Canada Selects French Speakers for Permanent Residence at Lowest Cutoff Score Since March 2025

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system. The latest draw, which took place on August 19, targeted candidates with French-language abilities, issuing 5,000 ITAs to those who met the eligibility criteria.

To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 382 and have created an Express Entry candidate profile before 6:34 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on March 1, 2026.

This latest draw had a cutoff nine points below the previous French-language round, which was held on August 6. It also recorded the lowest cutoff for this category since March 2025.

The latest draw is the 49th Express Entry round held by IRCC since the beginning of the year. Express Entry selections in 2026 have generally favoured candidates with an established connection to Canada, such as provincial nominees and those with Canadian work experience.

### Express Entry Draw Summary

| Draw Type | Number of Draws | ITAs Issued | | --- | --- | --- | | Provincial Nominee Program | 16 | 7,399 | | Canadian Experience Class | 14 | 49,250 | | French-Language proficiency | 10 | 50,500 | | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 | 662 | | Healthcare and social services | 2 | 8,000 | | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 2 | 750 | | Trades | 1 | 3,000 | | Transport | 1 | 300 | | Skilled Military Recruits | 1 | 4 |

Over the course of 2026, IRCC has issued 119,865 ITAs through the following Express Entry draw types.

### ITAs Issued by Draw Type

| Draw type | ITAs Issued | | --- | --- | | Canadian Experience Class | 49,250 | | French-Language proficiency | 50,500 | | Provincial Nominee Program | 7,399 | | Healthcare and social services | 8,000 | | Trades | 3,000 | | Transport | 300 | | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 | | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 | | Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |

The Express Entry system is a key pathway for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada. The latest draw demonstrates the importance of language skills in the Canadian job market, particularly for those with French-language abilities.

### See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

For more information on the Express Entry system and the latest draw, readers can visit the IRCC website.