Canada Adds 5,000 PR Selection Spots for French-Speaking Immigrants

Canada has announced that it will set aside an additional 5,000 permanent residence (PR) selection spaces specifically for French-speaking immigrants. This move is part of a broader effort to increase Francophone immigration outside of Quebec.

The announcement was made on January 19 by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab during a press event in Moncton, New Brunswick. These new spaces will be taken from federal selection allocations and added on top of the existing quotas already available to provinces and territories under their immigration pilot programs and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

What This Means for Immigration Candidates

This decision is intended to strengthen Canada’s commitment to welcoming more French-speaking newcomers, particularly outside Quebec. By reserving additional PR selection spots, provinces and territories may now be able to nominate a higher number of Francophone applicants through their immigration pathways.

While details on how the 5,000 additional spaces will be distributed across provinces and territories have not yet been released, the announcement signals a stronger focus on Francophone immigration through both federal and provincial programs.

Continued Focus on Francophone Immigration

Canada has exceeded its Francophone immigration targets for the fourth consecutive year. In 2025, approximately 8.9% of new permanent residents outside Quebec were French-speaking, surpassing the government’s target of 8.5%.

The federal government plans to increase these targets further as part of its broader immigration strategy extending through 2028.

Initiatives supporting this effort include:

• New PR selection spaces for French-speaking applicants
• An Express Entry category focused on French language proficiency
• The Francophone Mobility work permit program
• The Francophone Minority Community Student Pilot

These measures are aimed at increasing Francophone settlement across different regions of Canada.

Source & Courtesy: CIC News — Canada adds 5,000 PR selection spaces for French-speaking immigrants