Projet pilote d'immigration communautaire francophone (PPICF)

The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) is a permanent residence pathway for French-speaking skilled workers who want to work and settle in participating Francophone minority communities outside Quebec.

The program is community-driven. Applicants need a qualifying job offer from a designated employer, must meet the federal eligibility requirements and need a recommendation from the participating community before applying for permanent residence.

Anka Canada Immigration Consulting assists applicants with reviewing FCIP eligibility, employment and NOC requirements, French-language results and the immigration stages of the application.

Services are provided by Volkan Sacilik, RCIC-IRB, CICC Licence No. R1042981.

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Who May Qualify for FCIP?

Applicants generally need:

• a valid job offer from a designated employer in a participating community;

• at least one year, or 1,560 hours, of qualifying related work experience during the previous three years, unless an eligible graduate exemption applies;

• qualifying French-language test results;

• a Canadian educational credential or qualifying foreign equivalent;

• sufficient settlement funds, unless exempt; and

• an intention to live in the participating community.

Meeting the federal requirements alone is not enough. The community must also recommend the applicant.

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French-Language Requirement

FCIP specifically supports French-speaking immigration outside Quebec.

Applicants currently need at least NCLC 5 in all four language abilities — speaking, listening, reading and writing — using an approved French-language test such as TEF Canada or TCF Canada.

This is different from some other Francophone immigration options, such as the Francophone Mobility work permit, which has a different language framework.

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Job Offer and Community Recommendation

The job offer must come from an employer that has been designated by one of the participating FCIP communities.

Communities identify priority sectors and occupations based on local labour-market needs. Once an eligible job offer is in place, the employer submits the candidate's recommendation application to the community. The community assesses both the job and the applicant before deciding whether to issue a recommendation.

A job offer in a participating community therefore does not automatically mean that the applicant qualifies for FCIP.

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Work Experience and Education

Most applicants require at least one year of paid, related work experience in the previous three years.

The NOC and TEER relationship between the previous work experience and the offered job matters. For example, the permitted work-experience TEER range changes depending on the TEER of the job offer.

Certain graduates who studied in the participating community may qualify for an exemption from the work-experience requirement if they meet the applicable conditions.

Applicants also need at least a qualifying Canadian secondary-school credential or an eligible foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

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Settlement Funds

Applicants generally need to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family after becoming permanent residents.

An applicant who is already working in Canada with a valid work permit does not normally need to provide settlement funds under FCIP.

Because the required amount can change, the applicable figure should be checked when the application is prepared.

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Can You Work While Permanent Residence Is Processing?

Eligible FCIP applicants may also qualify for a two-year employer-specific work permit while their permanent residence application is being processed.

The applicant must have an eligible job offer and community recommendation and meet the work-permit requirements. A spouse or common-law partner may also be eligible for an open work permit restricted to employment within the same participating community.

The temporary work permit and permanent residence application remain separate decisions.

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Common Issues to Watch For

FCIP applications may become more complicated when:

• the employer is not properly designated;

• the job does not fit current community priorities;

• work experience does not sufficiently relate to the offered position;

• the NOC or TEER classification is incorrect;

• French-language results do not meet NCLC 5 in all four abilities;

• the graduate exemption is assumed incorrectly;

• the applicant does not clearly demonstrate an intention to settle in the community.

Reviewing the candidate, employer, job offer and community requirements together can help determine whether FCIP is the right pathway before the application process begins.

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How Anka Canada Immigration Consulting Can Assist

Anka can review your French-language results, work experience, NOC classification, education and proposed employment to assess whether FCIP may be an appropriate permanent residence pathway.

Where retained, we can also assist with the immigration documentation and permanent residence application once the required employer and community steps have been completed.

The objective is to ensure that the applicant, employment arrangement and community requirements align before the permanent residence application is submitted.

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Important Information

FCIP participating communities, priority occupations, employer-designation rules and eligibility requirements can change. Eligibility should always be assessed under the requirements in force when the relevant application is made.

This page provides general information only and does not guarantee a community recommendation, work permit or permanent residence approval.