Canada is aiming to increase its population by 6 percent before the end of 2024, with a focus on attracting French-speaking individuals from Africa, including Cameroon.
This initiative is part of a new immigration program announced by Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), during a session in Yaoundé aimed at educating media practitioners on immigration programs and procedures.
Cameroon, which ranks among the top 10 countries of origin for migrants to Canada, had approximately 11,000 citizens relocate to the country in 2023.
The new program is designed to enhance the presence of French-speaking communities across Canada, particularly through the Francophone Minority Communities Pilot Program (FMCSP).
The FMCSP, starting on August 26, 2024, will facilitate the admission of 2,300 students in its first year, offering them a direct pathway to permanent residency after completing their studies.
The program is also designed to be more equitable for African students, exempting them from proving they will leave Canada at the end of their temporary stay and adjusting financial proof requirements to 75% of the low-income cutoff for the municipality where the educational institution is located.
To qualify, students must have an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution under the FMCSP, with the study program meeting specific criteria: it must be at the post-secondary level, full-time, at least two years in duration, lead to a degree or diploma, and have French as the primary language of instruction for over 50 percent of classes.
Students under this program can bring their spouses, common-law partners, or dependent children, who may also be eligible for a visitor visa, open work permit, or study visa.
Additionally, students in the FMCSP are exempt from several recent changes to Canada’s international student program, such as the requirement for a Provincial Attestation Letter from their DLI and are not subject to the processing cap for international student applications.
