Canada's Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, has introduced the Francophone Minority Communities Pilot Program (FMCSP), aimed at increasing international student admissions in Francophone communities across Canada. This pilot program addresses the existing challenges faced by students from eligible countries in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, offering them a direct pathway to permanent residency after completing their studies.
Eligible countries for the program include:
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Niger
- Rwanda
- Saint Lucia
- São Tomé and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Togo
- Tunisia
Key features of the program include exemption from demonstrating intent to leave Canada, adjusted financial requirements, and eligibility for family members to accompany students. The pilot, starting on August 26, 2024, will initially accept 2,300 students and is part of Canada's broader policy to bolster Francophone immigration.
