As of October 3, 2026. IRCC does not publish a schedule for French Express Entry draws, but in each of the last three years the first French-language round came in February: February 1, 2024, February 19, 2025 and February 6, 2026, with no French round in January. By the end of March each year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had issued between 11,000 and 18,500 French invitations, according to its public rounds data. A released internal IRCC memo explains why the department wants these invitations out early: about 75% of French-speaking Federal Skilled Worker candidates invited in January 2024 were expected to be admitted that same year, compared with 45% of those invited in March.
Why do French Express Entry draws come early in the year?
French Express Entry draws come early because IRCC sets a yearly target for French-speaking admissions outside Quebec, and invitations issued early have more time to become admissions in the same calendar year. The target was 6% of admissions in 2024 and rises to 9% in 2026, according to the 2024-2026 and 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plans. The rounds list shows the first French round of 2024, 2025 and 2026 fell in February. That is a pattern in the public data, not a published IRCC rule. For the full rules of the stream, see our guide to the French-language Express Entry draw.
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What does IRCC's public data show about the first French round each year?
IRCC's public Express Entry rounds of invitations shows no French-language round in January of 2024, 2025 or 2026. The first one came in February each time, and the first quarter was a large share of the year's French invitations, especially in 2024. Rounds in Q1 (January to March) were three in each year.
Year
First French round
Size and CRS cut-off
French invitations by Mar 31
French invitations, full year
2024
Feb 1
7,000 at 365
11,000
23,000
2025
Feb 19
6,500 at 428
18,500
48,000
2026
Feb 6
8,500 at 400
18,000
50,500 (to Oct 1)
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off is the lowest score invited in that round. The 2024 full-year total counts 11 rounds, 2025 counts 9, and 2026 counts 10 so far. The 2026 figure is not final because the year is still running.
What does the IRCC memo say about French draws?
An internal IRCC memo from January 2024, released through an access to information request, explains the timing from the department's side. We cannot verify more than what the document itself states, so this section reports what the memo says and nothing more. The memo is titled "Urgency of Express Entry French-proficiency invitations to apply in January 2024" and is addressed to the Senior Associate Deputy Minister for decision. In our own words, according to the memo:
IRCC was waiting on a decision about the 2024 Express Entry categories. The memo says the department understood it did not have legal authority to run category-based rounds in 2024 until that decision was made, and that one planned French round had already been rescheduled.
Running French rounds in January was needed to reach the 6% Francophone admissions target outside Quebec for 2024. The plan was 7,000 invitations in January and up to 11,500 by the end of March.
Most French-proficient candidates were Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applicants living overseas, and they would supply over half of the Francophone admissions needed.
Timing matters because processing takes months. The memo says about 75% of Francophone FSW clients invited in January were admitted the same year, falling to under half by March.
The 2024 target needed roughly 26,000 Francophone admissions, while the processing inventory held only about 17,000 Rest-of-Canada Francophone clients, excluding the Americas program.
The memo recommended getting ministerial or deputy minister authority quickly, and noted the department could instead choose to take on the legal risk of holding the round without formal ministerial approval.
The public record differs slightly from the plan in the memo: the rounds list shows the first French round on February 1, 2024, with 7,000 invitations, and 11,000 French invitations by the end of March. We do not know why the timing moved, and the memo does not tell us. Nothing in the memo or the public data shows that any round was held improperly, and we are not suggesting that.
How much does invitation timing change the chance of admission in the same year?
Per the memo, the earlier a French-speaking Federal Skilled Worker candidate is invited, the more likely the file is finished within the same calendar year. The figures below come from the memo's chart for Francophone FSW clients and are IRCC's internal planning estimates, not published service standards.
Month of invitation (2024)
Share admitted the same year, per the memo
January
75%
February
66%
March
45%
April
29%
May
10%
June
2%
These are percentages for a past planning exercise. They are not a prediction for any individual file, and processing times change. For current figures, check IRCC's processing times page.
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What are the Francophone admission targets for 2024 to 2028?
The Immigration Levels Plans set a rising share of French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec: 6% for 2024, 8.5% for 2025 in the 2025-2027 plan, 9% for 2026, 9.5% for 2027 and 10.5% for 2028 in the 2026-2028 plan. The government has also committed to a 12% target by 2029. Each plan sets the targets as a share of overall admissions outside Quebec. Quebec runs its own selection and is not covered by these targets.
IRCC reported the 2024 result in a 2025 committee briefing note and the 2025 result in a January 19, 2026 news release. The 2025 figure is described there as "about" 8.9%. Targets are set by admissions, not invitations, which is why invitation timing matters.
What is the legal basis for French-language category rounds?
French-language rounds are category-based selection, which the Minister of Immigration can set up under section 10.3 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) through ministerial instructions. The Act requires the Minister to state an economic goal for each category and to consult before setting categories, according to IRCC's 2024-2025 report to Parliament on category-based selection. The text of the law is on Justice Canada's site. French-language proficiency has been one of the named categories each year.
When did IRCC announce the categories each year?
IRCC announced the 2024, 2025 and 2026 categories by news release in February of each year, and French-language proficiency was named every time. In each year, the first French round in the public rounds list is dated before that year's category news release.
The 2024 release says the 2024 rounds had begun that month, and the report to Parliament says the 2024 categories were the same as those in place in 2023. We do not claim to know how or when IRCC made each decision internally. The current list of categories is on IRCC's category-based selection page.
What this means for 2027
If the three-year pattern holds, the first French round of 2027 would come around February, and the early rounds would again be large. Nothing is announced yet, so treat that as a planning assumption, not a date. Three things could change it:
The 2027 categories. French rounds depend on French-language proficiency staying a category for 2027. It has been named every year so far, and IRCC has announced each year's categories in February.
The 2027 target. The 2026-2028 plan sets 9.5% for 2027, up from 9% in 2026. IRCC's next levels plan, for 2027 to 2029, is expected this fall and can change that figure. A higher target gives IRCC more reason to invite early.
Program changes. IRCC has listed a proposal to merge the Express Entry programs (see our Express Entry overhaul explainer). Until final regulations are published, the current programs apply.
The practical takeaway is timing. A profile that is complete and active in January is in the pool for a February round. A profile created in March may miss the largest rounds of the year.
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In short, French results at NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities, plus eligibility for an Express Entry program such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Within a round, the highest CRS scores are invited first, and strong French also adds up to 50 additional CRS points. Our guide to the French-language Express Entry draw covers the eligibility rule, the bonus points and recent cut-offs in full, and IRCC's own summary is on its Express Entry French-speaking skilled workers page.
How should I prepare before January if I speak French?
The practical lesson from the three-year pattern is to be ready before the year starts, because French rounds have begun in February and the early rounds have been large. Preparation has four parts: book the language test early, create the profile, keep it accurate, and check your score. IRCC accepts specific tests, so read our score charts for TEF Canada and TCF Canada to see how results map to NCLC. If you are improving your French, see learning French for immigration.
Book TEF Canada or TCF Canada several months ahead, since results are needed in the profile. Results must be less than two years old when you create the profile and when you apply for permanent residence.
Take an English test too if you can, because CLB 5 or higher adds to the French bonus.
Create or update your Express Entry profile so it is active before January. Check the current rounds on our Express Entry draws page.
None of this guarantees an invitation. Invitations depend on the pool, the round, and your score on the day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the IRCC memo about French Express Entry draws official?
It is an internal IRCC document released through an access to information request. We summarise what it says and cannot confirm anything beyond its text. Treat its figures as IRCC's internal planning estimates for 2024.
Will French Express Entry draws always start in February?
No. February was the first month for French rounds in 2024, 2025 and 2026, but IRCC does not publish a schedule. The pattern is useful for planning, not a promise.
What CRS score do French rounds need?
It changes every round. The first French round of 2026, on February 6, cut off at 400, and the August 19, 2026 round cut off at 382. See the latest results on our Express Entry draws page.
Do I need English as well as French?
Not for the French-language category, which looks at French results. English does help your score, because CLB 5 or higher on all four skills raises the French bonus from 25 to 50 points.
Does this apply to Quebec?
No. Quebec runs its own selection, and the targets in this article are for admissions outside Quebec.
This is general information, not legal advice. Want to know where you stand for a French Express Entry round? Book a consultation with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), Go Far Global, RCIC R515110.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Each case is unique and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before making immigration decisions.
Rami Mamar is an RCIC-IRB licensed immigration consultant and Commissioner of Oaths with over a decade of experience helping clients from Iran, UAE, Syria, Armenia, and worldwide immigrate to Canada. He has overseen 10,000+ immigration cases including Express Entry, work permits, study permits, and family sponsorship applications.
