FRANCOPHONE MOBILITY PROGRAM
EMPOWERING FRENCH-SPEAKING TALENT TO BUILD CAREERS IN CANADA'S FRANCOPHONE COMMUNITY
The Francophone Mobility Program, an initiative by the Government of Canada, simplifies the process for French-speaking foreign nationals to acquire a work permit. The program aims to foster the development of vibrant Francophone communities throughout Canada. The Francophone Mobility Program provides an exemption from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), relieving employers from the usual requirement to secure a positive LMIA in order to hire temporary foreign workers.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
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Meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit.
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Live and work in 1 of the 9 Canadian provinces or 3 territories outside Quebec
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Be able to prove speaking and listening skills in French are at an intermediate level
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This would be equivalent to a level 5 or higher in the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) scale.
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Have an offer of employment for a job that’s classified under any Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system unless the offer of employment is for a job in a primary agriculture occupation under TEER 4 and 5
​Note: Proficiency in French may be tested as part of the work permit application process, but it does not necessarily mean that the worker is required to speak French at work once in Canada. The employers are not expected to offer French-speaking or bilingual work environment.​
Advantages To Employers Under Francophone Mobility Program
The Francophone mobility work permit makes it easier for Canadian employers to hire without a labour market impact assessment.There are more benefits to the employers to recruit under FMP in comparison to other LMIA programs.
Hiring processing time is less in comparison to LMIA applications.
Get the opportunity to hire bilingual candidates (French and English).
Cost effective hiring, the employer just needs to pay a government fee $230.
Note: Mobilité Francophone work permits are normally issued for the duration of the employment contract and are renewable.
Obtaining A Work Permit To Hire A Candidate
Submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) using LMIA exemption code for FMP.
Pay a $230 employer compliance fee.
Provide an offer of employment number: a 7-digit number.
Note: An employer can request an opinion from IRCC’s International Mobility Workers Unit to find out if an LMIA or work permit exemption applies to their situation. The temporary foreign worker must be：
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located outside Canada; and
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from a country whose nationals are visa-exempt.
APPLYING FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE UNDER FMP
IRCC’s Express Entry offers a pathway to permanent residence for skilled workers both in Canada and abroad. Eligible candidates enter the Express Entry pool and receive a score based on their skills and experience. Those with top scores are invited to apply for permanent residence.
French-speaking and bilingual candidates receive additional language points, enhancing their chances of being invited to apply. As an employer, you can support employees' Permanent Residence applications under the Mobilité Francophone program by offering them a job exempt from the LMIA requirement, which also grants extra points in the Express Entry system.
