Canada issues 5,000 permanent residence invitations for French speakers

On October 27, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry Draw #452, issuing 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the French-language proficiency category. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was 407, representing a 28-point decrease from the previous French-language draw on October 16, which had a cut-off of 435.

With this latest round, French-language draws have issued a total of 60,500 ITAs in 2026, surpassing the Canadian Experience Class (57,750) to become the largest Express Entry category of the year. This trend aligns with federal objectives to increase Francophone immigration outside of Quebec, with targets aiming for French speakers to comprise 12 percent of total immigration outside Quebec by 2029.

The Canadian government is also expected to release its immigration levels plan for 2027–2029, which was legally due by November 1, 2026.