French-language Express Entry draws

Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

French-language proficiency rounds have been among the largest and lowest-scoring Express Entry draws in 2026, with cut-offs mostly between about 380 and 440 and up to 8,500 invitations in a round.

What you need

The French category requires NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities. See the exact scores with the TEF Canada and TCF Canada converters.

Bonus CRS points for French

NCLC 7+ in all four French abilities and CLB 5+ in all four English abilities: +50
NCLC 7+ in French and CLB 4 or lower in English (or no English test): +25

These are on top of the points French earns as your first or second official language.

See every French-language draw →

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