OQLF francization certificate: the Quebec process, step by step.

Who is covered by the process

A company employing 25 people or more in Quebec over a six-month period must register with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) and begin a francization process. Registration is done through the OQLF Portal, no later than six months after that period ends.

The company then receives a registration attestation, which officially starts the process. Companies with fewer than 25 employees are not subject to this registration obligation, but they must still respect fundamental language rights, including the right of workers to carry out their activities in French.

The steps of the process, in order

The process follows a precise sequence, framed by the Charter of the French language:

• Reach the threshold: 25 employees or more in Quebec for six months.
• Register with the OQLF and receive the registration attestation.
• Analyze the linguistic situation: within three months of the attestation, the company assesses the use of French in its general operations and in its internal and external communications, then submits the requested information.
• Receive the Office's decision: if the use of French is considered generalized at all levels, the OQLF issues the francization certificate.
• Otherwise, develop a francization program: the company must correct the identified elements, then submit its program to the Office for approval.

What the Office evaluates

The analysis looks at the real place of French in the organization: language of work and instructions, internal communications, documentation, tools and software, signage, recruitment and training. The goal is not perfect French, but generalized use at every level of the company.

Once the certificate is obtained, the company must ensure the lasting use of French. The Office can verify that the situation is maintained over time.

Language training, a pillar of the process

In many companies, the fragile point of the process is employees' real ability to work in French day to day: understanding an instruction, serving a customer, taking part in a meeting. Courses provide the foundations; regular practice builds fluency.

A language training plan that supports the process starts from roles rather than levels. Before choosing a course, it is worth answering a few simple questions:

• Which work situations already happen in French, and which ones are difficult?
• Which employees need to understand, and which must also speak or write?
• Which time slots allow training without disrupting operations: shifts, seasons, schedules?
• How will you keep a record of training completed and participation, for the analysis and follow-up?
• Which public resources already exist, such as the courses offered by Francisation Québec?