On February 6, 2026, a big Express Entry draw, immigration, refugee and citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued an astonishing 8,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates proficient in French language.
The category selection round is one of the biggest in history of Express Entry and therefore shows the continued preference by Canada to develop the Francophone communities in the rest of the country beyond Quebec.
The cut-off score of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of this draw was 400 points, thus being open to many French-speaking applicants who could not meet other Express Entry systems.
February 6, 2026 Express Entry Draw Details
| Draw Parameter | Details |
| Draw Date | February 6, 2026 |
| Draw Category | French-Language Proficiency 2026-Version 2 |
| Number of ITAs Issued | 8,500 |
| CRS Score Cut-Off | 400 |
| Rank Required | 8,500 or above |
| Tie-Breaking Rule | February 3, 2026 at 11:11:44 UTC |
In the event of a draw between or among the different candidates with identical lowest CRS score, the tie-breaking rule is used.
In these scenarios, the date and time of when the candidates created their Express Entry profiles is used to see who gets an invitation by IRCC.
To enter this draw, the candidates needed to apply and have a CRS score of 400 and must have submitted their profile by February 3, 2026, at 11:11:44 UTC.
Understanding the French-Language Proficiency Category
The French-language proficiency category is not the only category based on which selection streams in the Express Entry system are organized.
Canada was introduced in the context of the need to assist official language minority communities, and this category is given a premium where candidates show excellent language skills in the French language and thus be able to encourage Francophone immigration in non-Quebec areas.
The category-based draws enable IRCC to choose the candidates using certain qualities that are in line with the economic aspirations and demographic interests of Canada.
In contrast to the CEC types of draws, which encourage candidates to apply to the draw only because of their CRS score, category-based draws are aimed at the group of individuals possessing certain skills, work experience, or language proficiency, which will meet a specific demand within the Canadian labour market and society.
This French-language proficiency category has been by far one of the busiest draw categories since the introduction of this category, with tens of thousands of invitations being issued by IRCC on this category every year to its French speakers.
This is an indication of the larger Australian federal government approach to empower Francophone communities in Canada and uphold the bilingual nature of the nation.
Who Is Eligible for French-Language Proficiency Draws
In order to be eligible to receive French language proficiency pulls under the Express Entry system, applicants should have some eligibility requirements.
Based on the guidelines of IRCC, an eligible foreign nation has to be not a member of the category mentioned in paragraph 2(d) of the Express Entry Instructions and must meet the following criteria:
French Language Requirement: The proficiency of the French language in the candidate should have been determined by an accepted language test and the test score should not be older than two years when an immigration officer receives the full permanent residence application.
The approved tests are:
- TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français
- TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français
Minimum Language Score Requirement: The candidate is required to attain a score of level 7 and above in all the four language skill areas assessed based on the standards presented in the Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).
This implies that the applicants need to have NCLC of 7 and above in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Also, the applicants should possess an active Express Entry profile in one of the three federal economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Canada’s Francophone Immigration Strategy for 2026
The Express Entry draw, February 6, 2026, correlates with the overall Canadian plan of empowering Francophone communities throughout the nation.
The federal government has provided ambitious targets to French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside of Quebec through the use of the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
In the case of 2026, Canada has set the target of 9 per cent. permanent residence admissions of Francophone other than Quebec, which also represents an approximation of 30,267 admissions.
This figure rises to 9.5 percent by 2027 and 10.5 percent by 2028 indicating the willingness of the government to progressively increase the number of Francophone immigration.
The final objective is to achieve 12 percent by 2029 to give impetus to the process of reinstating the demographic weight of Francophone minorities.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab declared in January 2026 that Canada had met its 2025 Francophone immigration target all four years in a row, with about 8.9 percent of the non-Quebec permanent resident admissions.
This success can be attributed to such measures as the French-language proficiency category of Express Entry, the Francophone Mobility and the Welcoming Francophone Communities programs.
The government also indicated that from 2026 it will be allocating 5,000 federal selection spots to be filled with provincially and territorial immigrants who will be designated as French speakers.
These are on top of the normal Provincial Nominee Program allocations, which are avenues that offer additional avenues to the Francophone candidates to permanent residence.
What Happens After Receiving an Invitation to Apply
Applicants with an Invitation to Apply by February 6, 2026, Express Entry draw are provided with 60 calendar days to file a complete electronic application to become a permanent resident.
This is a hard deadline and applications submitted after the deadline are not accepted.
Your permanent residence application has to be accompanied by detailed documentation that shows your eligibility.
This includes:
- a valid French language test results demonstrating NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities,
- identity documents such as passports and travel documents,
- educational credentials and ECA reports if applicable,
- work experience documentation, including reference letters,
- police clearance certificates from all countries where you lived for six months or more, and
- results of an immigration medical examination.
When you are applying, you are important to make sure that your results in the French language test do not go to waste.
Your test results should also be not older than two years old when the immigration officer receives your entire application not at the time that you get your ITA.
Your application can be rejected in case your results go out of date before they were processed.
The IRCC tries to settle most of the Express Entry applications in less than six months of having a complete application.
Processing times can however be different depending on the application volumes and complexity of the individual cases.
Applicants are advised to keep track of their standing in the application process on the IRCC online portal and to be responsive to invitations to further provide information.
Another important development in the Canadian experience in attracting French-speaking skilled workers is the February 6, 2026, Express Entry draw.
This draw gives thousands of hope to Francophone candidates of permanent residence in Canada because 8,500 ITAs were issued with a CRS cut-off of 400 points.
The opportunity for Canadian permanent residence has never been more open to candidates who can speak the French language.
Reduced CRS requirements, regular frequency of draws, and various channels such as provincial nominee programs present a wide range of prospects to French-speaking skilled employees.
This is a great opportunity to take this pathway in case you plan to immigrate to Canada and have the skills in the French language.
With good planning and good language test scores, and a dynamic Express Entry profile, you can be in a good position to succeed in future draws of French-language proficiency.