- Round number
- #437
- Invitations to apply
- 5,000
- CRS cut-off (lowest French cut-off of 2026)
- 382
- Minimum in all four French abilities
- NCLC 7
On 19 August 2026, IRCC held round #437 of Express Entry, a French-language proficiency round under "French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2". It issued 5,000 invitations to apply with a minimum CRS score of 382.
What changed
This was the tenth French-language round of 2026 and the one with the lowest cut-off so far this year. It came two weeks after the 6 August 2026 French round (#433), which also had 5,000 invitations and a cut-off of 391.
Tie-breaking rule. Several candidates had exactly 382 points. IRCC invited those who submitted their Express Entry profile before 1 March 2026 at 18:34:05 UTC.
How it compares with recent French rounds
| Date | Round | Invitations | CRS cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 2026 | #437 | 5,000 | 382 |
| 6 August 2026 | #433 | 5,000 | 391 |
| 22 July 2026 | #429 | 5,000 | 399 |
| 9 July 2026 | #425 | 5,000 | 420 |
| 28 May 2026 | #418 | 4,500 | 409 |
| 29 April 2026 | #414 | 4,000 | 400 |
For comparison, Canadian Experience Class rounds in 2026 have had cut-offs between 507 and 523. The full table, with every round since 2025, is in our French-category draw history.
Who it affects
- Candidates in the pool with NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing) and at least 382 CRS points, with profiles submitted before the tie-break time, received an invitation.
- Candidates with NCLC 7 in only some skills were not eligible. French-category eligibility needs all four.
- Candidates below 382 were not invited in this round. Cut-offs move from round to round, and IRCC does not announce future rounds in advance.
What to do now
- If you were invited: you have 60 days to submit a complete PR application. Your French test result must still be less than 2 years old on the day you apply.
- If you are in the pool: check your CRS score against the last ten French cut-offs, which ranged from 382 to 420 in 2026.
- If you don't have NCLC 7 in every skill yet: check if you meet NCLC 7 with your TCF Canada or TEF Canada scores. Your weakest skill decides eligibility.
- Learn how the French points fit together in French for Express Entry and in our post on how many CRS points French is worth.
There has been no French-language round between 19 August and 5 October 2026. See the 2026 French draws recap for the whole year.