IRCC issues 4,500 ITAs in Express Entry round 418 French draw at CRS 409
The May 28, 2026 category-based draw targeted French-language Version 2 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 409 and tie-break of April 29, 2026.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry round 418 on May 28, 2026, issuing 4,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) to French-language proficiency candidates with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off of 409. The draw is the sixth French-language category round of 2026 and the first since round 414 on April 29, 2026.
What's changed
Round 418 selected candidates from the French-language proficiency Version 2 category — IRCC's category-based selection stream for candidates demonstrating Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher across all four French-language abilities. The 4,500 invitations issued represent a 500-ITA increase on round 414 (4,000 ITAs) and lift the CRS cut-off nine points from 400 to 409. Candidates needed to have created an Express Entry profile before 10:20 p.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on April 29, 2026 to qualify under the tie-break rule.
Round 418 follows the May 25 PNP-only round 416 (334 ITAs at CRS 805) and the May 27 Canadian Experience Class round 417 (3,000 ITAs at CRS 518). Across all categories, IRCC has now issued 79,841 invitations to apply year-to-date in 2026.
Who's affected
The French-language category targets francophone economic-immigration candidates from a global applicant pool — historically dominated by nationals of France, Cameroon, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritius, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The category was reintroduced in 2023 to advance the federal Francophone Immigration Strategy's target of raising the share of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec to 8% of all economic admissions by 2026.
Round 418 brings year-to-date French-category ITAs to approximately 30,500 — representing 38.2% of the 79,841 total invitations issued across all Express Entry categories in 2026 to date.
When it takes effect
Invited candidates receive electronic invitations through their IRCC accounts and have 60 days from May 28, 2026 (until July 27, 2026) to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residence. The next Express Entry round of invitations will be scheduled at the Immigration Minister's discretion; IRCC has not pre-announced the date or category.