Canada issues 8,500 Express Entry invites to French speakers for PR

A dedicated French-language draw under Express Entry as Ottawa pushes francophone immigration beyond Quebec

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Friday issued 8,500 invitations to apply through the Express Entry system for candidates with French language proficiency.

 

To be considered in the draw, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 400 and must have created their Express Entry profile before 11:11 a.m. Universal Coordinated Time on February 3, 2026.

 

The draw is part of Ottawa’s wider effort to increase the number of French-speaking permanent residents settling outside Quebec.

 

What is Canada Express Entry?

 

Express Entry is Canada’s online system for managing applications for permanent residence under its skilled worker immigration routes. It covers three federal economic programmes.

 

Federal Skilled Worker Program

Federal Skilled Trades Program

Canadian Experience Class

 

Eligible candidates submit an online profile and are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points are awarded based on age, education, work experience and language ability. Candidates with higher scores receive invitations in subsequent draws.

 

How Express Entry draws are shaping up in 2026

 

Express Entry draws so far in 2026 have largely focused on candidates already in Canada, especially those with Canadian work experience or provincial nominations.

 

Draw type and number of rounds held this year:

 

Canadian Experience Class – 2

Provincial Nominee Program – 2

French-language proficiency – 1

 

In total, 24,178 invitations have been issued so far this year across these categories.

 

Break-up of invitations issued in 2026:

 

Canadian Experience Class – 14,000

French-language proficiency – 8,500

Provincial Nominee Program – 1,255

 

French-speaking immigration targets outside Quebec

 

In 2025, about 8.9 per cent of permanent residents admitted outside Quebec were French-speaking.

 

The federal government has set the following targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec:

 

• 9 per cent in 2026

• 9.5 per cent in 2027

• 10.5 per cent in 2028

 

Measures already in place

 

To support these targets, Ottawa has introduced several measures to attract and retain French-speaking migrants, including a dedicated Express Entry category for candidates with French-language proficiency, the Francophone Mobility work permit programme, the Francophone Minority Community Student Pilot, and the upcoming Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative. The federal government has said these measures, along with new provincial allocations, form the pathway towards reaching a 12 per cent share of French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec by 2029.