The temporary expansion of Canada’s Francophone Mobility Program officially expired yesterday, June 16, 2025, unless IRCC announces a last-minute extension.
This work permit program—designed to attract French-speaking foreign nationals to provinces outside Quebec—had been temporarily expanded in June 2023 to allow:
- Job offers in any TEER category (0 to 5), instead of just 0, 1, 2, or 3.
- Lower French requirement: only CLB 5 in listening and speaking, with no minimum for reading or writing.
With the expiry of this policy, the program has now reverted to its original eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must have a job offer in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
- Must demonstrate French proficiency at CLB 7.
It’s important not to confuse this program with Express Entry’s French-speaking category-based draws, which require CLB 7 or higher in all four language abilities and are part of the permanent residency system. The Francophone Mobility Program is a temporary work permit stream under the International Mobility Program and does not directly lead to permanent residency, although gaining Canadian work experience through it may later help boost a PR application.
We are still waiting to see if IRCC announces any updates or extensions. Until then, stricter requirements are now in effect.
