Canada has two official languages: English and French. However, in most parts of this country, the language used by the people is English. Is it a good idea to immigrate to France with a French language degree? This article examines the conditions for immigrating to Canada with a French language certificate.
Official language of Canada
Canada has two official languages. According to the latest statistics (2022), nearly 60% of Canadians speak English, and 20% speak French. This statistic shows that the French language is uncommon in Canada. But this issue should not make us think that the French language does not help immigrants to Canada. Because for example, if you master both English and French, you will have a unique advantage in obtaining a Canadian study and work visa. On the other hand, to immigrate to the Canadian province of Quebec, you need to master the French language; Because the official language of this province is French, and most of its people communicate in French. In some areas of Canada, you will have difficulty communicating if you are not fluent in French.
French-speaking provinces of Canada
Canada is a bilingual country, and in the same way, most provinces are bilingual. Quebec has the largest French-speaking population and is the only Canadian province whose official language is French. Of the other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have two official languages; the rest only recognize English as an official language. In the following, we have listed the provinces of Canada in order of the French-speaking population.
- Quebec: 85% of the French-speaking population
- New Brunswick: 31 percent
- Yukon: 6.4 percent
- Ontario: 1.4 percent
- Prince Edward: 3/3
- Nova Scotia: 2/3
- Manitoba: 2/3
French language certificate required to immigrate to Canada
To be admitted to Quebec universities, a French language certificate is required. Other regions of Canada accept English or French language certificates. If you submit both documents simultaneously, you will have a unique advantage in obtaining admission and a visa compared to monolingual applicants. Among the French language tests accepted for admission and study visas in Canada, the following can be mentioned:
- TEF test
- TEFAQ test
- TEF Canada test
- TCF test
- TCF Quebec test
- DALF test
- DELF test
French-speaking cities in Canada
The Quebec province of Canada is known as Little France. Because conversation in French is typical in most parts of this province, it is interesting to know that the Canadian city of Montreal is known as the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris. Another name for this city is the Paris of North America. The Canadian province of Quebec has several international and high-level French-speaking universities, and some of Canada’s best cities in terms of living conditions are located there. Quebec, New Brunswick, Montreal, and Ottawa (the capital of Canada) are among the most essential French-speaking cities in Canada. Among these cities, Montreal is one of the best cities in the world regarding the level of prosperity and security, and there are many applicants to immigrate to it.
Quebec immigration programs
The province of Quebec has several unique immigration programs through which you can easily immigrate to Canada for work or investment. Some of these programs do not require French language skills.
Having a French language certificate is considered an advantage for most regions of Canada, But only Quebec requires a French language certificate. There are several immigration programs for immigrating to this province, which we will introduce below:
- Study immigration to Quebec: The easiest way to immigrate to Canada is to obtain a study visa. You can get admission to Quebec with an excellent academic and research history or high financial ability and a French language certificate.
- Quebec Qualified Workforce Program (QSV): If you have a good resume (at least three years of full-time work experience in a specialty), you can use this program to immigrate to Canada. In this program, each applicant is given points according to their work history, level of French language proficiency, and other conditions such as age, and finally, after ranking the applicants, work visas are awarded to the highest ranks. The competition for this method is very high, but you will have an easier path to permanent residence in the end.
- Quebec Experience Program (PEQ): In this program, applicants enter the job market after participating in an internship. The important thing about the Quebec Experience program is that the waiting period for permanent residence will be shorter than other programs. Of course, you should note that the competition to enter this program is high.
Immigrate to Quebec through France
In some cases, the conditions for direct immigration to Canada are much stricter than in European countries. On the other hand, studying in Europe is usually free or costs much less than looking in Canada. Therefore, if you do not have the conditions to immigrate directly to Canada, the best way is to immigrate to France. The Canadian province of Quebec has a perfect relationship with France, and there is a lot of student and labor exchange between France and Quebec.
Conclusion
It is possible to immigrate to Canada with both a French and English language certificate. However, immigration to Quebec, Canada, will only be with a French language certificate. Another way for those interested in French is to study in France and then immigrate to Quebec through France.