Every two weeks or so, the IRCC launches a lottery to select a pool of candidates for Canada's Express Entry and sends them on average 1000, 3000, even 7000 invitations for permanent residence in categories ranging from general workers, to skilled workers in agricultural occupations, to medical occupations, to proficiency in French; the regular score for Express Entry is about 500 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). As of this date, the Canadian government has launched two rounds of invitations (iTA) focused on French language proficiency, with the second draw number 287 being one that drew a lot of attention for its low score, which was 336 compared to the first draw that required a minimum of 365. In this Immiland article, we will give a summary of what this particular draw was like along with a comparison with previous draws in this category and the importance of improving French for permanent residency in Canada.

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Express Entry 287 Drawing Breakdown

• Date of the draw: February 29, 2024, at 15:58:53 UTC
• Number of invitations issued: 2500
• Minimum CRS: 336
• Specified program: French language proficiency (2023-1)
• Tie-breaker rule: February 29, 2024 at 15:58:53 UTC

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Key points of the 287th draw

The Express Entry 287 lottery issued 2500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates with a minimum CRS of 336 and focused on candidates with French language proficiency. This is the second 2024 draw in the French language proficiency category, the first being on February 1, 2024, and what has drawn the most attention is its low CRS score which decreased to 336 points from the 365 required by the previous draw (282), in addition, the total number of invitations issued was noticeably lower at only 2500 compared to the 7000 invitations in draw 282.

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Table 1 Comparison with other sweepstakes in the category: Proficiency in the French language

Ministerial instructions on invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry system. Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html

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What does this low score suggest for French speakers?

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This low score of 336 suggests that candidates with high French test scores currently in the Express Entry pool have a good chance of receiving an invitation to this category; so we continue to insist on our strong recommendation to prepare daily with the language, not only French, English is also important to qualify for Express Entry because it adds points to your score. Throughout this article you will find the link to our French courses for immigration purposes.

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French for permanent residence in Canada

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In recent years, the Canadian government has intensified its efforts to attract French-speaking immigrants to communities across the country. Declining French-speaking populations, including Quebec, have led the government to set a target for French-speaking immigrants to settle outside this province in the coming years. In fact, the country has designated significant economic funds to promote Francophone immigration to Canada and is relying on the Official Languages Action Plan 2023-2028 to achieve this goal in the five years set, including measures and a new policy based on previous action plans.

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How to qualify for the French Express Entry category?

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Express Entry is a great gateway for qualified foreigners with language skills. To enter this category, start your French leveling by following these steps:

1. Optimize your level of French to a minimum score of 7 in all four language skills in the Canadian Language Proficiency Levels.
2. Take any leveling test of your language to make sure of your linguistic proficiency, in this link we share our free test.
3. If you have not yet reached level 7, take advantage of the time and take a French course in person or online. In this link, we share our French preparation course for the Express Entry.
4. Once you have reached the required level, take the French evaluation test (TEF) or the French knowledge test (TCF) so that you can prove it to IRCC.
5. Prepare your travel documents and apply for Express Entry on the Canadian government website.
6. Consider the accompaniment of a regulated consultant to clarify any doubts, before contracting any service, verify if you really require it. In this link, you can receive a free evaluation with an Immiland consultant .

Draw 287 underscores IRCC's commitment to strengthening the French-speaking community in Canada by providing opportunities for skilled workers with proficiency in French to contribute to the nation's linguistic diversity. As Express Entry continues to evolve, candidates with strong language skills are at the forefront of these changes in immigration. Stay tuned for more updates on Express Entry sweepstakes and immigration trends on our blog and across all of our Immiland Canada social platforms.

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With love,

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Immiland

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