In 2025, 61,185 citizens of 13 countries in French-speaking Africa and Haiti became permanent residents of Canada, or 15.5% of all admissions, according to our calculations from IRCC open data. Cameroon is far ahead, with 22,925 admissions. From January to August 2026, the total for all nationalities fell by 5% compared with the same period in 2025, according to the same source.
Admissions from 2023 to 2026, country by country
The table shows permanent resident admissions by country of citizenship, based on IRCC open data (file EN_ODP-PR-Citz.xlsx, data as of August 31, 2026, published on October 20, 2026). Values are rounded to the nearest 5 and preliminary. The subtotal, the shares and the rank among all nationalities are our calculations from these data.
| Country | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 (Jan.-Aug.) | 2025 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 11,685 | 21,205 | 22,925 | 12,165 | 3rd |
| Algeria | 5,245 | 8,255 | 7,600 | 4,690 | 11th |
| Morocco | 6,410 | 7,635 | 6,925 | 3,545 | 14th |
| Haiti | 3,020 | 5,180 | 5,370 | 2,645 | 17th |
| Tunisia | 3,470 | 5,710 | 5,245 | 2,655 | 18th |
| DR Congo | 5,320 | 4,380 | 4,275 | 1,985 | 24th |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2,585 | 3,145 | 3,305 | 1,755 | 27th |
| Senegal | 930 | 1,065 | 1,345 | 725 | 40th |
| Togo | 675 | 1,075 | 1,160 | 750 | 43rd |
| Benin | 690 | 865 | 945 | 620 | 50th |
| Guinea | 520 | 620 | 770 | 490 | 57th |
| Burkina Faso | 435 | 515 | 695 | 360 | 60th |
| Mali | 435 | 480 | 625 | 320 | 65th |
| Subtotal, 13 countries | 41,420 (8.8%) | 60,130 (12.4%) | 61,185 (15.5%) | 32,705 (12.4%) | – |
| France (for comparison) | 10,075 | 9,945 | 11,970 | 4,775 | 7th |
| Total, all nationalities | 471,820 | 483,655 | 393,780 | 262,995 | – |
What these figures show
Cameroon dominates: with 22,925 admissions in 2025, it is the 3rd country of citizenship among all new permanent residents of Canada, according to our calculations. It is well ahead of Algeria (7,600) and Morocco (6,925). Haiti follows with 5,370 admissions, 17th among all nationalities, according to the same calculations. By comparison, France has 11,970, in 7th place.
The share of the 13 countries rose from 8.8% of admissions in 2023 to 15.5% in 2025, according to our calculations from IRCC data. This is not only the result of growth: the total for all nationalities fell from 483,655 in 2024 to 393,780 in 2025, while the subtotal for the 13 countries rose slightly, from 60,130 to 61,185.
According to IRCC data, admissions rose every year from 2023 to 2025 for Cameroon, Haiti, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali. They fell in 2025 for Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, after a peak in 2024, and have been falling since 2023 for the DRC.
Gabon is not one of these 13 countries: according to the same IRCC file, 90 Gabonese citizens became permanent residents in 2023, 150 in 2024, 175 in 2025 and 45 from January to August 2026, in values rounded to the nearest 5 and preliminary.
Where the TEF fits into these pathways
These figures do not say which language test each person took. But for Express Entry, even a native French speaker must present a recognized test, and the TEF Canada is one of them. According to the test publisher's 2025 key figures, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire and Haiti are among the top five countries where the TEF is taken.
For a candidate from French-speaking Africa, the main lever is CLB 7 (NCLC 7 in French) in each skill, which opens the French-language proficiency draws. On the TEF Canada results certificate, it corresponds to at least 434 in reading and listening, 428 in writing and 456 in speaking, according to IRCC (2026). Our article on CLB 7 on the TEF Canada explains which score to enter in your profile.
To see where you stand, try a listening comprehension mock test: 40 questions in 40 minutes, recordings played only once, then an estimated score out of 699 to compare with the 434 threshold. A free account is all you need for mock tests marked “Free”.
January to August 2026: an overall decline
Over the first eight months of 2026, admissions for all nationalities fell by 5% compared with the same period in 2025. Among the 13 countries, the decline ranges from 1.6% for Benin to 31.8% for the DRC, according to our calculations from IRCC data as of August 31, 2026.
These data remain preliminary and describe the past. They guarantee neither an invitation nor an admission, and they cannot be used to predict the full year 2026. To follow the invitations sent to French-speaking candidates, read our review of Express Entry French draws.
Citizenship or country of birth: two ways of counting
IRCC classifies new permanent residents by country of citizenship. Québec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI), on the other hand, publishes its figures by country of birth. A person born in one country and holding citizenship of another therefore does not appear on the same line in both sources.
For example, the MIFI counts 9,127 people born in Cameroon among those admitted to Québec in 2024, its leading country of birth that year, according to its 2020-2024 statistical compendium. This figure cannot be compared directly with the 21,205 Cameroonian citizens counted by IRCC the same year for all of Canada.
Outside Québec, IRCC also tracks a specific target for French-speaking immigrants, with its own figures by country. Our article on Francophone immigration outside Québec presents these targets and their results since 2024.
Frequently asked questions
How many Cameroonians become permanent residents of Canada?
According to IRCC open data, 22,925 Cameroonian citizens became permanent residents in 2025, compared with 21,205 in 2024 and 11,685 in 2023. From January to August 2026, IRCC counts 12,165, in preliminary values. Our guide to TEF Canada prices in 2026 compares test fees country by country.
Which French-speaking African country has the most new permanent residents in Canada?
Among the 13 countries tracked, Cameroon leads in 2025 with 22,925 admissions, 3rd among all nationalities, ahead of Algeria (7,600, 11th) and Morocco (6,925, 14th), according to our calculations from IRCC data. Our TEF or TCF Canada comparison will help you choose your test.
Are permanent resident admissions falling in 2026?
For January to August 2026, yes: admissions for all nationalities fell by 5% compared with the same period in 2025, and by 1.6% (Benin) to 31.8% (DRC) among the 13 countries, according to our calculations from IRCC data. These preliminary figures cannot predict the full year.
Why do IRCC and Québec figures differ?
IRCC counts people by country of citizenship and the MIFI by country of birth, so the two series cannot be compared directly. Québec's own French requirements are detailed in our article on the French level for the PSTQ and the PEQ.
In short
IRCC figures show the weight of French-speaking countries, with Cameroon in the lead, but they guarantee neither an invitation nor an admission. What depends on you is your level of French: complete a writing mock test and compare your text with the annotated model answer, then check the subscription prices to access the other mock tests.
Réussir Mon TEF is an independent practice platform. It is not affiliated with Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France), which designs the TEF, or with any immigration authority. Our mock tests are original: they are not official test papers.