Quebec keen on inviting more immigrants with French language skills

News highlights

• Quebec is focusing on inviting French-speaking immigrants.
• A new was policy made to support promoting the French language.
• A new minister has been announced and a law was passed in favor of the French language.
• The pressure is on immigrants and employers to focus on French.

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It’s true that Quebec is in dire need of foreign workers. However, saving the French language is apparently the first thing under consideration for the Government of Quebec now. The francophone province is planning to attract more French-speaking immigrants. Quebec is implementing measures to ensure that newcomers are functionally able to handle French within a short period of their arrival.

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The province has already been exercising more reliance on temporary workers who are turned into Canadian permanent residents. Quebec has in fact increased the share of francophones in the population of economic immigrants that live and work in Quebec.

The CAQ (Coalition Avenir Quebec) has expressed the determination to protect the French language in a largely English-speaking region of North America. This agenda was voiced by Quebec’s Premier, Francois Legault.

Legault’s government has announced a new Minister for French. Through a new law passed by his government, an important policy announced was the newcomers in Quebec will get the majority of non-health services in French. This will be applicable 6 months post their entry into Quebec.

Criticism of the new policy

Business owners of Quebec however have their concerns in place. They think that laying stringent emphasis on the French language in immigrant selection could keep potential immigrants with critical skills away just because of the language requirement. For many jobs, employers are desperately seeking foreign workers who are just good enough for the job irrespective of how well-versed they are in the French language.

"We aren't saying that French isn’t important. But it does become a limiting factor when we're looking to attract the best people and talent that we need"

Veronique Proulx, president of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters

Also, Veronique was of the opinion that addressing the labor shortage with a strict French-language stipulation using temporary workers who work in Quebec won’t result in an effective solution. This will be gravely true for companies that are on the verge of shutting down due to employee shortages.

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The government’s response

Here are the noteworthy points in the Quebec government’s response to skepticism related to the new policy:

• In the new law, it will be ensured that learning French will be made easy for the immigrants. For this, French-learning programs will be made accessible to temporary residents in Quebec.
• Quebec has plans to bring in over 71,000 permanent residents in 2022.
• Boulet has explained the decision of his government to invite fewer newcomers since his tenure began. He said the aim was to help newcomers who have arrived in Quebec to integrate with the place and society, of which the French language is an important part.
• Boulet also said his government is making efforts to recognize foreign credentials better.
• As per Boulet’s observation, 84% of economic immigrants who moved to 2021, were able to speak French. This was 56% in 2019.

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