Overview

The federal Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has added 5,000 additional allocations dedicated to Francophone and bilingual immigrants outside of Quebec, under the Provincial Nominee Program. These allocations are intended to advance Francophone immigration objectives across Canada will be awarded to provinces on a first-come, first-serve basis.

As part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Expression of Interest (EOI) model, the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (OIM) may prioritize candidates who support the province’s Francophone immigration objectives. However, where a candidate is being considered for prioritization primarily or solely on the basis of claimed French-language ability, OIM must be satisfied that the candidate possesses functional French language proficiency.

For the purpose of provincial prioritization, candidates selected as French-speakers should generally demonstrate the equivalent of a minimum standard of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in French in all four competencies (listening, speaking, reading and writing), while still meeting the existing requirements of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) category under which they applied.

A candidate may be considered to support Francophone immigration objectives where there is credible evidence they are French-speaking or have a meaningful connection to the Francophone community. Indicators may include, but are not limited to:

• Completion of post-secondary education in French
• Previous residence in a French speaking region
• Citizenship or long-term residence in a country where French is commonly spoken
• Previous work experience with a Francophone employer
• A job offer from a Francophone employer in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Current or previous authorization under the Francophone Mobility Program
• Other documentation or information that, in the opinion of OIM, reasonably demonstrates French language ability.

Where French language ability is identified as a factor supporting prioritization at the time of Invitation to Apply (ITA), OIM may request additional information or documents to confirm the claim before finalizing application assessment and issuing a Nomination certificate.

PROCEDURES:

1. If the applicant has indicated French language ability on their EOI but has not provided any documentation to support this, the Immigration Program Development Officer (IPDO) will request proof of French language proficiency to verify this claim.
2. If, during the review of an application in which the applicant did not indicate French-language ability, the IPDO assesses documentation that may qualify the applicant as a Francophone or French-speaker, the IPDO can select “verified” in the PNP assessment.
3. If an applicant who indicated French-language ability in their EOI, particularly one who is not working in a rural area or in an in-demand occupation, fails to provide proof of language proficiency, the IPDO may consider closing the file. The IPDO will refer to the Procedural Fairness Policy for guidelines. If misrepresentation is found to have occurred, IPDO will refer to the Misrepresentation Policy for guidelines.
4. Where OIM is satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated sufficient French-language ability, and all other program requirements have been met, OIM may proceed to nominate the applicant under the applicable NLPNP category. In such cases, where the applicant is being counter toward Francophone immigration objectives, OIM will identify the applicants as a Francophone nomination and notify IRCC through the appropriate administrative process for allocation tracking and reporting purposes.

 

 

Last Updated: April 28, 2026