🇫🇷 New Express Entry Draw Favouring French-Speaking Candidates

IRCC has just held another French-language Express Entry draw — and the CRS cut-off stayed below 400. On March 4, 2026, IRCC held Express Entry Draw #401 targeting candidates with strong French-language proficiency. In this category-based round, 5,500 invitations were issued with a CRS cut-off of 397, using a tie‑breaking date of October 10, 2025. This brings the total invitations for French-speaking candidates in 2026 to 14,000. These French-language draws are part of Canada’s ongoing effort to strengthen Francophone immigration outside Quebec. For candidates in the Express Entry pool, strong French (usually NCLC 7+ in all skills) can open an additional pathway to receive an invitation, even with a CRS score that might be too low for many general rounds. Bilingual profiles (French + English) may also benefit from higher CRS scores in the pool. If you already have (or are working toward) intermediate to advanced French, it may be worth reviewing whether you could qualify under this category-based selection. ATA Immigration can help you understand eligibility, choose the right language test, and make sure your Express Entry profile reflects your true strengths — without overpromising outcomes. 🌐 Learn more about Express Entry and your options: https://www.ataimmigration.com/immigration-canada 📄 Planning to use French for your Express Entry profile? Book a consultation to review your strategy: https://www.ataimmigration.com/book-online 📞 Have questions about category-based draws or language requirements? Contact our team: https://www.ataimmigration.com/contact

#ExpressEntry #FrancophoneImmigration #CanadaImmigration #FrenchLanguage #ATATips