francophone immigration. The plan includes $1.4 billion over five years in addition to the previous $2.7 billion, making it the largest amount ever provided by a government to support official languages.
The new operational framework policy will help boost Francophone immigration and facilitate settlement and integration of French-speaking or bilingual immigrants in Francophone minority communities. The plan includes a $13.4 million investment in the policy and operational framework for Francophone immigration. Additionally, there will be a $16.3 million investment over five years to recruit foreign primary and secondary-level French teachers and French-speaking teachers to settle in Francophone minority communities.
Furthermore, there will be an investment of $18.5 million over five years to promote and build recruitment support both in Canada and abroad, including in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. The government will also commit $3.5 million to improve Francophone and bilingual immigration under existing programs.
According to the Official Languages Act, the Canadian government has a mandate to promote and protect the status of both official languages, English and French. The government has committed to supporting the development of English and French linguistic minority communities and advancing the equality of status and use of both languages within Canadian society.
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is responsible for attracting and retaining French-speaking immigrants to help build and support French-speaking communities outside of Quebec, the only French-speaking province in Canada. In 2022, more than 16,300 new immigrants settled in Francophone minority communities across Canada. However, the proportion of French-speaking Canadians has declined from 22.2% in 2016 to 21.4% in 2021.