- French bonus today (25 or 50 CRS points)
- In force
- Removal or change, in IRCC's 2026 discussion paper
- Proposed
- No change published as of 5 October 2026
- No date
- Still the bar for the bonus and for French draws
- NCLC 7
Short answer: no, not yet. The extra CRS points for French are still part of Express Entry on 5 October 2026. IRCC's spring 2026 consultation asked whether they are still needed, but no rule change has been published.
What changed
On 23 April 2026, IRCC opened a public consultation on reforming Express Entry. It closed on 24 May 2026. The discussion paper put several ideas on the table:
- merging the Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades programs into one "Federal High Skilled" program, with a minimum of CLB/NCLC 6 in all four language abilities;
- giving points for Canadian experience or job offers only in high-wage occupations;
- removing or changing the additional points for French, as well as the points for Canadian study, siblings and the spousal grid.
On French, the paper's reasoning is that "category-based selection has provided a more effective mechanism to select French-speaking skilled workers", so the bonus may no longer be necessary.
That is a proposal. The Ministerial Instructions that set CRS points still carry the version in force since 25 March 2025, and the CRS criteria page still lists the French bonus.
What the bonus is today
| Your French and English results | Additional CRS points |
|---|---|
| NCLC 7+ in all four French abilities, and English CLB 4 or lower (or no English test) | 25 |
| NCLC 7+ in all four French abilities, and CLB 5+ in all four English abilities | 50 |
| Any French ability below NCLC 7 | 0 |
These points sit on top of your normal language points. Our explainer on how many CRS points French is worth walks through worked examples.
Who it affects
- Candidates who rely on the bonus to reach a general or CEC cut-off. In 2026, Canadian Experience Class rounds have needed 507 to 523 points, so 50 points can matter a lot.
- Candidates aiming for French-category draws are affected far less. Eligibility for those rounds is NCLC 7 in all four abilities, and they are ranked by CRS among French-eligible candidates only. In 2026 French rounds have had cut-offs between 382 and 420. See the French-category draw history.
- People already invited. When IRCC removed job-offer points on 25 March 2025, candidates invited before that date kept the old rules. IRCC has not said how a future change to the French points would be handled.
What to do now
- Keep studying for NCLC 7 in all four skills. It unlocks both the bonus and the French category, and the category is not part of the removal proposal.
- Check your score both ways. Use the CRS calculator to see your score with and without the French points, so a change would not surprise you.
- Confirm your level. If you have a TCF Canada or TEF Canada result, check your NCLC skill by skill. The weakest skill decides eligibility.
- Don't trust "removed in fall 2026" claims without a canada.ca link. IRCC publishes CRS changes as Ministerial Instructions and usually announces them in a news release.
For the bigger picture, read French for Express Entry.
What to watch
- New Ministerial Instructions on canada.ca that amend the additional points.
- A "What we heard" report from the 2026 consultation.
- The 2027 category-based selection decisions. IRCC says it is considering keeping the focus on Francophone immigration in 2027.
We re-check this item against the sources below. If anything changes, we will add a dated note to the update log rather than rewrite the page silently.