Pathways to Permanent Residency for French-Speaking Skilled Temporary Foreign Workers – Atlantic Provinces

The purpose of this study is to understand the transition to permanent residency for French-speaking skilled temporary foreign workers in the Atlantic provinces. During the study period (2012 to 2021), transitions from temporary worker status to permanent resident status increased in Canada. Since temporary and permanent immigration are particularly important for the vitality of Francophone minority communities, it is important to look at the pathways taken by the skilled temporary foreign workers who make this transition in a minority language context. Therefore, the research team reviewed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administrative data and conducted interviews with 25 French-speaking skilled temporary foreign workers and permanent residents who had been temporary residents during the study period, as well as 10 stakeholders who serve or are very familiar with this population. Although 3.2% of the temporary foreign workers who arrived between 2012 and 2021 are French-speaking, approximately 21% of them transitioned to permanent residency in 2021. That being said, obtaining permanent residence was an objective or a reality for most of the interviewees. For many, temporary residence was a fast and efficient way to come to Canada and confirm their intention to stay here. On the other hand, temporary status quickly becomes a stress factor and a barrier to professional, personal and family plans of varying timeframes. A focus on the experience of transitioning to permanent residency highlights the factors that facilitate the transition. The literature and interviews clearly show that the complexity, slowness, inconsistency and impersonal nature of the process can have a negative impact on the transition experience, to the point of discouraging some from changing their status. In terms of employment, factors such as more precarious employment, a lower level of social and professional integration, or difficulty imagining optimal professional development seem to increase barriers to making the transition or reduce the motivation to do so. Those who received personalized support, mainly from their employer, generally had a more positive transition experience. Lastly, analysis of the factors related to the French language and the presence of Francophone communities shows that speaking French appears often —although not always—to be an advantage when obtaining temporary and then permanent residence. However, most of the respondents were not very familiar with the Francophone communities and their services and activities, especially upon arrival.