Francophone Mobility lets a Canadian employer outside Quebec hire a French speaker without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It is an employer-specific work permit under exemption code C16, and it asks for less French than you might expect.
Requirements
For applications since June 2023, IRCC asks for:
- French at NCLC 5 or higher in speaking and listening. Reading and writing are not assessed.
- A job offer outside Quebec, in any of the 9 provinces or 3 territories.
- Any occupation in any TEER category, except primary agriculture jobs in TEER 4 and 5.
- The general requirements for any work permit.
Your employer submits the offer in IRCC's Employer Portal under code C16, pays the $230 compliance fee and gives you a 7-digit offer number for your application.
Proving your French
IRCC accepts TEF Canada or TCF Canada speaking and listening results, or proof of a college or university program taught in French. On TEF Canada, NCLC 5 means:
| Listening | Speaking | |
|---|---|---|
| NCLC 5 | 181+ | 226+ |
Listening is out of 360, speaking out of 450. The full chart is in the score chart.
Already in Canada?
You can apply from inside Canada: IRCC's application has an inside-Canada path for an employer-specific, LMIA-exempt permit. If your current permit is ending, a C16 job offer is one way to keep working. Apply before your status runs out, and check your own situation with IRCC.
From work permit to PR
A year of skilled work in Canada (TEER 0 to 3) can qualify you for the Canadian Experience Class. For permanent residence through Express Entry's French category, though, the bar rises to NCLC 7 in all four skills. Same test, two levels:
| Francophone Mobility | French category (PR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Skills tested | Listening, speaking | All four |
| Level | NCLC 5 | NCLC 7 |
| TEF listening | 181+ | 249+ |
| TEF speaking | 226+ | 310+ |
More in how to get Canada PR with French.
Practise with TEF Trainer
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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.