What is the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot?

The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) is part of Canada’s broader initiative to support Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec. It is designed specifically for French-speaking or bilingual candidates who wish to live and work in rural and smaller communities where French culture is present but needs support to grow.

What are the benefits of the Francophone Community Immigration Program ?

The FCIP offers unique advantages compared to other immigration pathways such as Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Priority for French-Speaking Candidates Unlike other programs open to all languages, the FCIP is tailored for French-speaking or bilingual professionals who want to contribute to Francophone communities. Low French Language Requirements The minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level for French is 5, whereas Express Entry requires CLB 7 or higher. Flexible Work Experience Criteria Only one year (1,560 hours) of work experience in the past three years is required. International graduates from a participating community may be exempt from work experience requirements. Community Support & Settlement Assistance The program provides community recommendations, helping candidates with housing, job placement, and integration services. Direct Pathway to Permanent Residence Applicants can apply directly for permanent residence, unlike some programs that are expression of interest based with only the highest scoring applicants being successful Eligible for a Temporary Work Permit While waiting for permanent residence processing, applicants can apply for a two-year employer-specific work permit.

What Do You Need to Qualify for the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot?

To apply for permanent residence through the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), you must have: 1. A Job Offer from a Designated Employer To qualify, your job offer must be from a Designated Employer in a participating community. Each participating community will have their own way to designate employers. As this is a new program, the participating community are still working on this process. The job offer must be in a priority sector or occupation. Before applying, make sure that your job offer is in a priority sector or occupation. 2. Have Sufficient Previous Work Experience or International Graduate Status For Skilled Workers: You need at least 1,560 hours of paid, related work (about one year of full-time work at 30 hours per week) in the last five years. How Job Offers Match Work Experience by TEER Category: Your job offer should align with your past experience (unless you’re an international graduate). Here’s a quick guide on what that means: TEER 0 or 1 job offer > Experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 occupation. TEER 2 job offer > Experience must be in a TEER 1, 2, 3, or 4 occupation. TEER 3 or 4 job offer > Experience must be in a TEER 2, 3 or 4 occupation. TEER 5 job offer > Experience must be in the same TEER 5 occupation. An exception to this is that if your work experience is in NOC 31301 (Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses – TEER 1), you can have a job offer in one of the following occupation categories: NOC 33102 (TEER 3): Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates or NOC 44101 (TEER 4): Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations. For International Graduates: If you graduated from a recognized public post-secondary institution in a participating community, you may be exempt from the work experience requirement, provided you meet one of the following conditions: For Diplomas & Undergraduate Degrees: Completed a program of at least two years Studied full-time throughout the program Earned your credential within the past 18 months before applying for permanent residence Lived in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months while studying For Master’s Degrees or Higher: Completed a master’s degree or higher that lasted two years or less Studied full-time throughout the program Obtained your degree within the past 18 months before applying for permanent residence Lived in the community for the entire duration of your studies This work experience exemption does not apply if language studies or distance learning made up more than half of the program, or if the graduate received a scholarship or fellowship requiring them to return to their home country. 3. Have a Minimum Level of Education You must have adequate education to apply to the FCIP. For education in Canada, you need at least a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or a recognized Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree from a designated learning institution For education acquired outside of Canada, you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to confirm that your education meets or exceeds Canadian requirements. The ECA must: Be less than 5 years old on the date you apply shows you completed a foreign credential equal to a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree. 4. Have a Minimum Level of French Language You need a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark Level 5 in all 4 abilities of an approved French language test. Approved French language tests include: TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français TCF Canada : Test de connaissance du français 5. Have Sufficient Funds to Support Yourself and Your Family In Canada You need enough money to support yourself and your family when you arrive. The amount depends on your family size (including you, your spouse/partner, and dependent kids—even if they’re not coming with you): 1 person: $7,963 CAD 2 people: $9,692 CAD 3 people: $12,069 CAD 4 people: $15,056 CAD 5 people: $17,145 CAD 6 people: $19,015 CAD 7 people: $20,884 CAD Each extra family member: $1,869 CAD

Which Communities Are Participating in the FCIP?

There are six participating Communities for the FCIP. These are Acadian Peninsula, NB Sudbury, ON Timmins, ON Superior East Region, ON St. Pierre Jolys, MB Kelowna, BC.

What are the required documents for Your Francophone Community Immigration Pilot Application

To apply to the FCIP, you will need to provide all the necessary supporting documents, including, but not limited to: Identity and Civil Status Documents Valid passport (biographical page) Birth certificates (applicant and family members) Marriage certificate (if applicable) Legal name change documents (if applicable) Job Offer Documentation Offer of Employment (IMM 0251) (completed and signed) Signed employment contract Language Proficiency Approved French language test results (less than two years old) demonstrating at least CLB level 5 in all 4 areas. Educational Credentials Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) (if education was completed outside Canada) with a copy of the original certificate and transcripts Canadian diplomas, degrees, or certificates and transcripts (if applicable) Proof of Work Experience Reference letters from previous employers Pay stubs or tax documents Proof of Settlement Funds Recent bank statements or financial certificates Police Certificates Background checks (for each country where you’ve lived for six+ months since age 18) Medical Examination Medical report from an approved panel physician Photographs Immigration approved photo for each family member Completed Application Forms Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008) Application Checklist (IMM 0250) Schedule 1- Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (IMM0252) Additional Family Information (IMM 5406) (main applicant and any dependent over the age of 18) Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) (main applicant and any dependent over the age of 18) Supplementary Information – Your travels (IMM 5562) (main applicant and any dependent over the age of 18) Recommendation Certificate from the Designated Economic Organization (IMM 0253) Payment of Processing Fees Government processing fees, the right of permanent residence fee, and biometric fee for you and accompanying family members. Any document that is not in English or French must be translated by a certified translator.

What are the application costs for the FCIP?

The application fees for the FCIP are as follows: Application Fees: Principal Applicant: Processing Fee: $950 CAD Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): $575 CAD Total: $1,525 CAD Accompanying Spouse or Common-Law Partner: Processing Fee: $950 CAD Right of Permanent Residence Fee: $575 CAD Total: $1,525 CAD Dependent Child: Processing Fee: $260 CAD per child Right of Permanent Residence Fee: Not applicable Total: $260 CAD per child Biometrics Fees: Individual Applicant: $85 CAD Family (2 or more people applying together): $170 CAD There will also be other fees associated with gathering the necessary supporting documents to apply.

FCIP Kelowna | Immigration for French-Speaking Workers in BC

Name: FCIP Kelowna | Immigration for French-Speaking Workers in BC
Brand: Moving2Canada
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By Stephanie Ford

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Thinking of moving to Canada as a French-speaking skilled worker? FCIP Kelowna program, offers a unique pathway to permanent residence in British Columbia. Here’s what you need to know about this exclusive immigration pilot.

Kelowna is the only BC township eligible for the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot – which opened in January 2025. Kelowna’s program started intake in June 2025.

The program is designed to bring workers with some French-proficiency to areas of Canada outside Quebec. It offers a temporary work permit and a pathway to permanent residence.

Each eligible community in the pilot program is responsible for designating employers and deciding on priority occupations. Here’s what we know about Kelowna’s francophone community immigration pilot program so far:

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What is the FCIP in Kelowna?

On January 30, 2025, the Government of Canada launched the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), a program designed to support French-speaking skilled workers who wish to live and work outside of Quebec. This initiative, introduced alongside a similar program for English-speaking rural areas, focuses on strengthening minority-language communities while addressing regional labour shortages. Kelowna, British Columbia, was selected as one of just six cities nationwide to participate in the FCIP, offering new opportunities for Francophone immigrants seeking permanent residency.

Despite having a relatively small Francophone population—1,5 % learned French as a mother tongue, about 7,5% of residents are bilingual, and just under 2% speak French as their first language—Kelowna was chosen due to its potential to grow as a welcoming community for French speakers. The program not only supports economic development through skilled immigration but also helps promote Canada’s commitment to bilingualism and cultural diversity in regions where French is not the dominant language.

Priority Occupations for Kelowna FCIP

As of July 30, 2025, the following 25 occupations have been listed as priority occupations for this program:

NOC Code	Occupation
62020	Food service supervisors
65310	Light duty cleaners
62010	Retail sales supervisors
64409	Other customer and information services representatives
65200	Food and beverage servers
62000	Chef
63202	Bakers
63200	Cooks
60010	Corporate sales managers
62024	Cleaning supervisors
64314	Hotel front desk clerks
72200	Carpenters
72410	Electricians
72310	Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
73102	Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
73110	Roofers and shinglers
75110	Construction trades helpers and labourers
42202	Early childhood educators and assistants
44101	Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations
43100	Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
42201	Social and community service workers
33102	Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
33109	Other assisting occupations in support of health services
31103	Veterinarians
22112	Forestry technologists and technicians

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Kelowna’s Designated Employers for the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

Employers must be designated by the Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique (SDÉCB) before they can hire through this program. This is because employers are required to support the integration of immigrant employees through cross-cultural and integration training.

To be eligible, employers must meet the following criteria:

Be a bona fide business that has been active in Kelowna for at least 2 years.

Operate in a key sector identified as a priority by the SDECB.

Offer permanent, full-time, non-seasonal employment.

Comply with Canadian labor laws (employment standards, health and safety).

Have taken intercultural and integration training.

Be committed to helping newcomers integrate and settle into the community.

As of July 30, 2025, the following employers are designated in Kelowna:

De Dutch Kelowna

London Drugs Kelowna.

How to Apply for the Kelowna Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

Embarking on the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) involves several key steps to achieve permanent residence a participating community. Here’s a concise guide to navigate the application process:

Secure a Job Offer from a Designated Employer

Find Employment: Obtain a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an employer designated by the community where you intend to reside.

Obtain a Community Recommendation

Sent directly by the employer: Obtain a community recommendation that will confirm the job offer is in a priority sector or occupation, the offer is real, and the worker meets all the requirements for the pilot.

Prepare and Submit Your Permanent Residence Application

Gather Required Documents: Collect all necessary documents, including your job offer, endorsement certificate, language proficiency results, educational credentials, and proof of funds (if applicable).
Complete Application Forms: Fill out the required forms accurately.
Submit Application: Apply online through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) portal, ensuring all information is complete to avoid processing delays.

Provide Biometrics

Biometric Fee: Pay the biometric fee when submitting your application.
Biometric Collection: Upon receiving a biometric instruction letter from IRCC, provide your fingerprints and photograph within 30 days at an authorized collection center.

Optional: Apply for a Work Permit

Prepare and submit your work permit application.

Application Processing and Decision

IRCC Review: Your application will be assessed for eligibility and completeness.
Additional Information: Respond promptly to any requests for further information or documentation.
Decision Notification: Receive a decision on your application. If approved, you’ll be issued the necessary documents to travel to Canada.

Arrival in Canada

Travel Documents: Ensure you have your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, if required, a permanent resident visa.
Port of Entry: Present your documents to the Canada Border Services Agency upon arrival for verification and admission into Canada OR activate your status from within Canada.

About the author

Stephanie Ford

She/Her

Finance, Law and Immigration Writer

Stephanie is a content creator who writes on legal and personal finance topics, specializing in immigration and legal topics. She earned a Bachelor of Laws and a Diploma in Financial Planning in Australia. Stephanie is now a permanent resident of Canada and a full-time writer at Moving2Canada.