The situation of the French language outside of the greater metropolitan area is characterized by a strong predominance of French. That makes our regions important allies, especially when it comes to French language training for immigrants. Those who decide to settle in Quebec’s regions will live in an environment that is almost exclusively Francophone, which significantly facilitates their integration and the development of their French language skills.
Our regions are experiencing major workforce shortages for which immigration can be part of the solution. Numerous temporary foreign workers are already working within businesses in our regions, which contributes to our collective prosperity. While these workers live and work in a totally Francophone environment, and there is no doubt that they will eventually become French speakers, the current requirements regarding knowledge of French to obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) represent an obstacle for a number of them.
Likewise, several immigration candidates from all over the world have the skills that companies, especially those in our regions, are searching for, without having a command of French. There is reason to encourage these workers to come to our regions and to offer a personalized approach to their francization.
It is a vision that allows us to use our regions’ potential to encourage immigrants’ francization, while ensuring a wider regionalization of immigration outside of the metropolitan area, thus meeting workforce needs and supporting our regions’ social, economic and cultural development.
We therefore propose to:
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Study the possibility of modulating language requirements in order to hasten the process of obtaining a Certificat de Sélection du Québec when the region in which the immigration candidate intends to settle is outside of the metropolitan region and, at the same time, offer a personalized francization program for these people;
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Promote initiatives emanating from our regions aimed at increasing the share of immigration that settles there.
The proposals we are advancing are the result of thorough reflection following several consultations.
In order to undertake this process, we first identified the fundamental principles that should guide us. It was important for us to identify the foundations upon which all Quebecers of all origins could readily unite and rally.