The announcement was made at a press conference Thursday afternoon including Premier Legault, the Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, Christine Fréchette, and the Minister of the French Language, Jean-François Roberge.
Legault says the province will require that the vast majority of economic immigrants to Quebec speak French before they arrive.
Sixty-five per cent of immigrants to Quebec come through the economic immigration stream, which is controlled by the province.
They said a minimum knowledge of oral French will now be required for adults wishing to be selected in all economic immigration programs.
The government is hoping to ensure that people who settle in Québec will be able to communicate in French, both at work and in other aspects of daily life.