IRCC Sends 5,500 New Invitations to French-Speaking Candidates

Kritika Pandey

Updated On Mar 5, 2026

Copy link
Share on Email

IRCC has issued 5,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a special draw targeting candidates with French-language proficiency. This marks the second draw of this category in 2026, bringing the total number of invitations issued under it this year to 14,000.

IRCC Sends 5,500 New Invitations to French-Speaking Candidates

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted another draw under the Express Entry system, issuing additional Invitations to Apply (ITAs). In this round, 5,500 candidates with French-language proficiency received invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

To be eligible for this draw:

Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 397
Had to have their Express Entry profile set up before 6:18 p.m. UTC on October 10, 2025.

Summary of All Express Entry Draws So Far in 2026

Draw Date	Draw Type	CRS Cut-off Score	ITAs Issued
March 4	French-Language proficiency	397	5,500
March 3	Canadian Experience Class	508	4,000
March 2	Provincial Nominee Program	710	264
February 20	Healthcare and social services	467	4,000
February 19	Physicians with Canadian work experience	169	391
February 17	Canadian Experience Class	508	6,000
February 16	Provincial Nominee Program	789	279
February 6	French-Language proficiency	400	8,500
February 3	Provincial Nominee Program	749	423
January 21	Canadian Experience Class	509	6,000
January 20	Provincial Nominee Program	746	681
January 7	Canadian Experience Class	511	8,000
January 5	Provincial Nominee Program	711	574

The draw this time marks only the second French category-based one this year, and the thirteenth Express Entry selection overall in 2026. It has had the lowest CRS score for French proficiency in more than a year.

Also Read: Canada Announces CAD 100 Million Scholarship Fund for Indian Students Under New Measures

Category-Based Draws

Draw Type	Number of Draws
Provincial Nominee Program	5
Canadian Experience Class	4
French-Language proficiency	2
Physicians with Canadian work experience	1
Healthcare and social services	1

The Express Entry draw has only witnessed two draws this year, but the French language proficiency candidates have received 14,000 invitations, the second most of any program or category this year.

ITAs Issued in Different Draw Types

So far, in 2026, IRCC has issued a whopping 39,112 ITAs in the following draw types:

Draw Type	ITAs Issued
Canadian Experience Class	24,000
French-Language proficiency	14,000
Healthcare and social services	4,000
Provincial Nominee Program	1,798
Physicians with Canadian work experience	391

Also Read: Canada Implements New Work Experience Requirements

Explore Your Canada Immigration Options With 成人每日大赛

For personalised assistance with your Canada immigration process in 2026, consider reaching out to 成人每日大赛. Our Canada PR assistance team provides end-to-end assistance with all your Canada immigration process and requirements, needed to ensure your safe immigration and integration into Canada.

Book Your Free Consultation

成人每日大赛