French-language draw 452 invites 5,000 at CRS 407

IRCC invited 5,000 Express Entry candidates in a French-language proficiency round on 27 October 2026, with a cut-off of 407. It was round 452.

The previous round in this category was on 16 October 2026. It also invited 5,000 people, but the lowest score invited was 435.

This guide covers what the 407 result means and how a second official language earns CRS points. It includes two worked examples and the steps to take above or below the line. The CRS rules here come from IRCC's official Express Entry page. The round results come from the Express Entry round records we track.

Round 452 at a glance

• Date: 27 October 2026
• Round number: 452
• Round type: category-based selection, language proficiency
• Invitations to apply (ITAs): 5,000
• Lowest score invited: CRS 407

Our records don't include a tie-breaking date for this round. If your score is exactly 407, check IRCC's official round results on canada.ca.

The round sat between two others that week. On 26 October 2026, a Provincial Nominee Program round invited 792 candidates at 761. On 28 October 2026, a Transport Occupations round invited 150 candidates at 477.

Cut-off falls to 407 after 435

Round 450 on 16 October and round 452 on 27 October issued the same number of invitations. The cut-off went from 435 to 407.

IRCC doesn't publish reasons for individual cut-offs. It also hasn't released a breakdown of how many candidates in the pool qualify for this category. So we won't guess at the cause.

What the result does tell you is practical. A candidate who sat between 407 and 434 missed the 16 October round. If they met the category rules, they were invited on 27 October.

How 407 compares with the rest of 2026

Here is every round in this category so far in 2026, from our records:

• 6 February (round 394): 8,500 invited, CRS 400
• 4 March (round 401): 5,500 invited, CRS 397
• 18 March (round 405): 4,000 invited, CRS 393
• 15 April (round 411): 4,000 invited, CRS 419
• 29 April (round 414): 4,000 invited, CRS 400
• 28 May (round 418): 4,500 invited, CRS 409
• 9 July (round 425): 5,000 invited, CRS 420
• 22 July (round 429): 5,000 invited, CRS 399
• 6 August (round 433): 5,000 invited, CRS 391
• 19 August (round 437): 5,000 invited, CRS 382
• 16 October (round 450): 5,000 invited, CRS 435
• 27 October (round 452): 5,000 invited, CRS 407

The 2026 low was 382 on 19 August. The high was 435 on 16 October. At 407, the latest round lands inside that range.

Every round in this category since 9 July has issued 5,000 invitations. Cut-offs in that stretch have still moved between 382 and 435. A steady invitation count doesn't mean a steady cut-off.

The contrast with Canadian Experience Class rounds is sharp. On 15 October 2026, a CEC round invited 2,500 candidates at 519. On 29 September 2026, a CEC round invited 2,000 at 518. If you hold CEC eligibility and also qualify for the language category, the category rounds have reached much lower scores this year.

Two ways a second language adds CRS points

The CRS scores both official languages. French test results can earn points in two separate places.

Second official language points. If English is your first official language, your other official language counts as your second. For a single applicant, IRCC awards these points per ability:

• CLB 5 or 6: 1 point
• CLB 7 or 8: 3 points
• CLB 9 or higher: 6 points

The maximum is 24 points for a single applicant, or 22 if you have a spouse.

Additional points. This is the bigger reward. With NCLC 7 or higher (NCLC is the scale used for French results), you receive:

• 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower
• 50 points if your English is CLB 5 or higher

Check the official page for how each of the four abilities is assessed toward NCLC 7.

If your NCLC results are stronger than your English, you can use them as your first official language instead. They are then scored under the first-language table. For a single applicant, that's 17 points per ability at CLB 7, 23 at CLB 8, 31 at CLB 9 and 34 at CLB 10 or higher.

Worked example: from 392 to 454

For example, a candidate with no spouse, aged 33, a bachelor's degree, English CLB 7 in all four abilities, one year of skilled Canadian work and three years of skilled foreign work.

Core human capital:

• Age 33: 88
• Bachelor's degree: 120
• English CLB 7 in four abilities: 68 (17 each)
• One year of Canadian work: 40
• Core total: 316

Skill transferability:

• Post-secondary credential with CLB 7: 13
• Post-secondary credential with one year of Canadian work: 13
• Three years of foreign work with CLB 7: 25
• Three years of foreign work with one year of Canadian work: 25
• Transferability total: 76

That gives a CRS of 392. It's below 407 and below 435.

Now the same candidate reaches NCLC 7 in all four abilities. The second language adds 12 points (3 per ability), so core rises to 328. Because English is CLB 5 or higher, the additional points add 50.

The new score is 454. That clears both the 27 October cut-off and the 16 October cut-off.

Notice where the gain came from. The 50 additional points did most of the work, not the second-language table.

Worked example: when English is the weaker language

For example, a candidate with no spouse, aged 28, a two-year post-secondary credential and NCLC 9 in all four abilities. Their English is CLB 4. They have two years of skilled Canadian work.

This candidate uses their NCLC results as their first official language.

• Age 28: 110
• Two-year credential: 98
• First official language at CLB 9 in four abilities: 124 (31 each)
• Two years of Canadian work: 53
• Core total: 385

English at CLB 4 earns nothing as a second language. The table starts at CLB 5.

Skill transferability:

• Post-secondary credential with CLB 9: 25
• Post-secondary credential with two years of Canadian work: 25
• Transferability total: 50 (the cap for the two education pairs)

Additional points with English at CLB 4: 25.

The score is 460.

Suppose this candidate lifts English to CLB 5 in all four abilities. The second language adds 4 points (1 each). The additional points rise from 25 to 50. The score becomes 489.

That single step in English is worth 29 points here. If your English sits at CLB 4, an English retest may pay off more than further study for your NCLC test.

Raising your second-language score

If you already have NCLC 7, the next threshold is NCLC 9. For a single applicant, second-language points move from 3 to 6 per ability.

Across all four abilities, that's 12 points becoming 24. With a spouse, the cap is 22.

The additional 50 points don't grow above NCLC 7. So the jump from 7 to 9 adds a modest amount. The jump from below 7 to 7 is the one that changes outcomes.

At NCLC 5 or 6, you earn only 1 point per ability and no additional points. Candidates at that level gain the most from a retest.

Points that no longer count

Arranged employment points were removed on 25 March 2025. A job offer now adds no CRS points.

If a guide or calculator still shows 50 or 200 points for a job offer, it's out of date. Recalculate without them.

Who these rounds draw from

Category rounds invite people already in the Express Entry pool. You still need a profile that's eligible for an Express Entry program.

For the Canadian Experience Class, you need at least one year of skilled Canadian work in the three years before applying. Skilled means NOC 2021 TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. The language minimum is CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs. No proof of funds is required.

For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you need one year of continuous skilled work in the last 10 years. You also need CLB 7 in all four abilities and at least 67 points on the FSW selection grid. Foreign education needs an Educational Credential Assessment. Proof of funds is required unless you're authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.

Use five-digit NOC 2021 codes in your profile. For example, software engineers and designers are 21231, and registered nurses are 31301. Choose the code that matches your actual duties.

The category itself has its own eligibility rules. IRCC publishes them on its Express Entry pages. Read them before you assume a score of 407 or more would have qualified you.

If your score is below 407

Start by recalculating your score under the current rules, with no job offer points. Then look at the options IRCC's table rewards:

• A French test, if you don't have one. NCLC 7 or higher can add 50 points when your English is CLB 5 or above.
• An English retest, if you're at CLB 4. As the second example shows, CLB 5 can move the additional points from 25 to 50.
• Canadian post-secondary education, which adds 15 points for one or two years, or 30 for three years or more.
• A sibling in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident, worth 15 points.
• More Canadian work. One year earns 40 core points and two years earn 53. Two years can also lift the transferability pairs.
• A provincial nomination, worth 600 points.

Provincial programs are run by each province, not IRCC. Alberta runs the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). Saskatchewan runs SINP, and Ontario runs OINP. Each province sets its own criteria on its government site.

Quebec selects its own skilled workers through PSTQ. Nunavut has no nominee program.

The 60 days after an ITA

If you were invited on 27 October 2026, you have 60 days to submit your permanent residence application.

Your application must back up every claim in your profile. Gather these early:

• Language test results that match the scores you entered
• An Educational Credential Assessment, if you're applying under FSW with foreign education
• Work evidence that matches the NOC 2021 code and dates you claimed
• Proof of funds, if you're applying under FSW and the exemption doesn't apply to you

Application fees and processing times aren't in our verified data. IRCC posts current figures on canada.ca, so check them there before you pay.

What's still unclear

IRCC hasn't said when the next round in this category will be. It also hasn't announced how many invitations that round will issue.

IRCC doesn't explain why a cut-off rises or falls. The tie-breaking date for round 452 isn't in our records either. Check IRCC's official results pages for both details.

See where your own profile lands against 407 with Ikovia's free CRS calculator.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. For advice on your own case, speak with a licensed Canadian immigration professional.