Announced: July 22, 2026 | Draw held: July 22, 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry round of invitations #429 on July 22, 2026. This round targeted candidates in the French-language proficiency category and invited 5,000 people to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for this round was 399.
What happened in this round
According to IRCC's official rounds of invitations data, draw #429 was titled "French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2." Candidates invited in this round were drawn from the pool of people eligible under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program who also met the French-language proficiency requirements for this category-based selection.
The tie-break rule for this round was set at November 19, 2025 at 21:21:56 UTC. This means that among candidates with a CRS score of exactly 399, only those who submitted or updated their profile before that date and time were invited.
Comparison with the previous draw
The prior round, draw #428, was held one day earlier, on July 21, 2026. That round was a Canadian Experience Class-specific draw, inviting 2,000 candidates at a much higher minimum CRS score of 516.
| Draw # | Date | Category | Invitations Issued | Minimum CRS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 428 | July 21, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 516 |
| 429 | July 22, 2026 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 399 |
The drop in minimum CRS score, from 516 to 399, reflects the different eligibility pool and program design of a French-language category draw compared to a Canadian Experience Class-specific draw. These two draws are not directly comparable because they target different subsets of the Express Entry pool under different Ministerial Instructions.
Who is affected
This round directly affects candidates in the Express Entry pool who: (1) met the eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program; (2) met the French-language proficiency requirements for this category; and (3) had a CRS score of 399 or higher as of the tie-break cutoff date.
Who is not affected
Candidates who do not meet French-language proficiency requirements, candidates whose CRS score was below 399, and candidates who only qualify under Provincial Nominee Programs or other category-based streams not covered by this specific round were not invited in draw #429. This round does not change requirements for people applying outside the Express Entry system.
What readers should do
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool should check their online account to confirm whether they received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and review the full text of the Ministerial Instruction for round #429 on the official IRCC website. Anyone considering entering the pool should confirm their CRS score using the official CRS criteria published by IRCC before drawing conclusions from this single round.
What remains uncertain
IRCC has not published the date, size, or minimum CRS score of the next Express Entry round. Historical draw patterns, including this one, do not guarantee future draw categories, sizes, or cutoff scores. Readers should not assume future French-language or Canadian Experience Class draws will use the same CRS thresholds as #428 or #429.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or lawyer.
At a glance
| Official source | https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile/rounds-invitations.html |
|---|---|
| Announced | 2026-07-22 |
| Effective | 2026-07-22 |
| Checked by editor | 2026-07-22 |
| Who is affected | Express Entry candidates eligible under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program who also met French-language proficiency requirements and had a CRS score of 399 or higher as of the November 19, 2025 tie-break cutoff. |
| Who is NOT affected | Candidates without French-language proficiency, candidates with CRS scores below 399, and candidates in the pool solely under Provincial Nominee Program or other category streams not covered by round #429. |
| Permanent or temporary | Not applicable - this is a routine Express Entry round of invitations, not a policy or program change. |
| What to do next | Check your Express Entry online account for an Invitation to Apply, review the official Ministerial Instruction text for draw #429 on the IRCC website, and confirm your CRS score using IRCC's published criteria before making decisions. |
| Still uncertain | The date, size, and minimum CRS score of the next Express Entry round have not been announced by IRCC. Past draw patterns do not predict future draw categories or cutoff scores. |
About Author
