Francophone Express Entry Draw: CRS Drops Below 400, a Historic Opportunity

What happened during the Express Entry draw of February 6, 2026?

On February 6, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a historic draw under the Express Entry system, specifically targeting French-speaking candidates. At least 8,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) were issued, with a minimum CRS score of 400 points. This is the largest number of invitations ever issued in a single draw for this category, shattering the previous record of 3,200 ITAs in the draw of January 22, 2026. This score of 400 is also significantly lower than that of general draws, which hovered around 485 points at the end of January.

Why is this Francophone draw so important?

This draw marks a turning point in Canadian immigration policy. It confirms the government's commitment to achieving the target of 9.5% Francophone admissions outside Quebec by 2026, in line with the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan. By lowering the threshold to 400 points, IRCC makes permanent residence accessible to average profiles, which was not the case in all-category draws (often above 480). Candidates who only master French – without necessarily speaking English – can now hope for an invitation, provided they achieve a NCLC 7 score in all four skills of the TEF Canada or TCF Canada.

How to achieve 400 CRS points? Typical profiles

A score of 400 points is much more attainable than it seems. Here are two concrete examples:

Profile 1: Young graduate (under 30) with a bachelor's degree, one year of Canadian work experience (CEC), and a good level of French (NCLC 7). With a spouse who does not work, the score reaches approximately 400 points.

Profile 2: Candidate aged 32, foreign master's degree, three years of foreign work experience, and a TEF Canada with NCLC 7. Without Canadian experience, the score is around 395-400, especially if the spouse also has a degree.

Bilingualism (French + English) provides up to 50 bonus points, but it is not essential for this draw.

What is the difference from general draws?

General draws (all categories) require much higher scores, often above 500 for the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program. In comparison, Francophone draws offer privileged access: on April 29, 2026, another Francophone draw issued 4,000 ITAs at 400 points, while the CEC draw on the same day required 514 points. This difference is explained by the priority given to Francophones to strengthen the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec.

What must a candidate do to be invited?

To benefit from these draws, simply have an active Express Entry profile (in the FSW, CEC, or FSTP pool) and demonstrate French proficiency with a valid TEF Canada or TCF Canada, minimum NCLC 7 in each skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing). No English knowledge is required for this specific draw, although bilingualism is an asset. The CRS score must be at least 400 points, which is achievable for many profiles.

What are the prospects for the future?

With a pool of approximately 231,000 active candidates in Express Entry (including more than 63,000 with scores between 401 and 450), regular Francophone draws should continue throughout 2026. The 400 threshold could still drop, as was the case on March 18, 2026, with a score of 393. Francophone candidates therefore have an unprecedented window of opportunity to obtain permanent residence in Canada.

In conclusion, this draw of February 6, 2026, is excellent news for Francophones around the world. It fulfills Canada's commitment to welcome more Francophone talent, while making the process more inclusive. If you speak French, now is the time to prepare your application.