Mobilité Francophone
A work permit for French speakers outside Quebec
The ‘Francophone Mobility’ work permit is one of the easiest work permits to get outside of the IEC program: It doesn’t have an age limit and does not require an LMIA.
Many employers don’t want to get involved with this option, and usually reject the idea. They fear that “sponsoring” means a sponsoring through the very lengthy and complicated LMIA process which costs them thousands of dollars. The good news for the employers: It is not.
Therefore, you can easily convince them with following benefits. First tip, don’t use the word ‘sponsoring’, when you talk to them, you could use ‘support’.
- The ‘Francophone Mobility‘ work permit is LMIA exempt (no expensive and lengthy LMIA process necessary).
- It is a closed work permit that ties you to them for 1 year (or 2 years depending on your citizenship).
- This is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to keep you as their best employee.
- It will only cost the employer a $230 fee.
- The application process is fairly simple. The only ‘work’ the employer has to do: register for the employer portal and submit the job offer online. It is done in less than 30 minutes.
>> Here is the employer portal enrolment guide and user guide for the employer<<
Common questions for the application process
What is the 'Francophone Mobility' work permit? – A general overview
- The Francophone Mobility work permit (also known in French as Mobilité Francophone) is a work permit under the International Mobility Program. It is not to be confused with the ‘International Experience Program’ which has completely different requirements.
- It is an employer-specific work permit, so you can only work for the employer who made this work permit possible.
- The most awesome part: You do not need an LMIA.
- You do not have to be a citizen of a French country. It is open to all nationalities who speak French.
- Temporary measure until 2025: All TEER categories are allowed; it does not have to be a skilled TEER job!
- Exception (and not allowed): jobs in a primary agriculture occupation under TEER 4 and 5
- Spouses and common law partners might be eligible for a spousal open work permit.
More information to this program is found here and here on the official government website.
Do I have to go into a pool and wait for in invitation like the Working Holiday?
Nope, that’s why this is the easiest LMIA exempt work permit you can get outside of the IEC Program. The requirements are totally different than the IEC program (like the Working Holiday).
- This program has no pool, meaning you don’t have to compete with others.
- It has no country restrictions, so applicants from anywhere can apply.
- There is no age limit, making it open to all age groups.
- Additionally, there’s no limit on how often you can apply for this work permit.
- Finally, it currently has no TEER category requirement, although this might change in the future.
What are the requirements for the Mobilité Francophone?
- You must live and work in a province outside of Quebec.
- You must be able to prove you can speak and listen in French at an intermediate level (level 5 or higher in the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) scale)
- However, you don’t need to prove you can read or write in French to be eligible for this LMIA exemption.
- It means, there is no requirement for a minimum level of reading and writing in French. Only for speaking and listening.
- You must have an offer of employment for a job that’s classified under any Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system unless the offer of employment is for a job in a primary agriculture occupation under TEER 4 and 5
What does 'level 5 and higher on the NCLC scale' mean?
It refers to an intermediate level of French proficiency. At this stage, you are expected to have fluent conversations in both social and professional settings. This level on the NCLC scale closely corresponds to a B1 level or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Is Duolingo sufficient proof of French proficiency? What language tests are accepted?
I live in Ontario but do remote work for an employer in Quebec
Remote work for an employer based in Quebec does not qualify for the Mobilité Francophone work permit. The employer must be located outside of Quebec.
What does 'primary agriculture' mean?
Here is the screenshot from the official Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
How do I apply for the Mobilité Francophone work permit?
Step 1: The employer takes the first steps.
The employer must:
- create a profile in the Employer Portal
- create the offer of employment
- provide the following information in the offer of employment:
- about the business
- your name
- the job details
- wage and benefits
- pay the employer compliance fee of $230
- The Employer Portal asks for an LMIA exemption code. The employer must select the following: “Francophone mobility R205(a) (exemption code C16)”
- When asked “Explanation of how the job meets the requirements…” they have to explain how you meet the requirement for this work permit. Something like that the candidate speaks French/is a native speaker, settles outside of Quebec, and has been offered a job.
- The best chances for approval are if the job also requires you to speak French.
- After submission of the job offer, and payment of the fees, the employer will get an offer of employment number
- A 7-digit number that appears in the “Employment queue” of the Employer Portal
- With this number you can apply for the work permit.
Step 2: You apply for the work permit
- To apply online Instructions here
- You can use the same GCKey Account if you previously applied for a Canadian work permit or study permit.
- If you don’t have a GCKey account, you can create one here under ‘register’.
Once you sign in to your account, follow the steps below:
- Go to the Start your application section on the account welcome page.
- Click “Apply to come to Canada.”
- On the next page, scroll down to the I do not have a personal reference code section.
- Click the “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” button.
- On the next page, select “Work.”
If you are applying from inside Canada, make sure you answer these questions correctly in the application questionnaire:
- How long are you planning to stay in Canada? choose ‘temporarily – more than 6 months‘
- Do you have a written job offer?, answer “Yes.”
- Which option best describes your work situation?, choose “I’m applying for an employer-specific work permit with LMIA-exemption.”
- You must upload all required documents in the document checklist.
- You must submit documents that prove you can speak and listen at an NCLC level 5 or higher. This can be
- speaking and listening Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) or Test de connaissance du français (TCF) results
- a written confirmation from a college or university for a program in French
- other documents that show education in French
- Upload your proof of French language ability in the Client Information spot
- There’s only 1 Client Information field. If you have more than 1 document, you need to combine them into 1 file and upload them together. You can do so with this PDF Merger for example.
- Lastly, at the end and before you submit the application, you pay the $155 fee in the last step.
What documents do I need for the application?
The documents list is similar to the Working Holiday application. You have to upload in the “Supporting Documents“:
- Offer of Employment
- Passport
- Digital photo
You do not need police certificates for this type of application.
In addition, and as already mentioned, you must upload the proof of French into the “Client Information” spot.
Can I use other proof of French?
Yes, you can use proof of French from other sources. For example:
- a written confirmation from a college or university in a program completed in French (such as an official letter of completion or transcript)
- other documents that show education in French
However, if the processing officer is not satisfied about the language skills, they may request
- a TEF or TCF test or
- an oral assessment (call you to shortly speak to you on the phone in French)
How will I receive my work permit?
If you’re in Canada
IRCC will mail the nice colourful and shiny work permit to the Canadian address you provided in your application, and it may take up to 6 weeks to arrive.
Once your work permit is approved, you will receive a notification letter in your GCKey account. You can start working immediately after receiving this notification. Therefore, you don’t have to wait for the physical work permit to arrive in the mail before you begin working.
➡️ Log into your GCKey account and in the Document Status you will find an entry:
Document: “work permit”
Status: “your document is valid”
Do not confuse it with the other entry about the eTA validity!
➡️ The ‘Status Updated Date’ is the date the work permit was approved and printed and the date you can start working.
If you’re outside of Canada
After your work permit is approved, you will receive a letter in your GCKey account, called the Port of Entry Letter of Introduction.
Be sure to bring this letter with you when you travel to Canada and present it at the port of entry. Upon arrival, you will receive your work permit at that location.
Once you have the permit, take a moment to review it carefully. If you spot any mistakes, request the officer to correct them before you leave the immigration desk.
For how long is the work permit issued?
The officer can issue the work permit for the length of your job offer, or until your passport expires—whichever comes first. So, if your employer submitted a job offer for two years, you will receive a work permit for that same duration.
I am in Canada; can I go to the USA border to apply for this work permit?
This option called ‘flagpoling’ was possible in previous years. However, with the changes to the flagpoling rules this option was ended at the USA border starting December 24, 2025
As a result, the only way to apply for this work permit is online.
Despite this flagpoling dilemma, there is one thing you can try, but it is not a guarantee: Fly out of Canada (and outside of the USA) and return by plane to apply for the work permit at the airport with all required documents. For example a trip to Mexico.
Can I apply for this work permit following the Working Holiday if I already work for the employer?
Yes, absolutely. If you’ve already used a Working Holiday work permit, you can still apply for a Mobilité Francophone work permit afterward. Your employer must first complete all required steps in the Employer Portal to obtain an offer of employment number. Once that’s done, you can apply for the work permit online.
Do I also need health insurance for this work permit?
No, health insurance is not mandatory for the Mobilité Francophone work permit since it is not part of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. However, it’s strongly recommended to have insurance, as medical expenses in Canada can be very costly.
Since this permit is not part of the IEC program, IEC health insurance providers will not offer coverage.
You could look into > BestQuote < which is a well known Canadian broker that has quite a few affordable policies to choose from. I recommend getting a quote from BestQuote and asking them any questions you might have.
If I still have a valid work permit, will I get maintained status if I apply for this work permit?
Yes, if you apply for the Mobilité Francophone work permit before your current work permit expires maintained status applies:
After you sent off a complete application with all required documents, you are in maintained status after the current work permit expires. It means, you can keep working under the same conditions of the expired work permit until a decision is made on the Mobilité Francophone work permit application.
Very important!
While in maintained status you must remain in Canada. If you leave Canada you will lose this status and cannot continue to work anymore after you return. You then must wait for the new work permit to be approved.
How long is the processing time of the online application?
Unfortunately, with all the recent changes in the immigration program, processing times are currently 5 months and longer.
The good news is that if you apply for this work permit before your current one expires, you’ll benefit from maintained status, which allows you to continue working legally while you wait for a decision.
You can check processing times > here.
Can I change employers with this work permit?
No, the work permit is employer-specific, meaning it includes the name of the employer and the job location. If you were laid off or decided to quit the job, you’ll need to find a new employer who is willing to go through the process in the Employer Portal and pay the $230 fee, as outlined in step 1 above.
Can I extend this work permit?
You cannot extend this work permit; however, you can apply for a new one if your employer provides a new job offer.
Do I need a new language test if I apply for the work permit again?
You do not need to take a new French test. However, I’m quoting the official website information here:
“The determination of whether the applicant has a moderate French-language proficiency at the CLB or NCLC level 5 or higher was made at the time of initial application; therefore, a proof-of-language test result is not required upon renewal unless the processing officer has concerns.”
Can this work permit help my chances in the PR application?
Yes, absolutely, it can significantly boost your chances. The biggest news from the Canadian government: French speakers are a top priority for Canadian immigration until 2027.
IRCC will also continue to support economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec by prioritizing candidates with strong French language proficiency in Express Entry. This reaffirms the Government of Canada’s commitment to supporting and fostering the economic vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec.
These priorities maintain the focus on bringing in skilled workers with the potential to integrate and contribute to Canada’s future, including by transitioning more temporary residents to permanent residence.
Here are a few main positive factors that come to mind how your chances for Express Entry are improved:
- Firstly, if your job under this work permit is in TEER 0-3 it will count towards Canadian Experience.
- Secondly, you can earn up to 50 additional points for strong French language skills in the Express Entry.
- As a result, those extra points will boost your CRS score and make you more compatible in the PR pool. More info here under How you can benefit as a French speaker
And last but not least:
If you’re applying for Permanent Residence (PR) through one of the Express Entry streams, your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) are significantly higher if you qualify under the French-language proficiency category and have enough points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
To meet the French-language proficiency requirement, you must take an approved French-language test (such as the TEF Canada or TCF Canada) and achieve a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
More info on this here under “French-language proficiency”
The required scores are often much lower compared to categories like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
See screenshot below.
A few last thoughts from the admin
- CEC invitations: 1,000
- French category invitations: 4,500
Recommendation: If you’re serious about securing PR, consider investing in French language training.
Not only does it significantly improve your chances of being selected, but it can also add up to 50 extra CRS points to your profile, giving you a strong advantage in the pool.
According to IRCC >> here:
- NCLC 7 or higher in French + CLB 4 or lower in English (or no English test) → +25 points
- NCLC 7 or higher in French + CLB 5 or higher in English → +50 points