Express Entry accepts Francophone applicants faster than Arrima. IRCC issued 18,200 ITAs for PR to eligible applicants who met the criteria for category-based Express Entry draws in the department’s French language proficiency category. 

Over the same period, between July 1, 2023, & March 1, 2024, the province of Quebec issued 13,133 provincial immigration invitations through Arrima draws as part of the Quebec Skilled Worker program. 

IRCC issued more Express Entry ITAs to French language proficiency applicants in eight months than the number of invitations issued by Quebec via its immigration system in all of 2023. 

What Are Category-Based Express Entry Draws? 

Category-based Express Entry draws focus on helping the federal government bring in more foreign skilled workers to Canada. Specifically, category-based draws would help IRCC attract immigrant applicants with work experience in key areas of need across Canada. 

In 2023, IRCC indicated that its category-based draws would prioritize qualified immigration applicants with either: 

  • Work experience in one of the five industries, i.e., STEM, Trades, Transport, Healthcare, Agriculture
  • Strong French-language proficiency

Eligibility For French Proficiency Express Entry Draws 

Express Entry accepts Francophone applicants faster than Arrima. In addition, IRCC chose to make French language proficiency a category for its new Express Entry draws. This was partly based on the federal government’s mandate to strengthen French minority communities across Canada. 

In order to be eligible for this category, applicants must possess French language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all four language abilities on NCLC. 

Moreover, IRCC notes that full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round of invitations. 

Three Reasons To Pursue PR In Canada Via IRCC’s French Language Proficiency Category 

  • Low Cut-Off Score Requirements 

The cut-off CRS scores used in draws for IRCC’s French language proficiency category have accounted for three of the five lowest scores since the department began conducting category-based Express Entry draws in June 2023. 

  • Draw Date: February 29, 2024 (Category: French language proficiency, CRS: 336)
  • Draw Date: September 28, 2023 (Category: Agriculture and Agri-Food, CRS: 354)
  • Draw Date: February 29, 2024 (Category: French language proficiency, CRS: 365)
  • Draw Date: July 12, 2023 (Category: French language proficiency, CRS: 375)
  • Draw Date: December 21, 2023 (Category: Agriculture and Agri-Food, CRS: 386)

This is notable because lower CRS score requirements imply that more applicants will be eligible to obtain an ITA. 

  • Large Draw Sizes 

A French language draw for 7,000 applicants on February 1, 2024, was IRCC’s largest category-based draw to date. In total, IRCC has issued over 9,500 ITAs through two French language draws since the start of 2024. 

To put this in context, IRCC has only issued 40 more ITAs in its other Express Entry draws this year. 

  • Advantages Of Being In The Express Entry Pool 

Express Entry accepts Francophone applicants faster than Arrima. Usually, pursuing immigration to Canada through Express Entry also brings other advantages that come with simply being in the Express Entry pool for applicants. For instance, applicants in the pool might be considered for other Express Entry draws, including General & program-specific draws as well as Enhanced Provincial Nominee Program draws. 

General & Program-Specific Express Entry draws are different from category-based draws because they focus on an applicant’s CRS score rather than their work experience/ proficiencies. 

Enhanced PNP draws occur among applicants who are in the Express Entry pool & further obtain a provincial nomination for permanent residence. Applicants in the Express Entry pool who obtain a provincial nomination earn an extra 600 CRS points, which guarantees that the applicant will obtain an ITA during a subsequent Express Entry draw from IRCC.