Can French speakers apply for Canada Express Entry?

French speakers can apply for the Canada Express Entry program through category-based selections. The Express Entry program holds regular category-based Express Entry draws to invite skilled workers who can contribute to the Canadian economy. The targeted Express Entry draws invite skilled workers with experience in priority occupations to apply for PR. IRCC finalized six eligible categories for the category-based Express Entry draws, among which French language proficiency is also listed. To qualify for this category, you must score at least 7 in all the sections of the NCLC. Candidates with a high rank from the Express Entry pool are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs). You must meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of the three immigration programs, including the FSTP, FSWP, and the CEC, to enter the Express Entry pool. Points are allotted to candidates based on age, language ability, education, and work experience; those with at least 67 points can qualify for the Express Entry program.

 

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How many points can you get for French Language Proficiency? 

Candidates are assessed based on different eligibility criteria, including age, language ability, educational qualifications, work experience, employment, and adaptability. Individuals can score a maximum of 28 points under language ability, with an additional 50 points for those with French language proficiency. You must score at least NCLC 7 in French language skills to be eligible for the below additional points:

 

• You can get 25 more points if you score CLB Level 4 or below
• You can get 50 more points if you score CLB 5 or higher in all four English testing skills.

 

*To learn more about checking your Canada eligibility points, also, read…

How do I check Canada Express Entry eligibility points?

 

List of Category-based Express Entry draws for French language proficiency in 2024

A total of 22,200 French professionals were invited to apply for Canada PR.

The table below provides more information about all the French language-targeted Express Entry draws held in 2024 so far.

Express Entry - French Language Proficiency
Date	Number of ITAs issued	CRS score
November 15, 2024	800	478
October 10, 2024	1,000	444
September 13, 2024	1,000	446
August 15, 2024	2,000	394
July 18, 2024	1,800	400
July 08, 2024	3,200	420
April 24, 2024	1,400	410
March 26, 2024	1,500	388
February 29, 2024	2,500	336
February 01, 2024	7,000	365

 

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Language Requirements for Canada Express Entry

Given below are the language requirements for FSTP, FSWP, and the CEC program:

 

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
First official language
Language	Minimum level for all four abilities
English	CLB 7
French	NCLC 7
Second official language
English	CLB 5
French	NCLC7 5

 

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Canadian Experience Class
NOC TEER	Minimum level for all four language abilities (English)	Minimum level for all four language abilities (French)
TEER 0 or 1	CLB 7	NCLC 7
TEER 2 or 3	CLB 5	NCLC 5

 

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Federal Skilled Trades Program
Language	Abilities	Minimum level
English	Speaking and listening	CLB 5
English	Reading and writing	CLB 4
French	Speaking and listening	NCLC 5
French	Reading and writing	NCLC 4

 

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