Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a recent Express Entry draw focused on French-language proficiency, dated March 18, 2026.
To be eligible in this draw, applicants needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 393 and had to have created an Express Entry profile before 12:47 p.m. UTC on December 29, 2025.
This was the seventeenth Express Entry draw of 2026 and the third French-language category draw. In 2026, French-language draws have issued about 18,000 ITAs, ranking second only to the Canadian Experience Class for total invitations issued this year.
IRCC’s 2026 activity shows a clear tilt toward candidates already in Canada, with a strong emphasis on provincial nominations and Canadian work experience.
A snapshot of 2026 draws shows six Provincial Nominee Program draws, five Canadian Experience Class draws, three French-language proficiency draws, and one draw each for physicians with Canadian work experience, healthcare and social services professionals, and senior managers with Canadian work experience. Through March, IRCC has issued a total of 53,604 ITAs across these categories.
Maple News notes that the continued use of category-based draws reflects a strategic effort to address regional labor-market needs while expanding pathways for francophone and bilingual applicants.