A customer in Moncton calls your support line and asks, in French, about an invoice. A distributor in Montreal wants to review a contract. A client in Dakar, Brussels or Paris writes to your sales team. If nobody on your team can answer comfortably in French, each of these conversations starts at a disadvantage. That is the practical case for hiring bilingual employees in Canada.
In Canada, "bilingual" usually means able to work in both official languages, English and French. In the 2021 Census, 22% of Canadians had French as their first official language spoken, and almost 10.7 million could carry on a conversation in French (Canadian Heritage). Here are six ways a bilingual hire pays off.
1. They open French-speaking markets in Canada
French is the majority language in Quebec, where 84.1% of residents have French as their first official language spoken, and a large minority language in New Brunswick, at 30.3% (2021 Census). In the 11 other provinces and territories, francophones are under 5% of the population, but they form communities with their own businesses, schools and networks.
In Quebec, French is also a legal matter: under the Charter of the French Language, businesses must respect consumers' right to be informed and served in French (Gouvernement du Québec, in French). If you sell there, French-speaking staff are not optional.
2. They open French-speaking markets abroad
The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie counts 396 million French speakers worldwide in 2025, according to its 2026 report, which ranks French as the fourth most spoken language, with much of its growth in Africa (OIF, in French). A bilingual employee can prospect, negotiate and build relationships in those markets without an interpreter in the room.
3. They give customers service in the language they prefer
Federal institutions must serve the public in English and French under the Official Languages Act. Most private businesses outside Quebec have no such obligation, but customers notice when they can explain a problem in their first language. Bilingual staff also make it easier to answer a complaint before it turns into a lost client.
The qualities that make a good customer service hire still apply. Our guide to the top qualities to look for in customer service candidates covers them.
4. They review your French before your customers do
A bilingual employee who knows your products can proofread your French: the website, product sheets, emails and social posts. Even if you keep a professional translator, an in-house reviewer catches the errors that come from not knowing the business, and the terms your industry actually uses.
5. They bring cultural knowledge, not just vocabulary
Language comes with local habits. Canadian French and European French differ in vocabulary and tone: "courriel" in Quebec, "e-mail" in France; "fin de semaine" here, "week-end" there. Marketing written for Montreal can sound odd in Paris, and the reverse is also true.
Business conventions change too. In Canada, prices are usually shown before sales tax because rates vary by province, while consumers in many European countries expect the displayed price to include tax. A colleague who has lived in both systems spots these details before they become mistakes.
6. They strengthen a diverse team
Bilingual professionals have often studied or worked in more than one country, and many have already adapted to a new workplace culture once. The practical gain is a team with more perspectives and more contacts, and new colleagues who can bring in other candidates through their own networks.
What a bilingual hire costs, and how to check the French
There is no legal or standard bilingual premium in the private sector. For a reference point, the federal public service pays an 800 dollar annual bilingualism bonus to employees in bilingual positions who meet the position's language requirements (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat). Before you post the job, decide whether French is required or an asset, and whether it moves the salary band. Candidates will ask.
Then check the French instead of taking "bilingual" on trust. Candidates who immigrated through a French-language route may have TEF Canada or TCF Canada results, reported on the Canadian NCLC scale, but the best test is hearing them do the job. Our guide to hiring for customer service includes a role-play and a simple way to check bilingual ability in the interview.
Where to find bilingual candidates
Bilingual professionals are in demand, so look beyond your usual job boards. Francophone associations, colleges and settlement organizations outside Quebec are good starting points.
The pool is also growing because of immigration policy. In 2025, more than 29,500 French-speaking permanent residents settled outside Quebec, about 8.9% of admissions there, and IRCC's targets rise to 9% in 2026, 9.5% in 2027 and 10.5% in 2028 (IRCC, January 2026). Express Entry also has a French-language proficiency category.
To hire from abroad on a work permit, two programs are the most direct for French speakers:
- Mobilité francophone: an employer-specific work permit with no labour market impact assessment, for French speakers hired outside Quebec.
- IEC Young Professionals: for young professionals from partner countries, such as France and Switzerland, with a job offer in their field.
If you would rather start with people already in Canada, our bilingual recruitment program gives you pre-screened French-speaking candidates and helps with the shortlist. Our seven recruitment strategies to attract global talent cover the rest of the process.
Canada Talents specializes in recruiting bilingual candidates for Canadian employers. See how our bilingual recruitment programs work, or write to us about the role you need to fill.
