Canada Issues 8,500 Express Entry Invitations in 2026

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the draw, which was specifically aimed at candidates who were French language proficient, as it was a long-term immigration priority of the federal government.

The round is among the largest selections in the  French language Express Entry ever and shows Ottawa plans to bring more French-speaking newcomers to settle in provinces other than Quebec.

Eligibility Criteria for the Latest Draw

To receive an invitation during this Express Entry round, candidates had to meet two requirements. To begin with, candidates must have had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of 400. Second by 11:11 a.m. (UTC)On February 3, 2026, their Express Entry profile was required to be posted.

The fairly average CRS score enabled numerous French-speaking talented employees to pass, even when they might not otherwise score sufficiently to be drawn in the general Express Entry draws. According to immigration experts, rounds that handle language-specific selections tend to have more readily available opportunities than those that handle all-program selections.

Why Canada Is Focusing on French-Speaking Immigrants

The draw is part of the larger direction of Canada to increase the number of francophones in other regions beyond Quebec. Although Quebec remains the largest among French-speaking regions, the federal government has been striving to foster linguistic diversity in other provinces and territories.

The French-speaking immigrants are significant in providing bilingual services addressing the labour shortages and empowering the minority language communities. This has led to Ottawa using francophone immigration as one of the pillars of the long-term immigration plan.

Understanding the Express Entry System

Express Entry is the online platform that is employed to administer the applications of permanent residents among skilled workers in Canada. It manages three federal economic immigration initiatives:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program

• Federal Skilled Trades Program

• Canadian Experience Class

A CRS is used to rank the candidates who have created an online profile. This points system is based on age and English and French language proficiency. The most successful applicants receive an invitation to apply during the periodic draws.

Express Entry Trends So Far in 2026

The activity in 2026 through Express Entry shows a strong preference for candidates with ties to Canada. This year, most invitations have been issued to individuals with Canadian work experience or provincial nominations.

So far, Express Entry draws in 2026 have included:

• Canadian Experience Class – 2 rounds

• Provincial Nominee Program – 2 rounds

• French-language proficiency – 1 round

In total, 24,178 invitations have been given in the course of the year on the basis of these categories.

Breakdown of Invitations Issued This Year

Most of the invitations in 2026 have been sent to these candidates under the Canadian Experience Class, followed by the recent French-language draw. The distribution is as follows:

• Canadian Experience Class- 14,000 invitations

• French-language proficiency- 8,500 invitations

• Provincial Nominee Program- 1,255 invitations

This dissection shows that even though Canada still places strong emphasis on in-country applicants, language-based immigration is also becoming a significant part of the system.

Francophone Immigration Targets Outside Quebec

Canada has set distinct numerical targets for French-speaking permanent residents settling outside Quebec. In 2025, the percentage of permanent residents who were brought into the province was about 8.9 per cent of the French speakers.

The federal government seeks to ensure that this proportion can be boosted in the next few years. Official targets include:

• 9 per cent in 2026

• 9.5 per cent in 2027

• 10.5 per cent in 2028

It was indicated by the authorities that these standards are necessary in order to maintain the French-language services and take care of the minority communities throughout the country.

Programs Supporting French-Speaking Newcomers

Ottawa has implemented several facilitative immigration channels to meet these targets. These consist of a special Express Entry stream of French-speaking applicants, the Francophone Mobility work permit and the Francophone Minority Community Student Pilot.

Besides this, another project on Welcoming Francophone Communities is likely to enable newcomers to enter French-speaking parts of the non-Quebecian areas with a lot more ease. Together with the increased provincial nominations, these measures will contribute to assisting Canada in achieving a long-term aim of 12 per cent francophone admissions outside Quebec by 2029.

What This Means for Applicants

This draw is an indicator of a good opportunity for skilled workers who speak good French. The French-speaking candidates have a good chance of taking advantage of the changing immigration priorities in Canada due to the reduced CRS requirement and the selective approach to immigration. Pundits believe that this will be the case in the future as Canada strives to achieve its linguistic and demographic objectives.

To know more about the Immigration possibility in Canada, contact Aptech Visa today. 

Call our well-versed team of the best immigration experts at 750 383 2132 / 91310 59075, or you can also write us atinfo@aptechvisa.com.

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