Canada has held another Express Entry draw targeting candidates with French-language proficiency, issuing 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) on August 6, 2026. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required was 391 — the lowest cutoff recorded for a French-language round since March 2025, and 8 points lower than the July 22 French-language draw.
The round followed the August 4 Provincial Nominee Program draw (507 ITAs at a cutoff of 768) and the August 5 Canadian Experience Class draw (3,000 ITAs at a cutoff of 516), bringing three Express Entry rounds in three consecutive days and continuing IRCC’s multi-category draw cadence into August.
Full Details of the August 6 French-Language Draw
| Draw detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | French-language proficiency |
| Date | August 6, 2026 |
| Number of invitations issued | 5,000 |
| CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited | 391 |
| Profile creation cut-off | Before 11:32 p.m. UTC on March 18, 2026 |
| Round number | 433rd overall (45th of 2026) |
To be considered in this round, candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 391 and must have submitted their Express Entry profile before 11:32 p.m. UTC on March 18, 2026. Where more than one candidate holds the same CRS score at the cutoff, the date and time a profile was submitted determines who is selected — so candidates who reached 391 but registered after that timestamp were not invited in this round.
How This Round Compares
At 391, the cutoff is 8 points lower than the 399 recorded in the July 22 French-language round, and the lowest threshold IRCC has set for this draw type since March 2025. It also sits below the 393 recorded on March 18, 2026, which had been the low point for the category so far this year.
French-language proficiency draws continue to allow IRCC to invite candidates at CRS scores well below those seen in program-based rounds. For comparison, the August 5 Canadian Experience Class cutoff was 516 and the August 4 Provincial Nominee Program cutoff was 768. Because eligibility for these rounds is tied to demonstrated French ability rather than raw ranking, strong French proficiency remains one of the most valuable advantages a candidate can hold in the Express Entry pool — and this round underscores that advantage more than any other French-language draw this year.
Every French-Language Draw in 2026
Canada has now held nine French-language proficiency rounds in 2026:
| Date | Invitations | CRS cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| August 6, 2026 | 5,000 | 391 |
| July 22, 2026 | 5,000 | 399 |
| July 9, 2026 | 5,000 | 420 |
| May 28, 2026 | 4,500 | 409 |
| April 29, 2026 | 4,000 | 400 |
| April 15, 2026 | 4,000 | 419 |
| March 18, 2026 | 4,000 | 393 |
| March 4, 2026 | 5,500 | 397 |
| February 6, 2026 | 8,500 | 400 |
Total French-language invitations in 2026 now stand at 45,500 across nine draws, keeping the category the second-largest source of Express Entry invitations this year after the Canadian Experience Class.
Express Entry in 2026 So Far
The August 6 round was the 45th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the 433rd since the system launched in January 2015. Over the course of the year, IRCC has issued 113,123 ITAs across the following draw types:
| Draw type | ITAs issued in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 48,250 |
| French-language proficiency | 45,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 6,957 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian work experience | 750 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
Candidates who received an ITA have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence, which IRCC aims to process within its six-month service standard.
Who Qualifies for French-Language Proficiency Draws
French-language proficiency category draws invite top-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool who have strong French-language ability, regardless of the program they qualify under. To be eligible, candidates must demonstrate French proficiency of at least Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 across all four abilities — reading, writing, listening, and speaking — on an approved French test such as the TEF Canada or TCF Canada. Candidates must also already be eligible for one of the three programs managed through Express Entry and hold a valid profile in the pool. Full details are available on the Government of Canada’s category-based selection page.
What This Draw Means for Your CRS Score
If you have strong French-language ability and a CRS score of 391 or higher, you were within range for this round. Keep your profile accurate, make sure your French test results remain valid, and have your documents ready for the 60-day application window.
If your score sits just below 391, you are closer than you might think. This round set the lowest French-language cutoff in more than a year, so a modest gain could move you into range in an upcoming round. Recalculate your score with our free Express Entry CRS calculator and compare it against the 391 cutoff.
If your score is well below 391 and you do not yet have qualifying French results, developing French-language proficiency to NCLC 7 is one of the most effective ways to become eligible for these category-based rounds — it can add up to 50 CRS points on its own. Use our free CRS calculator to see exactly how many points you would gain and where you stand in the pool.
What to Expect in the Coming Days
Three draws in three days — PNP on August 4, CEC on August 5, and French-language proficiency on August 6 — show IRCC’s multi-category draw cadence remains firmly in operation heading into the second week of August. Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency continue to dominate invitation volumes in 2026, so candidates eligible for either stream should keep their profiles active and their supporting documents current in case another round follows in the days ahead.
Resources
- Express Entry Draws 2026 — full archive
- Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) calculator
- Express Entry: Rounds of invitations (Canada.ca)