New Brunswick has the highest share of French speakers outside Quebec. For people on a French-language pathway, it is where French is most present in daily life.
Language figures (2021 Census)
- 231,850 people have French as their first official language spoken, 30.3% of the population.
- 34.0% of the population speaks both English and French.
- English is still the first official language of about 69.5% of the population.
Four welcoming Francophone communities
IRCC selected 4 communities in New Brunswick for the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative:
North-Eastern Acadia
The Acadian Peninsula, including Caraquet, Rivière-du-Nord and Hautes-Terres, is a region rich in Acadian culture, by the sea and known for its history and the French language. The Acadian Peninsula is also one of the 6 communities of the FCIP permanent residence pilot.
Chaleur
The neighbouring communities of Belle-Baie, Bathurst and Pabineau. Beaches and warm water in summer, snowmobiling in winter, and the presence of the Pabineau Mi'kmaq First Nation.
Haut-Saint-Jean region
Edmundston is the second-largest Canadian city outside Quebec with a French-speaking majority, and the largest business and service hub in northwestern New Brunswick.
Kedgwick and Saint-Quentin
Part of the Restigouche West region, between the Appalachians, the Restigouche River and Mount Carleton. The economy is mainly forestry and tourism, with growing agriculture and small craft businesses.
Good to know
- These are small communities, many of them rural: jobs, housing and transport are different from a big city.
- Details of the provincial nominee program (NB PNP) are on the Government of New Brunswick's website; it blocks automated access, so open it in a browser to check current requirements.
Note Even with French widely spoken, many jobs in New Brunswick still require English. Being bilingual is a strong advantage when looking for work.
The 12 provinces and territories outside Quebec
Manitoba and St-Boniface
French-speaking Ontario