On July 9, 2026, IRCC conducted an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residency under the French language proficiency draw.
The cutoff score for the Comprehensive Ranking System for this draw stood at 420, which is the highest threshold of any French draw in 2026.
It is the third Express Entry draw within the span of four days as IRCC conducted PNP draw on July 6 and CEC draw on July 7.
The number of invitations issued by IRCC has been raised to 5,000 from 4,500 in the previous French draw, making it a consistent increase in the number of invitations since March.
Thus far, three draws have issued 7,534 invitations within nine days of July.
July 9, 2026 Express Entry Draw at a Glance
The table below summarizes the official details released by IRCC for this French language category round.
| Draw Detail | Information |
| Category | French-Language Proficiency 2026-Version 2 |
| Draw Number | #425 |
| Draw Date | July 9, 2026 |
| Draw Time (UTC) | 10:32:58 |
| CRS Cutoff Score | 420 |
| Invitations Issued | 5,000 |
| Rank Required | 5,000 or above |
| Tie-Breaking Timestamp | May 15, 2026 at 08:04:00 UTC |
How the Tie-Breaking Rule Applied
IRCC uses a tie-breaking criterion if more than one candidate gets the lowest CRS mark among all selected candidates.
In the current draw, IRCC decided that the tie-breaking time would be May 15, 2026, 08:04:00 UTC.
All candidates having received the mark of 420 points had to send their Express Entry profile by that moment.
According to the 2026 timestamp, there is nearly two-month history of building the pool of French-speaking candidates having 420 points.
Why the CRS Cutoff Reached a 2026 High of 420
The CRS cut-off mark of 420 is the highest that IRCC has had for the French language proficiency category draws during the year 2026.
The highest point that was observed before in such a category was 419 when only 4,000 invitations were issued on April 15, while this time 5,000 invitations have been issued.
It implies that the pool of French-speaking candidates for the draws has become more competitive due to the increased CRS cut-off and the increase in the number of invitations issued.
Back in February 2026, there were 8,500 invitations issued by IRCC at the CRS cut-off level of 400, which means that IRCC took many candidates from the bottom of the rank list.
While there were only 4,000 invitations issued in March and April, the number of invitations has been gradually increasing up to 4,500 in May and to 5,000 in July.
Even though there were 500 more invitations issued compared to the previous draw in May, the CRS cut-off has increased by 11 points from 409 to 420.
It means that a considerable number of candidates with higher CRS scores were included in the Express Entry pool during that period of time.
All French Language Express Entry Draws in 2026
Below is the list of all the draws held by IRCC for French language proficiency draws held in 2026.
| Draw # | Date | Invitations | CRS Cutoff |
| 425 | July 9, 2026 | 5,000 | 420 |
| 418 | May 28, 2026 | 4,500 | 409 |
| 414 | April 29, 2026 | 4,000 | 400 |
| 411 | April 15, 2026 | 4,000 | 419 |
| 405 | March 18, 2026 | 4,000 | 393 |
| 401 | March 4, 2026 | 5,500 | 397 |
| 394 | February 6, 2026 | 8,500 | 400 |
IRCC has made a total number of 35,500 French language proficiency draws through seven draws in 2026.
Trend Analysis: CRS Cutoffs and Invitation Volumes
The CRS cut-off for French Language is at its lowest in the March 18 draw where it ended at 393, but started climbing afterwards.
After that low mark, the CRS cut-off in each successive draw, with just one exception, has been higher than the previous draw’s.
In the April 29 draw, there was a temporary fall to 400; but the cut-off score climbed again in May and then in July.
A similar trend can be observed regarding the number of invitations as well as the size of French draws increased by IRCC since the reduction of draws to 8,500 in February.
The present July draw where 5,000 invites were issued is the highest since the 5,500 invitations drawn on March 4.
The concurrent increase in CRS cut-offs and invitees’ numbers signals an increased demand for francophone immigrants in the Express Entry system.
How French Language Proficiency Affects CRS Scores
Fluency in French language gives the applicant quite a few points in his CRS score when applying under the Express Entry program.
Fluency in French is tested using tests such as TEF Canada or TCF Canada that correspond to NCLC requirements.
Those applicants who possess fluency in French and English will get some additional points over the monolingual applicants.
The French language fluency category aims at those applicants whose French proficiency meets the specified requirements according to the Ministerial Instructions.
Those candidates who have not yet taken the French language test are advised to take it in order to be eligible for these category draws.
Even a moderate level of French language proficiency may help you become eligible for these category draws where CRS threshold score is much lower than that of general and CEC rounds.
July 2026 Express Entry Draw Cluster Summary
IRCC conducted three Express Entry draws in the first nine days of July 2026, each one representing different categories.
PNP category on July 6 gave out 534 invitations with the CRS threshold being 708.
The CEC category on July 7 gave out 2,000 invitations with the CRS threshold being 517.
French language draw on July 9 concluded the series of draws with 5,000 invitations and CRS threshold being 420.
Thus, within just four days, IRCC gave out a total of 7,534 invitations for applying for the permanent residency.
An additional occupation-based draw for certain TEER categories is possible during this week.
| Draw Category | Date | Invitations | Status |
| Provincial Nominee Program | July 6, 2026 | 534 | Completed |
| Canadian Experience Class | July 7, 2026 | 2,000 | Completed |
| French Language Proficiency | July 9, 2026 | 5,000 | Completed |
| Occupation-Based (TEER) | Later this week | TBD | Possible |
| July 2026 Total | — | 7,534 | — |
What Candidates Should Do Now
French language candidates with a score of 420 or above who have already submitted their profiles before May 15, 2026 should monitor for the invitation.
The candidates who have barely missed out on this round must reconsider taking TEF Canada or TCF Canada in order to increase their NCLC scores.
One of the most productive ways of scoring extra CRS points without a provincial nomination is to work on improving the French language.
The bilingual candidates must make sure that they have an up-to-date English and French test result in their Express Entry profile.
The candidates eligible for occupation-based categories must update their profiles for the upcoming draw of the week.
Key Highlights
- IRCC issued 5,000 French language proficiency invitations on July 9, 2026, the largest French draw since March 2026.
- The CRS cutoff of 420 is the highest for any French-language Express Entry draw in 2026.
- This is the third draw in four days as part of the July 2026 Express Entry draw cluster.
- The tie-breaking timestamp is May 15, 2026 at 08:04:00 UTC.
- Combined with the PNP and CEC rounds, IRCC has issued 7,534 invitations so far in July 2026.
- A smaller occupation-based round may still follow later this week to close out the cluster.
The draw of July 9 for proficiency in the French language indicates IRCC’s continuing dedication towards French immigration in 2026.
With 5,000 invites and CRS cut-off mark of 420, this draw represents the biggest and most challenging French language proficiency draw since early 2026.
IRCC has now issued a total of 35,500 French language proficiency invitations through seven draws held in 2026.
Applicants must update their profiles and try French language testing for future draws in this category.
