More and more French-speaking people choose Canada to immigrate to for many reasons: a lower unemployment rate, better job opportunities, and the quality of life.
Are you already in Canada, or are you planning to immigrate? You can start your job search from overseas, get a work permit before you arrive, or wait to be in Canada before starting your job search.
You have built a strategy to find a job, found information about job markets and opportunities, contacted organizations, updated your resume and LinkedIn, applied for a job, and now you get an interview!
Canadian employers are interested in hiring French immigrants
Canada is very vocal about the benefits to French-speaking citizens of immigrating; they organize specific events; each Canadian province provides information about labour markets and life in its territory.
Canada initiated immigration policies to attract French-speakers to develop the economy, particularly outside Québec. Despite the increase in immigration, Canada wants more. Justin Trudeau’s government announced quotas for up to 350,000 immigrants in 2021: a 40,000 increase compared to 2018 [www.immigrer.com]. That’s why they organize annual events like Destination Canada in Belgium and France. Canada is looking for French-speaking, qualified workers: French is one of Canada's official languages, along with English. Employers are interested in hiring you, and Canada promotes French-speaking immigration.
How can I get information about immigration and employment in Ontario?
Francophone minority groups are relatively important in each province and can get you helpful information and tools. Here are some tools for employment and immigration in Ontario:
- Programme de mobilité francophone: https://www.canadavisa.com/fr/mobilite-francophone.html#gs.ybfz7u.
- Employment Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/employment-ontario.
- For entrepreneurs: SEO, Société économique de l’Ontario (a member of Rdée Canada (promotes the economic development of Francophone and Acadian communities (FACs) in Canada).
- Toronto Community Employment Services: https://toronto-jobs.org/.
- Société Économique de l’Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/employment-ontario.
- YMCA GTA Employment Services: https://ymcagta.org/employment-and-immigrant-services/employment-services.
French organizations can also help you in the immigration process: Pôle Emploi international, Pvtistes.
How can I get a work permit? What can I do if my temporary permit is almost over and I want to keep my job? If I want to extend it? To check all the possible options to do so, depending on your situation, visit the Canadian immigration website, and always refer back here for the latest updates.
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) programs:
- Study in Canada: www.educanada.ca, www.cicdi.gc.ca, www.cic.gc.ca/francais/etudier/
- Temporary work: www.cic.gc.ca/français/travailler/permis.asp, www.canada.ca, www.canada.ca/immigrationfranco
- Immigrate to Canada: it is possible with, or without, a job offer: www.cic.gc.ca/ctc-vac/veniraucanada.asp
Why is it important to be well informed when looking for a job?
Your relationship with your employer is highly relevant to Canadian culture. It’s very different from Europe. If they are interested in your profile, they want to know first if it will be possible for you to get a work permit, how the process works for them. Managers could be reluctant to hire someone with a temporary permit, particularly if it’s almost expired, but solutions exist to get another one. Prepare your arguments related to work permit possibilities. Organizations and tools exist for employers to help them to hire French-speaking foreign immigrants.
Be informed about immigration programs, and build your immigration strategy: immigration programs available to you could depend on your experience in Canada, or your field and qualifications related to each province’s programs: there are many ways for French-speakers to work in Canada and immigrate.
Canada Talents dedicates its energy to the French-speaking community across the country. We help you in your job research and integration. Join us for our next CONNECTWorking event to ask all your questions.