Dear future neighbour,
Canada has just held another Express Entry draw, and this one was for French speakers. Today, October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 5,000 candidates with strong French-language skills to apply for permanent residence. It was the 62nd draw of the year.
To get an invitation, a candidate needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 435. Their Express Entry profile also had to be created before October 6, 2026.
That 435 cut-off is the highest of any French-language draw in 2026. The last one was on August 19, and it closed at 382. So the bar went up by 53 points in a little under two months. A few people who had been waiting for another dip may have been caught off guard.
Already in Canada and waiting for your PR result?
Anyone who submits an Express Entry PR application while living in Canada may qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP). It is meant for people whose current work permit is close to expiring. It gives you maintained status, so you can keep working under the same conditions as your existing permit while the PR application is processed. The one condition is that you stay in Canada.
Every Express Entry draw in 2026 so far
Here is the full list, from the newest draw to the oldest.
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 16 | French-Language proficiency | 435 | 5,000 |
| October 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 519 | 2,500 |
| October 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 772 | 752 |
| October 1 | Trades | 476 | 3,500 |
| September 29 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 2,000 |
| September 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 733 |
| September 16 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 389 | 250 |
| September 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 519 | 2,000 |
| September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 734 | 576 |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 3,500 |
| September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 198 | 229 |
| September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 521 | 2,000 |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
Who is Canada picking this year?
Look at the pattern and it is clear. This year’s draws have leaned toward people who already have a connection to Canada, such as provincial nominees and those with Canadian work experience. French speakers have also had a steady stream of invitations. Here is how the 62 draws break down by type.
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 20 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 18 |
| French-Language proficiency | 11 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 3 |
| Trades | 2 |
| Transport | 1 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
In total, IRCC has issued 143,467 invitations to apply this year. Here is where they went.
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 57,750 |
| French-Language proficiency | 55,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 10,022 |
| Healthcare and social services | 11,500 |
| Trades | 6,500 |
| Transport | 300 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 891 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1,000 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
Canadian Experience Class and French-language draws together account for 113,250 of those invitations, which is nearly 79%. So French-language skills and Canadian work experience carry a lot of weight in Express Entry right now. Provincial nominations, on the other hand, produce far fewer invitations but come with very high cut-off scores because a nomination adds 600 CRS points.
Not sure which route fits you? Let’s find out together
Most people don’t need more news about draws. They need to know where they stand. With cut-offs ranging from 169 to 805 depending on the draw type, the right category can make a big difference to your chances.
Maybe French could be your edge. Maybe your Canadian work experience puts you in a stronger position. Maybe a provincial nomination is the smarter move. Or maybe your work permit is running out and you need a plan to stay in Canada while you wait.
Whatever your situation, a one-on-one consultation can help you work out the best route for you. Our team supports clients with provincial nomination, Express Entry, work permits, postgraduate work permits, spousal sponsorship, visitor visas, super visas, citizenship applications, school admissions and more.
Ready to stop guessing and start moving? Book your consultation here: https://euiacademy.selar.com/30minutes