The OQLF has written to you

A letter from the Office is not a fine. It marks a step in a process set out in the Charter of the French language, with short, precise deadlines. What makes things harder is leaving it on the corner of the desk: each step has its deadline, and a business that misses them loses access to public contracts and subsidies.

Here, in order, is what the law asks of a business with 25 people or more, and what your letter most likely expects from you.

Who is covered, and from when

A business that employs 25 people or more for a period of six months must register with the Office within six months of the end of that period (section 139 of the Charter). For businesses with 25 to 49 people, this obligation has applied since June 1, 2025.

Registration is done online, through the Portail OQLF. The business declares how many people it employs, its legal structure and the nature of its activities; the Office then issues a certificate of registration. Only a member of management may represent the business before the Office, and that person’s name must be made known to staff (sections 139.1 and 139.2).

The linguistic situation analysis, within three months

Within three months of the date the certificate of registration is issued, the business sends the Office an analysis of its linguistic situation (section 139). It is a portrait of the place of French at every level: knowledge of French among managers and staff, the language of work and internal communications, work documents and tools, information technology, communications with customers and suppliers, signage, and the policy on hiring, promotion and transfer (section 141).

This is the step where gaps show: software available only in English, employment contracts never drawn up in French, job postings published only in English, positions requiring English without the real need having been assessed. Several of these points are obligations for every employer, whatever its size (sections 41 and 46).

Then: a certificate, or a francization program

If, after examining the analysis, the Office considers that French is generalized at all levels of the business, it issues a francization certificate (section 140). The business must then make sure this remains the case and send the Office, every three years, a report on how the use of French is evolving (section 146).

Otherwise, the Office notifies the business that it must adopt a francization program, to be sent within three months of receiving the notice (section 140). Once the program is approved, the business receives an attestation of implementation, carries out the planned measures, keeps its staff informed and submits an implementation report every twelve months (section 143).

The francization committee: mandatory at 100 people, possible before

A francization committee is mandatory in businesses with 100 people or more. Below that, it is required only if the Office orders it: when a francization program is required, the Office may order the creation of a committee of four or six members (sections 136 and 140).

The committee rules then apply, with the necessary adaptations: half the members represent the workers, the committee meets at least once every six months, and it oversees the program and the reports (sections 137, 138.1 and 138.3).

What happens if it drags on

The Office may refuse, suspend or cancel an attestation or a certificate (section 147), and it publishes the list of businesses concerned (section 152). A business that has no certificate of registration, has not sent its analysis within the prescribed time or appears on that list can neither enter into a contract with the civil administration nor receive a subsidy from it (section 152.1).

The process is not complicated. It takes someone in charge, a timeline and a careful reading of what the Office asks, letter by letter.

Official sources

This summary follows the Charter of the French language and the Office’s pages, most of which exist in French only. It is not legal advice: if in doubt, the text of the law prevails.

• Office québécois de la langue française — Businesses: the francization process (in French)
• Office québécois de la langue française — Francization committee (in French)
• Office québécois de la langue française — Businesses with 25 to 49 people covered from June 1, 2025 (news release, May 2024, in French)
• Office québécois de la langue française — List of businesses not complying with the francization process (in French)
• Charter of the French language, sections 41, 46 and 135 to 152.1 — LégisQuébec