2500 ITAs were issued in the latest Express Entry French category draw by IRCC. It is this week’s second Express Entry draw in which the department sent ITAs to candidates for PR.
Those candidates who possessed stronger French language skills received invitations. They had to fulfill a minimum CRS score requirement of 336 points. This latest draw occurred after a general draw on February 28, in which IRCC invited 1,470 candidates with the lowest CRS score of 534. This general draw considered candidates from all three Express Entry programs. This week’s outcomes portray a busier month of February. The other five Express Entry draws contribute to 13,610 ITAs, excluding the latest French category draw. Two of these five draws were general, while the remaining three were category-based. These three draws belonged to the French-based category, healthcare, and agriculture and agri-food occupations.
The French language category-based draw of February 29 demonstrates one of the lowest CRS scores. However, the same category issued 7,000 ITAs previously.
2500 ITAs issued in the latest Express Entry French category draw – Details of previous Express Entry draws in 2024
| February 29 | French proficiency category-based draw | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3.500 | 422 |
|
February 13 |
General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
No changes within the Express Entry category-based selection in 2024
The concept of category-based selection invitation rounds became known in May 2023 for candidates who could fulfill the Express Entry criteria for six new categories. They’re as follows:
- Healthcare occupations;
- STEM occupations;
- Trades occupations, including carpenters, plumbers, and contractors.
- Transport occupations;
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations;
- Strong French language proficiency skills
IRCC states these categories are subject to change as and when required. However, for this year, the six categories will remain the same as determined by the immigration department.
Significance of French language skills in Canada
Over the past few years, Canada has been putting in immense effort to entice French language speakers. The idea is to spread the growth of Francophone culture and communities across Canada. This is only due to a lack of French language-speaking population nationwide. Statistics Canada presented its data, reflecting on the percentage of Canadians speaking French at home. This percentage declined from 19.2 percent in 2021 to 20 percent in 2016.
Canada’s initiatives to spread the French-speaking culture
The official Languages Action Plan (2023 to 2028) claimed an allocation of $137.2 million in a period of five years to enhance French immigration to Canada. This funding is in addition to the previous investment of $84.3 million from former action plans. It further launched a Francophone immigration policy.
Qualification for French category-based draws
IRCC determines the following criteria for those who seek eligibility for French language category draws:
- Demonstrate French language test outcomes with at least a CLB score of 7 in speaking, writing, listening, and reading. This is according to the NCLC.
- Fulfill all eligibility requirements per the instructions for invitation rounds.
The Express Entry system
Express Entry management system for immigration applications is there to assist in the faster processing of applications. It does so through its three economic-class programs:
- The FSTP
- The Canadian Experience Class;
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program
IRCC seeks to bring 110,770 new permanent residents in 2024 using Express Entry. This application management system assigns CRS scores to candidates based on specific human capital factors. These include their age, work experience, occupation, education, and language skills. Those attaining the highest scores have greater chances of receiving an ITA for PR status.
Candidates often receive a provincial nomination; if this happens, they also get an additional 600 points. It assures them of an ITA in the next draw. However, once a candidate receives the invitation, they must submit their final Canadian permanent residence application to IRCC within sixty days.
Do you have any general queries regarding Canada Express Entry? Let our expert guides at Make Home Canada help you get all the answers. We are just a call away; stay connected at 1-800-979-0509 or simply email your concerns to [email protected].
