India's No.1 Award Winning Immigration Firm
Check your eligibility in 5 min. (Free): +91 88 85 85 85 15
Email Us: info@universaladviser.com
Canada News
Site Logo

Express Entry Draw #401 : Targets French-Language Candidates with 5,500 Invitations

IRCC Targets Francophone Candidates with 5,500 Invitations

    Get in Touch

    Canada Conducts Major Express Entry Draw, Invites 5,500 French-Speaking Candidates

    Canada has continued its series of targeted immigration selections with a new round under the Express Entry system, this time prioritising candidates with strong French-language abilities. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the draw on March 4, issuing 5,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.

    The latest round highlights Canada’s ongoing effort to strengthen Francophone communities outside Quebec by welcoming more skilled immigrants who can contribute in French-speaking environments. Unlike draws that target provincial nominees or candidates with Canadian work experience, this round focused exclusively on applicants demonstrating high proficiency in the French language.

    Check your Eligibility for Express Entry
    Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2026

    Results: Rounds of invitations

    • French-Language
    • Number of ITAs: 5,500
    • CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited: 397
    • Date and time of round: March 4, 2026 at 11:55:47 UTC
    • Tie-breaking rule: October 10, 2025 at 18:18:20 UTC
    • Total ITAs issued in 2026 so far: 44,612

    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.

    Apply for Canada PR Visa

    Total Express Entry ITAs for 2026

    With this latest draw, IRCC has now issued 44,612 ITAs through Express Entry in 2026. The distribution of invitations clearly reflects the department’s priority streams.

    The high volume of Canadian Experience Class 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

    Express Entry rounds this year have been limited to specific streams rather than broad, multi-program draws.

    The draws are now divided as follows:

    • PNP : 5 draw
    • CEC : 4 Draw
    • French-language skills : 2
    • Healthcare and social services : 1
    • Physicians with Canadian Work Experience : 1
    • Education: No Draws Yet
    • Trade Occupations : No Draws Yet

    Provincial Nominee Program draws have been the most frequent in 2026, reflecting the federal government’s collaboration with provinces to address localized workforce shortages.

    Why PNP Candidates Continue to Receive Priority

    A provincial nomination significantly strengthens a candidate’s Express Entry profile by awarding an additional 600 CRS points. This bonus typically places nominees well above the selection threshold in PNP-specific rounds.
    The strategy allows provinces to nominate individuals who meet specific regional labour demands, while the federal government finalizes permanent residence through Express Entry. As a result, PNP candidates remain among the strongest contenders in the pool.

    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) : 24,000
    • French language proficiency: 14,000
    • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) : 2,221
    • Healthcare and social services occupations : 4,000
    • Physicians with Canadian Work Experience : 391
    • Education Professionals : No Draws Yet
    • Trade occupations (Version 2) : No Draws Yet
    Draw Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Minimum CRS
    401 March 04 French-Language proficiency 5,500 397
    400 March 03 CEC 4,000 508
    399 March 02 Provincial Nominee Program 264 710
    398 February 20 Healthcare and Social Services Occupations 4,000 467
    397 February 19 Physicians with Canadian Work Experience 391 169
    396 February 17 CEC 6,000 508
    395 February 16 PNP 279 789
    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 March 04, a total of 44,612 ITAs have been issued through the Express Entry system in 2026. CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 169

    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.

    Why French-Language Candidates Are Being Targeted

    Canada has increasingly prioritised immigration candidates who are fluent in French as part of its broader strategy to expand Francophone communities outside Quebec.

    French-speaking immigrants can contribute to regional labour markets while also helping maintain Canada’s linguistic diversity. For this reason, IRCC introduced a dedicated French-language category within Express Entry’s category-based selection framework.

    Despite only two draws in this category so far in 2026, candidates with French proficiency have already received 14,000 invitations, making it the second-largest group of invitees this year.

    Check your Eligibility

    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
    Check your Eligibility

    Recent Express Entry Trends

    Recent Express Entry activity shows that IRCC is rotating between different selection types, including:

    This approach suggests that Canada is continuing a highly targeted immigration strategy, focusing on candidates who either have Canadian work experience, specialised skills, or strong language abilities.

    Check your Eligibility

    What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

    The March 4 draw demonstrates that French-language proficiency can significantly improve a candidate’s chances of receiving an ITA, particularly as Canada increases efforts to attract Francophone immigrants. Candidates aiming to improve their competitiveness in the Express Entry pool may consider strategies such as:

    • Improving French or English language test scores
    • Gaining additional skilled work experience
    • Seeking a provincial nomination
    • Updating their Express Entry profile regularly

    As immigration selections continue throughout 2026, targeted draws are expected to remain a central feature of Canada’s immigration system, offering opportunities for candidates who meet specific economic and linguistic priorities.

    Also check out  2026-2028 immigration levels plan | 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.

    Is it worth moving to Canada?

    Take a free online profile assessment with Universal Adviser

    Recent News

    Related News

    Website-Pop-UpPOP UP New