Quebec’s new immigration rules put the emphasis on French skills

Quebec’s new immigration rules put the emphasis on French skills

MONTREAL — Prospective immigrants to Quebec will need to master French better than in the past under new immigration rules that came into effect Thursday.

"We have re-thought our approach in order to select, around the world, immigrants able to respond adequately to Quebec's needs and to contribute to its prosperity," Immigration and Cultural Communities Minister Diane De Courcy said in a statement.

The government has tweaked the point system for selecting immigrants in hopes of boosting the proportion of immigrants who speak French on arrival to about 82 per cent from about 62 per cent.