Reference · from IRCC data

French-language Express Entry draws: every draw and its CRS cut-off

Every French-language draw in 2026

Source: IRCC, Express Entry rounds of invitations, every round whose name contains “French” (the page reads this data file). Checked on October 25, 2026. Past cut-offs do not predict the next one.

Who gets invited in a French-language draw

A French-language draw is a category-based Express Entry round. To be invited, three things have to be true on the day of the draw:

1. You are in the Express Entry pool, eligible for one of its programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades.
2. You have NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities: listening, reading, speaking and writing, with a TCF Canada or TEF Canada result less than two years old. On the TCF Canada, that means 458, 453, 10/20 and 10/20.
3. Your CRS score is at or above that draw’s cut-off. When several candidates have the cut-off score, IRCC invites them by the date and time they submitted their profile.

Source: IRCC, Express Entry: category-based selection, page dated October 16, 2026, and the rounds page above. Checked on October 25, 2026.

The French skill that is short is the one that keeps you out: a single NCLC 6 and you are not in the category at all, whatever your score. The score to NCLC chart and calculator shows your level skill by skill and the CRS points French adds.

What the cut-offs tell you, and what they do not

• The gap is real. In 2026, French-language cut-offs ran from 382 to 435, while Canadian Experience Class draws stopped between 507 and 523. A profile far below the general draws can be invited in a French one.
• There is no calendar. IRCC does not announce draws in advance. This year, the time between two French-language draws ranged from 13 to 58 days, and their size from 4,000 to 8,500 invitations.
• A past cut-off is not a promise. The next one can be higher or lower. The safe plan is to reach NCLC 7 in all four abilities with some margin, not to aim for last month’s number.

What French adds to your score, and why NCLC 7 in all four matters more than any single point, is in the guide NCLC 7 and Express Entry.

Common questions

How often are French-language Express Entry draws held?

There is no fixed schedule. In 2026, IRCC held 11 French-language draws as of October 16, 2026, between 13 and 58 days apart.

What CRS score do I need for a French-language draw?

There is no fixed score: each draw has its own cut-off. In 2026, the lowest score invited ranged from 382 to 435. You also need NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities, or you are not in the category at all.

Is this page official?

No. French Path Canada is a TCF Canada preparation site, independent of IRCC. The numbers are copied from IRCC’s published rounds and updated after each draw; the rounds page on canada.ca remains the authority.

How this page is kept up to date: after each draw, a script reads IRCC’s public data file, keeps the rounds named “French”, and rewrites the figures and the table. Nothing is estimated. Last checked on October 25, 2026.