2021 Census of Population: Analytical product on participation in French immersion

Released: 2024-02-28

A new study published today, titled "Participation in French immersion, bilingualism and the use of French in adulthood, 2021," is now available as part of the Census in Brief series.

In 2021, in Canada outside Quebec, nearly 700,000 school-aged children whose mother tongue is not French were in or had been in French immersion. This represented slightly more than one in six (16.9%) children aged 5 to 17 whose mother tongue is not French.

Children and adults whose mother tongue is not French and who were in or had been in French immersion for at least one year were 12 times more likely to be able to have a conversation in French (50.2%) than those who had never been in immersion (4.1%).

This article offers a first in-depth analysis of participation in French immersion programs in Canada outside Quebec, based on 2021 Census data. It looks at some of the factors that may be associated with participation in this type of school program. In addition, it looks at the possible links between schooling in a French immersion program and English–French bilingualism, as well as the use of French at home or at work in adulthood.

Products

The article, titled "Participation in French immersion, bilingualism and the use of French in adulthood, 2021," is now available as part of the Census in Brief (Catalogue number98-200-X) series.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).