IRCC Invites 3,200 Candidates in French Language Proficiency Express Entry Draw

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,200 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a special Express Entry draw focused on French language proficiency. To be considered, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 420.

Recent Express Entry Draws:

This draw is part of a busy month for IRCC, with multiple draws taking place. Between July 2-5, three additional draws occurred:

• July 2: 920 candidates invited under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with a minimum CRS score of 739.
• July 4: 1,800 ITAs issued for trade occupations.
• July 5: 3,750 ITAs issued for healthcare occupations.
  
  

In total, this month has seen a significant number of ITAs issued, reflecting a busy period for Express Entry. Typically, IRCC holds draws every two weeks, averaging two to four draws each month. The last time four draws were held in a month was in April, while February remains the busiest month of the year with six draws.

French-proficiency draws are expected to account for 30% of all category-based selection ITAs this year. So far, IRCC has issued 15,600 ITAs to candidates in this category in 2024.

Summary of 2024 Express Entry Draw Results:

Understanding Express Entry:

Express Entry is IRCC's system for managing applications for three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Launched in 2015, it aims to identify candidates with the best potential to integrate into Canada's workforce and economy.

Candidates are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System, which assigns scores based on factors like age, language ability, education, work experience, and occupation. Higher scores increase the chances of receiving an ITA.

Category-Based Selection:

Introduced in 2023, category-based selection targets candidates who can fill urgent workforce gaps. The six current categories are:

• Healthcare occupations
• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
• Trade occupations (e.g., carpenters, plumbers, contractors)
• Transport occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations
• French-language proficiency

These categories will remain until 2025, potentially changing to meet Canada's labor market needs. Except for French-proficiency, candidates need at least six months of relevant work experience in an eligible NOC code. French-speaking candidates need a minimum score of seven in reading, writing, speaking, and listening on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).