Canada Launches New Pathway to Permanent Residency for French-Speaking Students

To attract more French-speaking individuals to Canada, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced a new immigration pilot program (FMCSP). Under this program, students from Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Egypt who pursue studies in Canada under the French category will be eligible to receive Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) directly upon graduation. The program will launch on August 26, 2024, further enhancing the value of passports from Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Egypt.

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Canada is a bilingual country where both French and English are official languages, but the French-speaking population outside of Quebec is relatively small. This new initiative aims to change that by allowing 2,300 French-speaking international students to directly obtain Canadian Permanent Residency. Future quotas will be determined before August 2025.

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Students who obtain a study permit under this program can also bring their spouse or common-law partner and any dependent children, granting the entire family Canadian Permanent Residency!

This program is only open to specific French-speaking students. Eligibility criteria include citizenship, study program requirements, and meeting financial thresholds. So, who can apply for the French Minority Community Student Pilot Program (FMCSP)?

Not all French-speaking students are eligible. Applicants must be citizens of one of the following countries to qualify for this pilot program:

• Dominica
• Saint Lucia
• Egypt

Eligible Study Program Requirements:

• College-level courses
• Full-time study
• Program duration of 2 years or more
• Awarding of a degree or diploma
• The program must be primarily taught in French (50% or more of courses in French).

Where can students study in Canada?

This pilot program applies to universities and colleges located in or near French-speaking minority communities outside of Quebec. This series of measures by the Canadian government represents a significant step forward for both Canada and its French-speaking communities. It’s a win-win: French-speaking immigrants get the opportunity to start a new life in Canada, and Canada’s French-speaking communities gain new vitality and talent.

Following this favorable policy announcement, inquiries about Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment Program have surged! There are many benefits to obtaining Dominica citizenship, including:

• Inheritable Citizenship: Dominica is one of the few countries where citizenship can be passed down through generations, allowing the applicant’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., to directly obtain Commonwealth of Dominica citizenship.
• Lifetime Citizenship: Once applicants receive their Dominica passport, they become lifelong citizens of the country.
• Bring Your Family: Dependent children under 30 and dependent parents and grandparents over 65 can apply to become Dominican citizens together.
• Tax-Friendly: Dominica does not impose property tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, foreign income tax, or capital gains tax. Dominica is on the EU whitelist, making it legal and compliant. The tax system is well-established, and the financial system is robust, making it convenient to set up offshore financial operations and companies in Hong Kong, Singapore, Seychelles, and the Cayman Islands. This allows for overseas structuring and listings, enjoying tax-free or low-tax policies.

In 2023, Dominica approved citizenship for over 10,000 applicants, gaining high recognition and credibility, and it has been ranked the number one Citizenship by Investment Program for six consecutive years. As of July this year, over 5,000 people have been approved for citizenship, with some obtaining their status in as little as six months. This assists applicants in achieving goals such as identity backup, travel convenience, asset preservation and appreciation, studying at prestigious overseas universities, obtaining substantial scholarships, and securing Canadian green cards for the entire family. Dominica remains one of the most popular citizenship by investment programs in the Caribbean.