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Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the French Republic concerning Youth Mobility

E105387

The Government of Canada and the Government of the French Republic hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”,

Considering the historical ties of friendship and cooperation that unite them;

Wishing to build a unique partnership;

Hoping to facilitate cultural and professional exchanges so that young people of both countries may increase their knowledge of the languages, culture and society of the country of which they are not nationals, through a travel, study, internship, work and life experience in that country;

Convinced of the value of these exchanges;

Hoping to facilitate the temporary mobility of young people of both countries to contribute to their personal and professional development;

Respecting the rights and obligations in the legislation of the respective countries and in the international agreements and treaties to which they are party;

Noting the Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the French Republic concerning Youth Exchanges, done at Paris on 3 October 2003;

Considering the Agreement between the Government of Canada and the European Community establishing a Framework for Cooperation in Higher Education, Training and Youth, done at Helsinki on 5 December 2006;

Have Agreed as Follows:

Article 1

Purpose

The purpose of this Agreement is to simplify and facilitate the administrative procedures applicable to young Canadian nationals and young French nationals who wish to visit the country of which they are not nationals, in order to increase their knowledge of the languages, culture and society of that country through a travel, study, internship, work, and life experience.

Article 2

Territorial Scope

This Agreement concerns young Canadian nationals who wish to visit the territories of the European and overseas departments of the French Republic or the Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and young French nationals who wish to visit the territory of Canada.

Article 3

Categories of Designated Young Nationals

Subject to the applications submitted in this regard, each Party shall authorize the stay of young Canadian nationals or young French nationals described in one of the following categories:

  1. young professionals who wish to enter and stay in the country of which they are not nationals in the context of professional development through salaried work experience under a fixed-term work contract, while enhancing their knowledge of the language and culture of that country. The Parties also consider as young professionals, without having to present a work contract, French nationals registered in the French “programme de volontariat international en entreprises” and expected in a subsidiary of a French company under a certificate from the French organization responsible for managing this program as well as Canadian nationals with a letter of offer under the Canadian program to come to Juno Beach or Vimy for a duty to remember;
  2. Canadian students who wish to complete part of their university curriculum at a French institution as part of an inter-university agreement;
  3. students, or young people, in training, who are enrolled in a secondary institution, an institution of higher education or a training centre, and who wish to complete, in the country of which they are not nationals, a work placement related to their course of study or their training, in accordance with the legislation in effect in that country;
  4. young people who want to stay in the country of which they are not nationals for tourism and cultural discovery purposes and who wish to work there on a casual basis in order to supplement their financial resources.

Article 4

Eligibility Requirements

The Parties agree that the nationals described in Article 3 of this Agreement must, in order to be able to submit an application to stay under this Agreement, meet the following conditions:

  1. be between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five on the date the application is received;
  2. hold a Canadian or French passport that is valid for at least six months after the stated end date of the stay in the country of which they are not nationals;
  3. have proof of sufficient financial resources to provide for their needs at the beginning of their stay and to allow them to leave the country of which they are not nationals at any time during their stay;
  4. consent to pay the fees and taxes provided for under the legislation of each country;
  5. produce, in support of their application for a stay, the documents that the Parties decide upon in application of Article 11 of this Agreement;
  6. have proof, if they cannot qualify under the social welfare system as it is applied in the country where they are staying or if they are only partially covered under this system, that they have insurance that covers, at the very least, health care (including hospitalization) and repatriation for the duration of their stay;
  7. have proof, if they are young professionals with a work contract, of a diploma, a training certificate or professional experience of at least twelve months during the last three years and, if necessary, of a license to practice or a certificate of professional qualifications.

Article 5

Terms and Conditions of Stays

  1. The Parties agree that the maximum stay authorized under this Agreement is twenty-four months.
  2. The Parties may extend the maximum duration of authorized stays to thirty-six months if one of the stays is for an internship under Article 3(c) of this Agreement or, in the case of Canadian nationals, for a period of study under Article 3(b) of this Agreement.
  3. The Parties agree that:
    1. young French nationals may apply for a stay under category (a) or (d) of Article 3 of this Agreement, for the maximum stay provided for in the first paragraph of this Article;
    2. young French nationals may also apply for an additional stay under category (c) of Article 3 of this Agreement for a maximum stay of twelve months;
    3. young Canadian nationals may apply for two stays under categories (a) or (d) of Article 3 of this Agreement, for the maximum stay provided for in the first paragraph of this Article;
    4. young Canadian nationals may also apply for one or two additional stays under categories (b) or (c) of Article 3 of this Agreement for the maximum stay of twelve months for all the additional stays referred to in this sub-paragraph.
  4. The Parties agree that stays may be continuous or discontinuous and can be carried out in any order.

Article 6

Issuance of Documents

Subject to considerations of public order and public health:

  1. the Government of the French Republic shall issue to a Canadian national whose application for a stay is accepted a stay document valid for a period of up to twelve months, which can be renewed if necessary. This stay document specifies the reason for the stay on French territory and authorizes Canadian nationals, according to the terms specified by the Parties, to reside, study, do an internship or work there, without opposition to the labour market situation;
  2. the Government of Canada shall issue to a French national whose application for a stay is accepted a letter of introduction into Canadian territory and, on their arrival in Canada, a work permit. These documents authorize French nationals, according to the terms specified by the Parties, to reside, do an internship or work there, without opposition to the labour market situation.

Article 7

Practice of a Professional Activity

The Parties agree that:

  1. in the context of the practice of a professional activity, young nationals whose application for a stay is accepted are subject to the laws, regulations, and customs of the host country, particularly with respect to regulated professions, for which they must meet the professional requirements;
  2. young nationals whose application for a stay is accepted are entitled to equal treatment with the nationals of the host county in all matters relating to the application of laws, regulations and customs of the host country governing labour relations and working conditions, social welfare, health, hygiene, and occupational safety.

Article 8

Follow-up Committee

The Parties agree to establish a follow-up committee responsible for applying and monitoring this Agreement. This follow-up committee is composed of representatives of the governmental authorities of each Party and of the organizations and agencies responsible for implementing this Agreement.

Article 9

Quota and Financial Resources

  1. Each year, through an exchange of diplomatic notes, the Parties shall set a quota of nationals whose application for a temporary stay may be accepted as well as the amount of financial resources required for each category of nationals.
  2. Each year, for the period from January 1 to December 31, the Parties shall determine the number of nationals who have stayed under each of the categories referred to in Article 3 of this Agreement. The first year, the Parties shall determine the number of nationals during the period beginning on the date of entry into force of this Agreement and ending on December 31 of the same year. The Parties shall communicate to each other these results no later than March 1 of the following year.

Article 10

Information and Promotion

  1. The Parties shall make available, particularly on their respective Internet sites, all information concerning this Agreement, in particular any information concerning the steps required to apply for a stay. The Parties shall ensure that all of the documents required for the application are downloadable.
  2. The Parties shall conduct, jointly or separately, promotional activities for this Agreement in order to encourage and facilitate the participation of young Canadian nationals and young French nationals.

Article 11

Implementing Arrangements for this Agreement

The Parties agree to inform each other, through an exchange of diplomatic notes, of the implementation requirements of this Agreement, such as the list of documents to be submitted by all young nationals in support of their application for a stay and the procedures for the issuance of documents related to their stay.

Article 12

Dispute Resolution

Any difficulties in interpreting and implementing this Agreement are resolved by the follow-up committee referred to in Article 8 of this Agreement or, failing that, through diplomatic channels.

Article 13

Duration, Amendment and Termination

  1. This Agreement is entered into for an indeterminate period.
  2. The Parties may amend this Agreement by means of an amendment that comes into force in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 14 of this Agreement.
  3. Each Party may terminate this Agreement or suspend it, in whole or in part, by giving the other Party thirty days notice through diplomatic channels. The Parties agree that termination and suspension do not affect the validity of any residence permits, letters of introduction or work permits that have already been issued.

Article 14

Entry into Force

  1. This Agreement comes into force on the first day of the second month that follows the date of the last notification, through diplomatic channels, of the fulfillment by each Party of the constitutional and legal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement.
  2. As of its entry into force, this Agreement repeals the Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the French Republic concerning Youth Exchanges, done at Paris on 3 October 2003.

In Witness Whereof, the undersigned, duly authorized for this purpose, have signed this Agreement.

Done at Ottawa, this 14th day of March 2013, in duplicate, in the English and French languages, each version being equally authentic.

Bal Gosal
For the Government
of Canada

Valérie Fourneyron
For the Government
of the French Republic


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