Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has opened 2026 with its largest-ever category-based Express Entry draw, issuing 8,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) on 6 February to candidates who demonstrated French-language proficiency. Applicants needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 400 and to have filed an Express Entry profile before 11:11 UTC on 3 February.
The huge draw is the latest sign that Ottawa is leaning hard on targeted selections to meet economic and demographic goals while honouring Canada’s commitment to official-language duality. French-speaking newcomers are heavily encouraged to settle outside Quebec, where labour shortages are acute and francophone population share is slipping. IRCC has already devoted 17,000 spots in the 2026–28 Immigration Levels Plan to French-proficiency category draws, a 15 % increase on last year’s target.
For employers, the draw sends a clear message: applicants with strong French skills will have a faster path to permanent residence, easing recruitment for bilingual sales, customer-service, health-care and public-sector roles nationwide. Multinationals with Canadian operations should revisit language-testing support and relocation budgets to capitalise on quicker processing times.
![IRCC Smashes Record with 8,500 French-language Invitations in Express Entry Draw]()
VisaHQ’s streamlined online services (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can assist both employers and applicants by coordinating French-language testing, verifying supporting documents, and tracking Express Entry deadlines, ensuring that submissions meet IRCC requirements without costly delays.
Candidates now have 60 days to submit complete electronic applications. With nearly 240,000 profiles in the pool, competition remains intense. Observers expect additional category-based draws—possibly in health care and STEM—before month-end, but analysts caution that general draws may shrink as IRCC manages annual admission caps.
Practical takeaway: French test results (TEF Canada or TCF Canada) and up-to-date job offers in TEER 0-3 occupations can dramatically improve selection odds in 2026. Corporations should work with counsel to pre-screen talent pipelines for French proficiency and CRS optimisations.
The huge draw is the latest sign that Ottawa is leaning hard on targeted selections to meet economic and demographic goals while honouring Canada’s commitment to official-language duality. French-speaking newcomers are heavily encouraged to settle outside Quebec, where labour shortages are acute and francophone population share is slipping. IRCC has already devoted 17,000 spots in the 2026–28 Immigration Levels Plan to French-proficiency category draws, a 15 % increase on last year’s target.
For employers, the draw sends a clear message: applicants with strong French skills will have a faster path to permanent residence, easing recruitment for bilingual sales, customer-service, health-care and public-sector roles nationwide. Multinationals with Canadian operations should revisit language-testing support and relocation budgets to capitalise on quicker processing times.
VisaHQ’s streamlined online services (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can assist both employers and applicants by coordinating French-language testing, verifying supporting documents, and tracking Express Entry deadlines, ensuring that submissions meet IRCC requirements without costly delays.
Candidates now have 60 days to submit complete electronic applications. With nearly 240,000 profiles in the pool, competition remains intense. Observers expect additional category-based draws—possibly in health care and STEM—before month-end, but analysts caution that general draws may shrink as IRCC manages annual admission caps.
Practical takeaway: French test results (TEF Canada or TCF Canada) and up-to-date job offers in TEER 0-3 occupations can dramatically improve selection odds in 2026. Corporations should work with counsel to pre-screen talent pipelines for French proficiency and CRS optimisations.
