Canada's Express Entry program invited 48,000 French-speaking candidates for permanent residence in 2025, representing 42% of the total 113,998 selections.

This shift has raised concerns among higher-scoring applicants who lack French proficiency, who are being passed over despite stronger credentials.

Immigration experts note that francophone draws prioritize language over human capital, with successful candidates sometimes scoring in the high 300s.

The government defends the policy as necessary to preserve francophone communities outside Quebec, whose share of the population has dropped from 6.1% in 1971 to roughly 4% today. Meanwhile, Ottawa plans to increase francophone immigration targets to 12% by 2029, even as overall permanent resident admissions fall to 380,000 in 2026.

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