Canada Issues 5,000 Invitations in Its Largest French-Language Express Entry Draw Since March
IRCC invited 5,000 French-speaking candidates on July 9 at a CRS cut-off of 420 — the biggest French draw since March 4 and the highest cut-off for the category since October 2025.
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Key Takeaways
- IRCC issued 5,000 invitations to French-language candidates on July 9 at a CRS cut-off of 420.
- It was the largest French-language round since March 4 and the highest cut-off for this draw type since October 6, 2025.
- The round was the year's 37th, lifting total 2026 invitations to 96,601.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) returned to the Express Entry pool with another set of invitations to apply (ITAs). The July 9 round was reserved for candidates with French-language proficiency and issued 5,000 invitations.
Who qualified
Candidates needed two things to be considered: a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 420, and an Express Entry profile created before 8:04 a.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on May 15, 2026.
The 2026 draw record
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
A notable French-language round
With this draw, IRCC has now held 37 Express Entry rounds in 2026. The 5,000 invitations mark the largest French-language draw since March 4, while the cut-off of 420 is the highest for this category since October 6, 2025. As in most of the year's rounds, IRCC has generally favoured candidates with Canadian work experience or provincial nominations. The breakdown by draw type:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 13 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 11 |
| French-Language proficiency | 7 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1 |
| Trades | 1 |
Total invitations in 2026
Across all categories, IRCC has now issued 96,601 ITAs this year:
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 43,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 35,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 5,939 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 250 |
What This Means for Applicants: The jump in both the size and the cut-off of this French-language round is a clear signal that Francophone candidates remain a firm federal priority — a candidate with strong French can be invited at a CRS well below the 500-plus scores typical of Canadian Experience Class rounds. For French-speaking applicants outside Canada in particular, category-based French draws continue to offer the most accessible path through Express Entry in 2026.
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