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Express Entry Draw #394 : IRCC Issues 8,500 ITA to French-speaking Candidates for PR

French-Language Express Entry Draw

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    Canada Launches Historic Express Entry Draw Focused on French Speakers

    Canada’s Express Entry system made headlines in early February with a landmark selection round that signals a strong shift toward language-based immigration priorities. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has carried out its largest category-based draw to date, reinforcing the federal government’s push to strengthen Francophone communities outside Quebec.

    The latest round highlights IRCC’s evolving Express Entry strategy for 2026, which increasingly emphasises targeted selection over broad, all-program draws.

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    Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2026

    Results: Rounds of invitations

    • French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2
    • Number of ITAs: 8,500
    • CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited: 400
    • Date and time of round: February 06, 2026 at 11:38:00 UTC
    • Tie-breaking rule: February 03, 2026 at 11:11:44 UTC
    • Total ITAs issued in 2026 so far: 24,178

    If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.

    Invitations to Apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Program may be issued through this round of invitations.

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    Total Express Entry ITAs for 2026

    With this latest draw, IRCC has now issued 24,178 ITAs through Express Entry in 2026. The distribution of invitations clearly reflects the department’s priority streams.

    The high volume of French-language invitations indicates a growing emphasis on bilingual talent as Canada works to meet its long-term Francophone immigration targets.

    Category-Based Draws Conducted in 2026

    So far this year, Express Entry selections have been limited to specific programs and categories, rather than all-program rounds.

    The draws are now divided as follows:

    • PNP : 3 draw
    • CEC : 2 Draw
    • French-language skills : 1
    • Healthcare and social services : No Draws Yet
    • Education: No Draws Yet
    • Trade Occupations : No Draws Yet

    Notably, no draws have yet been held in 2026 for healthcare, education, or trade occupation categories.

    A Busy Period of ITAs for December 2026

    This is the 1st Express Entry draw of the month.

    • French language proficiency draw on December 17: 6,000 ITAs
    • CEC draw on December 16: 5,000 ITAs
    • PNP on December 15: 399 ITAs
    • Healthcare and Social Services draw on December 11: 1,000 ITAs
    • CEC draw on December 10: 6,000 ITAs
    • PNP draw on December 8: 1,123 ITAs

    With these rapid-fire invitation rounds, IRCC is closing out the year with one of the most active Express Entry periods in over the past 12 months.

    Total Express Entry ITAs Issued in 2026 So Far

    Below is a snapshot of all Express Entry draws conducted so far this year:
    • Canadian Experience Class (CEC) : 14,000
    • French language proficiency: 8,500
    • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) : 1,678
    • Healthcare and social services occupations : No Draws Yet
    • Education Professionals : No Draws Yet
    • Trade occupations (Version 2) : No Draws Yet
    Draw Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Minimum CRS
    394 February 06 French-Language proficiency 8,500 400
    393 February 3 PNP 423 749
    392 January 21 CEC 6,000 509
    391 January 20 PNP 681 746
    390 January 07 CEC 8,000 511
    389 January 05 PNP 574 711

    As of February 6, a total of 24,178 ITAs have been issued through the Express Entry system in 2026. CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 400

    Express Entry Draw Reports

    Number of Express Entry Draws by Category This Year:

    The Provincial Nominee Program category of the Express Entry categories leads the trend with the highest number of 14 rounds, followed by the Canadian Experience Class with 8 rounds. Also, IRCC has conducted 3 rounds each for French-speaking candidates and healthcare professionals. A single draw was also held for individuals in the education sector.

    Draw Type Number of Draws
    Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 14
    Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 8
    French-language proficiency 4
    Healthcare and social services 3
    Education 1

    The trend since June 10, 2025, reveals a pattern of alternating draws between PNP and CEC categories roughly every two weeks. Additionally, healthcare-focused draws have taken place monthly since May, reflecting IRCC’s commitment to addressing sector-specific shortages in Canada’s healthcare system.

    February Draw Reflects IRCC’s Targeted Immigration Direction

    This historic French-language draw aligns with IRCC’s broader 2026 immigration approach, which focuses on precision selection. Rather than inviting candidates from the global pool, the department is prioritising individuals who can immediately support regional labour markets and linguistic diversity goals.
    French-speaking immigrants are seen as essential to sustaining Francophone minority communities across provinces such as Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba.
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    A Look at the Two Most Recent Express Entry Rounds

    Just days before the French-language draw, IRCC held a PNP-only round on February 3, issuing 423 ITAs with a CRS cut-off of 749. That draw demonstrated continued provincial demand for skilled workers aligned with local economic needs.
    Earlier, on January 21, a Canadian Experience Class draw invited 6,000 candidates with a CRS score of 509. This round reaffirmed IRCC’s commitment to retaining temporary residents who already have Canadian work experience.
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    Current Express Entry Trends and Category Breakdown

    With the latest draw, the healthcare and social services category now joins a growing list of specialized selection categories implemented this year. The distribution of draws in 2025 highlights a more nuanced approach to selecting candidates who meet Canada’s urgent labour and demographic needs.

    Draw Type Number of Draws
    Provincial Nominee Program 7
    French-language proficiency 3
    Canadian Experience Class 3
    Education 1
    Healthcare and social services 1

    Clear Shift Toward In-Canada Candidates

    All Express Entry draws held in 2026 so far have been limited to candidates who are already established in Canada. The department has focused exclusively on:

    • Provincial Nominee Program applicants,
    • Canadian Experience Class candidates with local work experience
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    What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

    For candidates in the Express Entry pool, these developments underline the growing importance of:
    • Provincial Nominee Programs
    • Canadian work experience
    • Building strong provincial or employer ties within Canada

    Applicants without provincial nominations may continue to see limited opportunities unless they qualify under targeted categories such as the Canadian Experience Class or future category-based draws.

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    What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

    For Express Entry applicants, the message from early 2026 is clear. Candidates with French-language proficiency, provincial nominations, or Canadian work experience are currently in the strongest position to receive an invitation.

    Those outside Canada or without category alignment may need to improve language scores, explore provincial nomination options, or gain Canadian experience to remain competitive as IRCC continues its targeted selection model. With annual immigration levels remaining high, further category-based draws are widely expected in the coming weeks.

    Also check out Canada Immigration Plan 2025 to 2027 | Canada Immigration Levels Plan For 2024-2026 | Canada Immigration Level Plan for 2023-2025​

    Stay tuned for future updates on Express Entry draws and immigration news.

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