French-speaking temporary workers encouraged to come to Canada

A new stream of the International Mobility Program (IMP) makes it easier for Canadian employers to hire French-speaking temporary workers from abroad in managerial, professional and technical/skilled trades occupations to work in francophone minority communities outside of Quebec.

The stream called Mobilité Francophone exempts Canadian employers from the Labour Market Impact Assessment process (LMIA) which requires the hiring employer to verify that there is a need for a temporary worker and that there is no Canadian available to do the job.

Mobilité Francophone was launched on June 1, 2016, and its goal is to attract foreign workers who would contribute to the development of the French-speaking communities across Canada. “We want francophone minority communities … to continue to be vibrant and growing,” said John McCallum, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship minister, earlier this year. “That’s why we’re going to encourage skilled francophone workers to come to Canada and settle in communities outside of Quebec, and we’re going to encourage them to apply for permanent residence if they would like to stay.”

Encouraging foreign workers to stay in Canada is one of the characteristics that make Mobilité Francophone different from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) which is designed to only fill temporary labour and skill shortages. People with a Mobilité Francophone work permit will have the opportunity to stay in Canada long enough to acquire valuable Canadian work experience – this will significantly help them qualify for the permanent residency programs and increase their chances of success in the Express Entry system.

In the process of creating Mobilité Francophone, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada worked with various Francophone minority communities and organizations throughout Canada to ensure that the new stream of the International Mobility Program aligns with the communities’ needs and interests.

“We’re going to encourage skilled francophone workers to come to Canada and settle in communities outside of Quebec, and we’re going to encourage them to apply for permanent residence if they would like to stay.” – John McCallum

“Immigration, both temporary and permanent, has a role to play in supporting vital, vibrant Francophone minority communities anywhere across Canada,” John McCallum said. “Mobilité Francophone benefits the employers, the newcomers and the minority communities and it enhances our diverse nation.”