French-language training for the workforce in Québec

2022 - 04 - 5

Contributors

Executive Summary
Sithandazile Kuzviwanza, Director of Policy & Research, PERT

Catherine-Laure Juste, Policy Researcher, PERT

Joshua Loo, Policy Research Intern, PERT

Nikitasha Kapoor, Consultant, Pure & Applied Group

Roxanne Desforges, Consultant, Pure & Applied Group 

Natasha Kapoor, Consultant, Pure & Applied Group 

Nicholas Salter, Executive Director, PERT

Chad Walcott, Director of Engagement & Communications, PERT

 

 English-speaking Quebecers make up Québec’s official language minority community and represent the largest linguistic minority within a Canadian province. They account for 13.8% of Québec’s population and 14.3% of the labour force. Despite representing a sizable portion of the labour force, many English-speaking Quebecers face challenges in the labour market. According to the 2016 Census, English speakers have an unemployment rate of 8.9%, which is 2% higher than the unemployment rate of French speakers (6.9%). In most regions of Québec, English speakers experience higher unemployment rates and lower after-tax median incomes than French speakers (adapted from Statistics Canada, 2016). While English-French bilingualism has steadily increased among English speakers over the past four decades, French-language proficiency remains a barrier when it comes to meaningfully integrating into Québec’s French-language labour market. This is the case for a broad range of English speakers, including Québec-born residents and migrants from the rest of Canada.

This report examines the status of French-language workforce programs (FLWPs) in Québec. FLWPs consist of language learning that is specifically designed to increase the integration of workers into the labour market by focusing on the vocabulary and language skills they need to improve their employability. In this report, we conducted an inventory of FLWPs that are available to French-language learners and identified the key needs, gaps and areas for improvement in the ecosystem.

The goal of this report is to contribute to a broader discussion on Québec’s French-language learning infrastructure by examining how linguistic minorities, in this case, English-speaking Quebecers, access these types of skills training programs.

Key Findings:

  • There are at least 154 FLWPs available across Québec.
  • Of the 154 FLWPs found, 91 are business services that are open to companies looking to train their employees. The other 63 are general courses that are open to individuals. 
  • There are regional disparities in access to programs, with the majority of programs offered in Montréal. 
  • Funding for programs is not always specified. However, some programs receive funding from the Québec government, making them affordable or free to learners. The main government funders of programs are Services Québec, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) and the Ministère du Travail, de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MTESS).  
  • Eligibility criteria pose a unique challenge for learners looking to access government-funded programs. Program eligibility can differ based on individuals’ employment status, immigration status, French-language proficiency and regional location.
  • Finding and accessing programs can be a challenge for individuals. Information on programs is decentralized, creating a patchwork of programs with low online visibility.