Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

The pilot, launched in January 2025, offers permanent residence to skilled workers with a job in one of six French-speaking minority communities outside Quebec.

The six communities

From IRCC's list. Each community posts its own employers, jobs and priority sectors, so start with its site.

Requirements

IRCC asks for all of these:

• A valid job offer from an employer the community has designated.
• At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of related paid work in the past 3 years.
• French at NCLC 5 or higher in all four skills.
• A Canadian educational credential, or the foreign equivalent.
• Enough money to support yourself and your family.

The French test

IRCC accepts TEF Canada or TCF Canada, with results under two years old when you apply. NCLC 5 on TEF Canada, on the certificate's two scales:

The pilot's page prints the first column for recent tests, while Express Entry reads the second. Same level, different numbers. IRCC's page also says the level can depend on your job offer, so check it for yours.

How it works

1. Find a job with a designated employer in a community.
2. Get recommended. Your employer sends your application to the community, which checks the job and your eligibility.
3. Apply for permanent residence with IRCC.
4. Optional: a work permit. It lasts 2 years, for that employer only, while your application is processed.

Graduates of a local school

Work experience is waived for some international students who graduated from a public post-secondary school in the community, within the past 18 months. Length of program and time lived there both count.

What the new plan says

IRCC's November 2026 announcement says the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, this pilot's sibling, will become permanent. We found no such statement about this one. IRCC's pages do not give us an end date, so check before you plan around it. See also every Francophone route.

Common questions

Which communities are in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot?

Six: the Acadian Peninsula in New Brunswick; Sudbury, Timmins and the Superior East Region in Ontario; St. Pierre Jolys in Manitoba; and Kelowna in British Columbia.

What level of French does the pilot need?

At least NCLC 5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking, on TEF Canada or TCF Canada, with results under two years old when you apply.

Can I apply without a job offer?

No. You need a valid job offer from an employer the community has designated, and the community's recommendation, before you apply for permanent residence.

Where can I practise for TEF Canada?

TEF Trainer, which publishes this guide, has all four papers online: 1,923 listening and reading questions, including TEF-style predictions, and 435 speaking and writing topics with model answers, plus English translations and answer explanations. 142 questions and 32 topics are free, with no account and no card.

Practise with TEF Trainer

TEF Trainer is TEF Canada practice for all four papers, in your browser.

• Predictions: TEF-style listening and reading predictions, based on recent exams and updated regularly (558 questions).
• The full question bank: 1,923 listening and reading questions in all.
• Every speaking and writing topic (435) with a model answer, in French with English alongside.
• English translations and answer explanations, plus shuffle mode, autoplay and audio speed control.

142 questions and 32 topics are free, with everything switched on. No account, no card.

Start practising free See pricing

General information from IRCC's published rules, not immigration advice. For your own case, see a licensed consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer.

Updated November 2026. Exam rules and fees change: check them with your test centre and on canada.ca.