Immigration to Canada France

Immigration to Canada France

As a transcontinental country, France spans Western Europe and overseas territories, including Miquelon and Saint Pierre in the North Atlantic, French Guiana in South America, the French West Indies, and several islands in the Indian Ocean and Oceania. France borders Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland in Europe, as well as Brazil, Suriname, and the Netherlands via its overseas territories. The combined area of France is 643,801 km2, and the total population is 67 million people. The official language in the country is French. There are also regional languages spoken in France, such as Alsatian, Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Flemish, and Occitan.

France has the biggest exclusive economic zone in the world due to its several coastal territories. It is a developed state with the world’s seventh-largest economy by nominal GDP and fourth in terms of aggregate household wealth. France stands high in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy and human development. Being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and an official nuclear-weapon state, France remains a great power in global affairs. The country is a founding and leading member of the European Union and the Eurozone, a key member of the La Francophonie, Group of Seven, North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Today, nearly 5 million people of French ancestry live in Canada, constituting the second-biggest ethnic group in the country, after those of English ancestry. French Canadians make up most of the native speakers of French in Canada and account for 22% of the country’s total population. They prefer to live in Quebec, while small minorities settle in New Brunswick, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba. Since both countries have strong historical and cultural bonds, many residents of France explore pathways of immigration to Canada.

Study Immigration

According to recent data, more than 25,000 students from France decide to earn their degrees in Canada. Many of them regard education in the country as a stepping stone to immigration to Canada from France. Hence, they must complete at least a two-year full-time program of study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). After graduation, students from France should get a post-graduation work permit that allows them to stay and work in the country for up to three years.

Once international students have a work experience of one year or more, they can be qualified for immigration to Canada under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Students from France who apply for CEC must have a job under NOC (National Occupational Classification) Skill Type 0, A or B. International students who wish to apply for PNP are required to have a job offer listed in NOC Skill Type 0, A or B.

Work Immigration

The next pathway to immigration to Canada from France is through work programs. Due to labour shortages, Canadian employers are in constant search of professionals. One of the most popular ways of immigration to Canada from France is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). To hire a foreign worker under this program, employers ought to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It shows that there is no local professional to fill the position and approves the employer’s request. Then, citizens of France must obtain an employer-specific work permit.

The other work program for immigration to Canada from France is the International Mobility Program (IMP). The main difference from the TFWP is that IMP does not require to have an LMIA. However, to qualify for this program, residents of France must obtain an open work permit.

The LMIA-exempt categories that are eligible to apply for open work permit include inland permanent residence applicants in the spouse and common-law partner class, inland permanent residence applicants, bridging open work permits, family members of foreign representatives and military personnel, spouses and common-law partners of foreign workers and international students, refugees, vulnerable workers, Canada World Youth participants, International Experience Program: Working Holiday participants, professional athletes, post-graduation work permit, post-secondary and secondary co-op applicants, and occupation-restricted open work permit for caregivers.

Once citizens of France get a year or more of work experience under one of the mentioned programs, they can apply for immigration to Canada under the PNP or CEC.

International Experience Program

Thanks to strong bilateral relations, citizens of France who are 18-35 years old have a right to apply for the three streams of the International Experience Program. Moreover, they can use the gained work experience for immigration to Canada from France.

The Working Holiday stream allows foreign residents to work while travelling in Canada for up to two years. The Young Professionals category gives post-secondary graduates from France a chance to get professional work experience in Canada. Thus, foreigners must obtain a signed offer of employment in their study field from a Canadian employer for up to two years.

Residents of France who are enrolled in post-secondary study in their home country can apply to the International Co-op stream and complete an internship in Canada. To qualify for the program, students ought to get a signed contract of employment from a Canadian employer. This program lasts for up to a year.

Citizens of France have a right to participate in the International Experience Program twice in two different categories. Individuals who take part in the Volontariat International en entreprise (VIE) program ought to apply for their work permit through the Young Professionals pool.

Family Sponsorship

Residents of France who have close relatives in Canada can apply for immigration to Canada from France under the family sponsorship program. In other words, Canadians who are above 18 years old have a right to sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, children, parents, and grandparents who live abroad to settle in the country.

For immigration to Canada from France, a sponsored spouse or partner must be 18 and more years old and have genuine relationships with a Canadian. To sponsor adopted or biological children, they must be under 22 years old. The parents and grandparents sponsorship program has a lottery system, and its processing time is 20 to 24 months. It must be mentioned that residents of France with criminal or medical issues cannot apply for immigration to Canada.

Immigration to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs of Express Entry Stream

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) aim to simplify the immigration to Canada process for the citizens of France. To apply for the FSWP, foreigners ought to meet the following admissibility criteria.

1. Residents of France must have at least a year of foreign work experience within the last ten years. Work experience needs to be gained in the NOC Skill Level 0, A or B occupation.
2. Applicants should take one of the recognized English or French language proficiency tests and meet Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 7 or higher.
3. Foreigners must have post-secondary credentials from Canadian or foreign educational institutions.

To qualify for immigration to Canada from France  under the FSWP, citizens of France need to get at least 67 points for selection factors that include age, education, language level, work experience, job offer, and adaptability.

For immigration to Canada from France under the FSTP, foreigners must meet three eligibility requirements.

1. Residents of France ought to have a full-time employment offer for at least a year. If applicants do not have an offer, they can get a certificate of qualification from a provincial or territorial body.
2. They must have at least two years of full-time work experience in a NOC Skill Level B trade in the last five years.
3. Applicants should be ready to pass the language test in English or French. They should meet CLB Level 4 for reading and writing and Level 5 for speaking and listening.

Business Immigration

One more effective pathway of immigration to Canada from France is through business streams. Citizens of France who do not plan to live in Quebec prefer to apply for the Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Program. The program has the following prerequisites.

1. Residents of France must open or acquire a business in the country and employ at least one full-time local professional.
2. They need to have at least three years of work experience within the last five years.
3. For business immigration to Canada, foreigners should have 600,000-1,500,000 CAD of personal funds and invest 200,000-1,000,000 CAD in the Canadian business. Amounts depend on the policies of the chosen province or territory.
4. Citizens of France must have post-secondary education and meet the CLB Level 4.

The other way for immigration to Canada from France is through the Self-Employed Program. To qualify for this program, applicants must be 20 to 50 years old, obtain a post-secondary education, get two years of self-employed work experience, have at least 13,213 CAD, and take IELTS General.

One more option for immigration to Canada is the Start-Up Program. Residents of France must submit a letter of support from the designated investor, have at least $13,213, meet CLB Level 5, and start an innovative business in the country.

Citizens of France who wish to settle in Quebec should apply for immigration to Canada under one of the three provincial programs for business people. Applicants who are ready to invest in a local business need to apply for the Investor Program. Those who want to practice their profession in the province should apply to the Self-Employed Program. Residents of France who wish to start or acquire a business in Quebec can apply for the Entrepreneur Program.

 

 

In case, if you need help with Immigration to Canada from France, please fill in application below or contact us directly.