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Express Entry French-language draws: cutoffs, history and eligibility

French-language draws invite Express Entry candidates with NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills. The latest, on Oct 16, 2026, invited 5,000 candidates with a CRS cutoff of 435, 84 points below the latest Canadian Experience Class draw (519).

The question that decides it: do you reach NCLC 7 in every skill? One skill at NCLC 6 means you aren’t eligible for these draws, whatever your CRS score. Check your TEF or TCF scores ↓

Every French-language draw

Data from IRCC’s published rounds, as of Oct 20, 2026.

Latest French draw
CRS 435
Oct 16, 2026 · 5,000 invitations
Compared with CEC
84 points lower
Latest Canadian Experience Class draw: CRS 519 (Oct 15, 2026)
French draws in 2026
11 draws
55,500 invitations · cutoffs 382–435
CRS cutoff of each French-language draw
3003504004505005506002024202520262026-10-16: CRS 435, 5,000 invitations2026-08-19: CRS 382, 5,000 invitations2026-08-06: CRS 391, 5,000 invitations2026-07-22: CRS 399, 5,000 invitations2026-07-09: CRS 420, 5,000 invitations2026-05-28: CRS 409, 4,500 invitations2026-04-29: CRS 400, 4,000 invitations2026-04-15: CRS 419, 4,000 invitations2026-03-18: CRS 393, 4,000 invitations2026-03-04: CRS 397, 5,500 invitations2026-02-06: CRS 400, 8,500 invitations2025-12-17: CRS 399, 6,000 invitations2025-11-28: CRS 408, 6,000 invitations2025-10-29: CRS 416, 6,000 invitations2025-10-06: CRS 432, 4,500 invitations2025-09-04: CRS 446, 4,500 invitations2025-08-08: CRS 481, 2,500 invitations2025-03-21: CRS 379, 7,500 invitations2025-03-06: CRS 410, 4,500 invitations2025-02-19: CRS 428, 6,500 invitations2024-12-03: CRS 466, 800 invitations2024-11-15: CRS 478, 800 invitations2024-10-10: CRS 444, 1,000 invitations2024-09-13: CRS 446, 1,000 invitations2024-08-15: CRS 394, 2,000 invitations2024-07-18: CRS 400, 1,800 invitations2024-07-08: CRS 420, 3,200 invitations2024-04-24: CRS 410, 1,400 invitations2024-03-26: CRS 388, 1,500 invitations2024-02-29: CRS 336, 2,500 invitations2024-02-01: CRS 365, 7,000 invitations2023-12-07: CRS 470, 1,000 invitations2023-10-25: CRS 486, 300 invitations2023-09-27: CRS 472, 500 invitations2023-08-02: CRS 435, 800 invitations2023-07-12: CRS 375, 3,800 invitations2023-07-07: CRS 439, 2,300 invitations

French-language proficiencyCanadian Experience Class

All French-language proficiency draws, newest first
RoundDateCRS cutoffInvitations
#450Oct 16, 20264355,000
#437Aug 19, 20263825,000
#433Aug 6, 20263915,000
#429Jul 22, 20263995,000
#425Jul 9, 20264205,000
#418May 28, 20264094,500
#414Apr 29, 20264004,000
#411Apr 15, 20264194,000
#405Mar 18, 20263934,000
#401Mar 4, 20263975,500
#394Feb 6, 20264008,500
#388Dec 17, 20253996,000
Show the 25 earlier draws
RoundDateCRS cutoffInvitations
#382Nov 28, 20254086,000
#376Oct 29, 20254166,000
#371Oct 6, 20254324,500
#365Sep 4, 20254464,500
#360Aug 8, 20254812,500
#341Mar 21, 20253797,500
#339Mar 6, 20254104,500
#337Feb 19, 20254286,500
#329Dec 3, 2024466800
#324Nov 15, 2024478800
#318Oct 10, 20244441,000
#314Sep 13, 20244461,000
#310Aug 15, 20243942,000
#305Jul 18, 20244001,800
#302Jul 8, 20244203,200
#295Apr 24, 20244101,400
#291Mar 26, 20243881,500
#287Feb 29, 20243362,500
#282Feb 1, 20243657,000
#273Dec 7, 20234701,000
#270Oct 25, 2023486300
#266Sep 27, 2023472500
#260Aug 2, 2023435800
#258Jul 12, 20233753,800
#256Jul 7, 20234392,300

Source: IRCC’s published rounds of invitations (canada.ca). Round numbers link to each round’s official instructions. Not an official IRCC page; check the round on canada.ca before relying on a number.

How French-language draws work

  • Eligibility first, then rank. Only candidates with NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills are considered. Among them, IRCC invites the highest CRS scores, down to the cutoff for that round.
  • Ties. If several candidates have the cutoff score, the ones who created their profile earliest are invited first. Each round’s page states the date and time used.
  • Lower cutoffs than CEC draws. Since Jul 7, 2023, IRCC has held 37 French-language draws. Their cutoffs have usually been well below Canadian Experience Class draws, which is why NCLC 7 in French can matter more than a few extra CRS points.
  • Extra CRS points. NCLC 7 in all four French skills also adds 25 or 50 CRS points (depending on your English), which helps in every kind of draw. More on NCLC 7.

We don’t predict future draws or cutoffs. IRCC decides each round’s size and category, and the cutoff depends on the pool on the day.

Check whether you reach NCLC 7

Enter your TEF Canada or TCF Canada scores. For TEF Canada, use the Équivalence ancien score column (why).

Which test did you take?
Which score are you entering?

Your TEF Canada results show two columns. For Express Entry, IRCC only accepts the “Équivalence ancien score” column — not “Score / 699”.

Your scores
/ 360
/ 300
/ 450
/ 450
Your English test result

Only used to estimate the CRS French bonus.

Related

NCLC 7 French

The level these draws require, by test.

TEF score chart

Every NCLC band for TEF Canada.

TEF vs TCF

Which French test to take.

Free sample test

12 TEF-style reading questions.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for Express Entry French-language draws?

You need an Express Entry profile in one of the programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades) and French test results of at least NCLC 7 in all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each round’s instructions can add conditions, so read them on canada.ca.

What CRS score do I need for a French draw?

There is no fixed score. IRCC invites the highest-ranked eligible candidates, so the cutoff is set by who is in the pool on the day. In 2026 so far, French-language draw cutoffs ranged from 382 to 435. The table above has every round.

How often are French-language draws held?

IRCC doesn’t publish a schedule. There have been 11 French-language draws in 2026 so far (as of Oct 20, 2026), usually a few weeks apart. We don’t predict the next one.

Do TEF Canada and TCF Canada both count?

Yes. Both are accepted for French. For TEF Canada, Express Entry uses the Équivalence ancien score column of your results, not Score / 699.

Do I still get extra CRS points for French?

Currently yes: 50 additional points with NCLC 7 in all four French skills and CLB 5 or higher in all four English skills, or 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower (or you have no English test). In April 2026, IRCC published a consultation that mentions possibly removing or changing these points. Nothing has been decided.

Sources

Rules change. Always confirm on the official page before you submit an application.