IRCC Express Entry: 800 French Proficiency Invites, Aug 2023

Admin
August 3, 2023
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It's an exciting time for those looking to make Canada their new home! Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is stirring the pot with its fresh-out-of-the-oven category-based Express Entry program.

The most recent Express Entry draw took place on August 02, 2023, where a total of 800 candidates proficient in French were granted invitations. To qualify for this round, candidates needed to have a minimum CRS score of 435.

Express Entry Draw #260, here they are:

How many invites? 800
What rank was needed to qualify? 800 or higher
What type of draw? French-Language Proficiency (2023-1)
Date and time of round: August 02, 2023, at 13:50:04 UTC
What was the lowest CRS score of the folks invited? 435
Tie-breaking rule: July 31, 2023, at 09:57:30 UTC

If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.

French-Language Proficiency Category Eligibility

You've got to score at least a 7 in all four language abilities on the French-language test Niveaux De Compétence Linguistique Canadiens.
Meet all criteria specified for that round of invitations.

What's unique about the French-Language Proficiency category is that it doesn't put work experience front and center for getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

IRCC has hit the hat trick, having organized three invitation rounds so far specifically for those with French language skills. The last two parties were on July 12 and July 07, 2023.

Promoting the French language outside of Quebec is a big deal for Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser. As per the folks at IRCC, by rolling out the red carpet for French-speaking newcomers, they aim to boost economic growth outside Quebec and help these communities to bloom.

As a cherry on top, on May 31, Fraser introduced six new categories for Express Entry draws. Now, apart from French-Language Proficiency, there's also Healthcare Occupations, STEM Occupations, Trades Occupations, Transport Occupations, and Agriculture & Agri-Food Occupations. These were handpicked after a close look at labor market trends and chats with a variety of partners, stakeholders, and governments both provincial and territorial.