Francophone Mobility Program
If you speak French, work in Canada without an LMIA and open a clear path to permanent residence. We plan your C16 work permit from job offer to PR.
Read the full guide first? Francophone Mobility explained
Francophone Mobility Program
What it is
An International Mobility Program stream that lets Canadian employers outside Quebec hire French-speaking foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment. The work permit carries exemption code C16.
How it works
Your employer submits a job offer through the Employer Portal and pays the compliance fee. Because there is no LMIA, the file skips the labour market review. We prepare your work permit application and map the route to permanent residence.
Who can qualify
- French at NCLC 5 or higher (speaking and listening)
- Genuine job offer from a Canadian employer
- Job located outside Quebec
- No LMIA required from the employer
- Admissible to Canada
Why the Francophone Mobility Program
For French speakers, this is one of the fastest and most flexible ways into the Canadian labour market.
No LMIA
The employer skips the Labour Market Impact Assessment, saving the government fee and weeks of processing.
Open to more jobs
The role does not have to be high-skilled, so more occupations qualify than under many other streams.
Employer-friendly
With no recruitment test to pass, employers are often more willing to hire through this route.
A bridge to PR
The French that qualifies you here also earns extra Express Entry points toward permanent residence.
Requirements and where applications stall
The program is broad, but these are the points that decide whether an application succeeds.
French language proof
You need French at NCLC 5 or higher in speaking and listening, proven with an approved test such as TEF Canada or TCF Canada. Booking the test early prevents most delays.
A genuine job offer
The offer must be real, outside Quebec, and submitted through the Employer Portal with the compliance fee paid. A weak or unclear offer is the most common problem.
Employer compliance
The employer must meet International Mobility Program obligations. We make sure the offer of employment is filed correctly so the work permit is not delayed.
Outside Quebec
The job must be located in a province or territory other than Quebec, which runs its own immigration programs.
Admissibility
Standard checks apply: police certificates, medical if required, and biometrics. Small inconsistencies across documents can create credibility issues.
Planning the PR path early
Treating the work permit as a stand-alone step is a missed opportunity. We plan the Express Entry route from day one so your Canadian experience counts toward PR.
How the Francophone Mobility process works
Confirm eligibility & French level
We check your French test results (or plan the TEF/TCF), your job offer, and confirm the role is outside Quebec.
Employer offer of employment
We guide your employer through the Employer Portal submission and compliance fee, so the C16 offer is filed correctly.
Work permit application
We prepare and submit your work permit, including biometrics, medical if required, and admissibility documents.
Arrive and start working
Once approved, you begin your job in Canada and start building the Canadian work experience that counts toward PR.
Move to permanent residence
We plan your Express Entry profile, using your French for extra CRS points and French-language category draws toward PR.
How we can help
Before
- Unsure if your French qualifies
- Employer confused by the Employer Portal
- Worried the program is closing
- No plan beyond the work permit
- Guessing at requirements from forums
After
- French test and level confirmed
- Employer offer filed correctly (C16)
- Current program status confirmed
- A mapped path to permanent residence
- Confidence from offer to PR
Ready to use your French to work in Canada?
Every case begins with a consultation to confirm your French level and job offer, file the C16 work permit correctly, and set a realistic timeline to permanent residence.
Start NowFrequently asked questions
Is the Francophone Mobility Program open or closed in 2026?
The Francophone Mobility Program is open in 2026 and continues under the International Mobility Program. It supports French-speaking immigration to communities outside Quebec, which remains a federal priority.
What French level do you need?
You need French at NCLC 5 or higher in speaking and listening, proven with an approved test such as TEF Canada or TCF Canada. There is no English requirement for the program itself.
Does it require an LMIA?
No. The Francophone Mobility Program is LMIA-exempt under work permit code C16, so the employer does not have to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
Does it lead to permanent residence?
It does not grant PR directly, but it leads to it. The Canadian work experience it provides, plus your French, positions you well for Express Entry, including French-language category draws.
Do you need a job offer?
Yes. You need a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer for a position outside Quebec. The employer submits the offer through the Employer Portal and pays the compliance fee before you apply.