The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration is a government department in Quebec responsible for immigration, francisation, and integration in the province. Accordingly, it provides a variety of programs for immigrants and immigrant communities in the province. Jurisdiction in matters of immigration in Quebec is shared with the Canadian government, in accordance to the Constitution Act of 1867 (article 95) and the 1991 Canada–Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens. The federal government pays financial compensation to Quebec in order to ensure the reception and integration of immigrants. The department was previously known as the Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion).

History

The ministry was founded on 5 November 1968, a decision made by then Premier Jean-Jacques Bertrand. The reasons for the creation of the ministry were: to prevent French from losing its dominant position in Quebec society as the birth rate of French Canadians fell, and to attract immigrants from the French-speaking world to Quebec. At its beginnings, the ministry opened immigration offices only in France and Italy. It also established a network of seven language orientation and training centres, whose goal was to teach French to newcomers. The department was previously overseen by the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities as a member of the Executive Council of Quebec. On 20 February 1978, Canada and Quebec signed an immigration agreement giving Quebec decision-making power to choose its independent immigrants, who would then have to be approved by Ottawa. On 5 February 1991, the Canada–Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens was concluded, giving Quebec more power in the selection of immigrants by offering federal transfers of funds for integration of these, and guaranteeing Quebec an immigration rate proportional to its demographic weight in Canada.

Proposed reform

During the 2022 Quebec general election, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government of François Legault campaigned on getting more immigration powers from the federal government to Quebec. Legault has raised the idea of having a referendum on immigration powers, a pledge that was repeated after the party has increased its majority.

List of ministers

Organization

The structure of the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration is organized as follows:

Laws and regulations

The Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration is responsible with administering the following laws and regulations in relation to Quebec immigration:

English

French