Express Entry for French-speaking skilled workers

Through Express Entry, you could immigrate to Canada as a French-speaking skilled worker and play an important part in Canada’s economy. When you make Canada your new home, you and your family will have access to

services for newcomers, offered in French and English
one of the highest-quality education systems in the world
job opportunities across the country

How Express Entry works

Express Entry is an online application system that lets us create a pool of candidates who may be eligible to immigrate to Canada permanently.

You must be eligible for one of the immigration programs in Express Entry to get into the pool.

You earn points based on the information in your profile, including your skills and experience.

You need to have one of the highest-ranking scores to get an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

How you can benefit as a French speaker

When you create a profile, you need to prove your knowledge of one of Canada’s two official languages: French or English. Choose your strongest language as your first official language so you can increase your chances of earning more points.

You can earn up to 50 additional points for strong French language skills (even if French is your second language).

If you score a niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 7 or higher on all four French language skills, you can get

25 additional points if you scored a Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) level 4 or lower in English (or if you didn’t take an English test)
50 additional points if you scored CLB 5 or higher on all four English skills

Our Comprehensive Ranking System tool can tell you what your score might be if you create a profile. This includes how many points you’d get for your language skills.

Check your score (opens in a new tab)

Category-based rounds

Each year, we invite candidates in the Express Entry pool who are eligible for a specific category to help meet an identified economic goal. These category-based rounds add to general and program-specific rounds by inviting top-ranking candidates who can help us meet these specific goals. French language proficiency is one of the chosen categories for 2023.

Who can apply

Answer a few questions to find out if you’re eligible to apply. Make sure you record your personal reference code to use when you create your profile.

Read all the eligibility details.

To be eligible, you must be a skilled worker who is eligible for one of the following programs:

If you’re eligible for one of the programs above, a province or territory may also be able to nominate you for permanent residence through the Provincial Nominee Program. As a nominee, you get additional points if you’re invited to apply.

About the process

Get your documents ready

You only need to upload documents if you’re invited to apply for permanent residence, but you may need information from other documents for your profile.

Find out what documents you need.

Get additional points for your second language skills

If you speak English and French, you can provide approved language test results for both languages.

Create your profile and fill out the online form

If you’re eligible, you can create your Express Entry profile. You need to

follow the instructions to create an account or sign in
enter your personal reference code when it prompts you
enter your personal details

Create a profile in your IRCC secure account (opens in a new tab)

While you’re in the pool

While you wait, you can check the rounds of invitations to see how likely you are to get an invitation. If you’re invited to apply, you have 60 days to submit your application.

Find out what else you should do while you wait.

If you’re invited to apply

You’ll get a message in your account telling you

which program you’ve been invited to apply for
how to respond to your invitation to apply

After you apply

Apply for permanent residence if you’re invited
- Fill out the form, upload documents, pay fees and submit your application.
If your application is approved
- Interviews in and outside Canada, crossing the border and settling in Canada

If you’re not invited to apply

If your points are too low

One way you can boost your score is by getting Canadian work experience. The Francophone Mobility work permit makes it easier for Canadian employers to hire you.

Find out how to apply for this work permit.

If you’re not eligible to apply

You can also find out about other options to immigrate to Canada.

Learn more about living and working in Canada

Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative

Fourteen communities outside Quebec are going above and beyond to welcome and support French-speaking newcomers in Canada. Discover each community’s unique art, culture and environment.

Destination Canada Mobility Forum

Attend the recruitment event to find employers and job opportunities as a French-speaking or bilingual candidate.

Francophone communities outside of Quebec

Learn about the benefits of living in a Francophone community outside Quebec.