In a press conference in Moncton, New Brunswick on 19 January 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab unveiled a major new lever in Canada’s Francophone immigration strategy: 5,000 permanent-residence (PR) selection spaces will be carved out of the federal “selection-space” envelope and handed to provinces and territories this year.
The measure is additive—coming on top of provincial nominee program (PNP) quotas and other pilot allocations—and is designed to help sub-national governments court French-speaking and bilingual talent for hard-to-fill roles across the country. Provinces will be free to distribute the extra spots among their economic-class streams, but IRCC signalled it expects many invitations to flow through Express Entry-linked PNP pathways and category-based draws that already reward French proficiency.
For employers and individuals trying to capitalize on these fresh opportunities, VisaHQ’s Canada team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can simplify every procedural step—from booking approved language tests to assembling Express Entry profiles and provincial nominee submissions—ensuring that French-speaking candidates and the companies sponsoring them move to the front of the line with fully compliant applications.
![Ottawa earmarks 5,000 extra permanent-residence spots to boost Francophone immigration outside Quebec]()
Ottawa’s decision follows four straight years of Canada exceeding its Francophone-immigration targets outside Quebec. IRCC confirmed that 8.9 % of PR admissions outside Quebec in 2025 were French-speaking, surpassing the 8.5 % target. Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the government wants that share to rise to 9 % in 2026, 9.5 % in 2027 and 10.5 % in 2028.
Business groups welcomed the announcement, noting that Francophone newcomers help companies serve Canada’s 10-million-strong French-speaking market and open links to Europe and Africa. Employers in New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba—provinces with large francophone minority communities—are already signalling interest in using the new spots to recruit nurses, engineers and IT professionals.
For corporate mobility teams, the practical implication is clear: French-speaking candidates may now face shorter waits for nomination certificates and Invitations to Apply (ITAs), giving employers a faster route to permanent residence for bilingual staff. Immigration counsel advise HR teams to flag eligible employees quickly so their profiles can be entered ahead of the expected provincial intake windows.
The measure is additive—coming on top of provincial nominee program (PNP) quotas and other pilot allocations—and is designed to help sub-national governments court French-speaking and bilingual talent for hard-to-fill roles across the country. Provinces will be free to distribute the extra spots among their economic-class streams, but IRCC signalled it expects many invitations to flow through Express Entry-linked PNP pathways and category-based draws that already reward French proficiency.
For employers and individuals trying to capitalize on these fresh opportunities, VisaHQ’s Canada team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can simplify every procedural step—from booking approved language tests to assembling Express Entry profiles and provincial nominee submissions—ensuring that French-speaking candidates and the companies sponsoring them move to the front of the line with fully compliant applications.
Ottawa’s decision follows four straight years of Canada exceeding its Francophone-immigration targets outside Quebec. IRCC confirmed that 8.9 % of PR admissions outside Quebec in 2025 were French-speaking, surpassing the 8.5 % target. Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the government wants that share to rise to 9 % in 2026, 9.5 % in 2027 and 10.5 % in 2028.
Business groups welcomed the announcement, noting that Francophone newcomers help companies serve Canada’s 10-million-strong French-speaking market and open links to Europe and Africa. Employers in New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba—provinces with large francophone minority communities—are already signalling interest in using the new spots to recruit nurses, engineers and IT professionals.
For corporate mobility teams, the practical implication is clear: French-speaking candidates may now face shorter waits for nomination certificates and Invitations to Apply (ITAs), giving employers a faster route to permanent residence for bilingual staff. Immigration counsel advise HR teams to flag eligible employees quickly so their profiles can be entered ahead of the expected provincial intake windows.
