Dear future neighbour,
On July 22, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ran another French-language proficiency draw, and this one came with some genuinely good news for candidates who’ve been watching their CRS scores creep up over the past few months.
IRCC invited 5,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence, and the CRS cutoff landed at 399. That’s a 21-point drop from the previous French draw on July 9, which had a cutoff of 420. For anyone who’s been sitting just below that threshold, this shift matters a lot.
This was actually the seventh Express Entry draw of July 2026 alone, bringing the month’s total invitations to 15,545. And the 399 cutoff is the lowest score seen in a French-language draw since March 18, when IRCC issued 4,000 invitations at a cutoff of 393.
The Draw at a Glance
| Draw Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Draw Number | #429 |
| Category | French-Language Proficiency 2026 – Version 2 |
| Draw Date | July 22, 2026 |
| Draw Time (UTC) | 11:12:26 |
| CRS Cutoff Score | 399 |
| Invitations Issued | 5,000 |
| Rank Required | 5,000 or above |
| Tie-Breaking Rule | November 19, 2025, at 21:21:56 UTC |
To be considered, candidates needed a CRS score of at least 399 and an Express Entry profile created before that November 2025 cutoff date.
How French Draws Have Trended All Year
French-language draws have been one of the busiest categories in 2026, and the swings in CRS scores tell an interesting story:
| Draw # | Date | Invitations | CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 429 | July 22, 2026 | 5,000 | 399 |
| 425 | July 9, 2026 | 5,000 | 420 |
| 418 | May 28, 2026 | 4,500 | 409 |
| 414 | April 29, 2026 | 4,000 | 400 |
| 411 | April 15, 2026 | 4,000 | 419 |
| 405 | March 18, 2026 | 4,000 | 393 |
| 401 | March 4, 2026 | 5,500 | 397 |
| 394 | February 6, 2026 | 8,500 | 400 |
Altogether, IRCC has now issued 40,500 invitations through French-language draws across eight rounds this year, making it one of the most active Express Entry pathways in 2026.
Every Express Entry Draw This Month
July has been an unusually strong month, with seven draws spread across four categories:
| # | Date | Round Type | ITAs | CRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 429 | July 22 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 399 |
| 428 | July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 516 |
| 427 | July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 744 |
| 426 | July 10 | Senior Managers (Canadian Work Experience) | 500 | 392 |
| 425 | July 9 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 420 |
| 424 | July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 517 |
| 423 | July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 534 | 708 |
| July 2026 Total | 15,545 |
Why the Cutoff Fell So Sharply
Both draws issued the same number of invitations (5,000), so the drop isn’t about IRCC suddenly inviting more people. It comes down to who’s in the pool. Between July 9 and July 22, the French-speaking candidate pool grew with a wave of lower-scoring profiles, which naturally pulled the cutoff down when IRCC drew from the top.
This also fits a pattern IRCC has settled into for the month: two “clusters” of draws, each following the same order; PNP first, CEC second, French third. The first cluster ran July 6 to July 10, and the second wrapped up July 20 to July 22 in an even tighter three-day window. If this rhythm holds, candidates can expect a similar biweekly pattern heading into August.
What This Means If You’re in the Pool
If your CRS score sits anywhere between 380 and 410, you’re now in a much more realistic range for an invitation than you were just two weeks ago. The 399 threshold shows IRCC is willing to reach further into the pool, not just skim the top scorers.
A few practical things worth knowing:
- The TEF Canada and TCF Canada remain the only accepted tests for proving French proficiency under Express Entry.
- If you scored 399 or higher and created your profile before November 19, 2025, you should already have received your invitation.
- If your score was 399 but your profile came after that date, you weren’t selected this round; keep your profile active, since another French draw is likely coming.
- Retaking the TEF or TCF to push your French score higher is one of the fastest ways to add CRS points.
- Pairing French ability with a provincial nomination can add up to 600 CRS points, which is often the difference between watching from the sidelines and getting that invitation.
The bigger picture here is encouraging. After months of draw pauses and rising cutoffs earlier in the year, IRCC has clearly picked up the pace, and July 2026 is shaping up to be one of the strongest months for Express Entry invitations all year.
Not Sure Where You Stand? Let’s Map Out Your Best Route to Canada
CRS scores move fast, and a 21-point swing in two weeks is proof of that. Whether you’re trying to boost your French score, weighing a provincial nomination to push your points higher, or simply not sure if your current profile is competitive enough, guessing isn’t a strategy.
At Ese Umoh Immigration, we help candidates make sense of exactly where they stand and what to do next; whether that’s through Express Entry, provincial nomination, work permits, postgraduate work permits, spousal sponsorship, visitor visas, super visas, citizenship applications, or school admissions. Book a consultation today at https://euiacademy.selar.com/30minutes and let’s put together a plan that actually gets you there.
