Quebec Will Require Economic Immigrants to Speak French Before Arriving: Legault

Quebec Premier François Legault responds to reporters’ questions at a news conference, May 23, 2023, at the legislature in Quebec City. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Quebec Premier François Legault says the province will require that the vast majority of economic immigrants to Quebec speak French before they arrive.

Sixty-five percent of immigrants to Quebec come through the economic immigration stream, which is controlled by the province.

Legault says his government is also considering increasing the number of immigrants it accepts every year to 60,000 people from 50,000 people, by 2027.

He says the rise in immigration would come from people arriving through the economic stream, adding that his government is not considering increasing the number of people who immigrate through the family reunification program or as refugees.

Legault had said during the province’s fall election campaign that accepting more than 50,000 immigrants a year would be “suicidal” for Quebec.

Now he says that if immigrants speak French they wouldn’t threaten the province’s culture and language.