Guide · Express Entry

How many CRS points is NCLC 7 in French worth?

Updated October 22, 2026 · 6 min read

If English is your first language for Express Entry, reaching NCLC 7 in all four French skills typically adds about 62 CRS points. It also makes you eligible for French-language draws, whose cut-offs in 2026 have run well below the general ones.

Short answerUp to 50 additional points for French, plus 3 points per skill (12 in total) as your second official language. It also gets you into the French-language category draws, which invited 5,000 people at a time from July to October 2026, with cut-offs between 382 and 435.

1. The additional French points: 25 or 50

These are the "additional points" in the Comprehensive Ranking System. You only get them with NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Your French	Your English	Points
NCLC 7+ in all four skills	CLB 5 or higher in all four skills	50
NCLC 7+ in all four skills	CLB 4 or lower, or no English test	25

One skill at NCLC 6 means zero additional points. That's why balanced preparation matters more than a brilliant score in one skill.

2. Second official language points

If English is your first official language, French counts as your second. At NCLC 7 or 8 you get 3 points per skill, so 12 points for all four. At NCLC 9 or higher it's 6 per skill. These points are capped at 22 (with a spouse) or 24 (without).

If your French is stronger than your English, you can make French your first official language instead. At NCLC 7 that gives 17 points per skill without a spouse (16 with one), and the 50 additional points still apply if your English is CLB 5 or higher.

Example

Priya is single, has CLB 9 in English and reaches NCLC 7 in all four French skills. She gains 50 additional points plus 12 second-language points, which is 62 points more than before she took the French test.

Point values from IRCC's CRS criteria (page updated October 16, 2026).

3. The French-language draws

French-language proficiency is one of IRCC's Express Entry categories. To be invited in these draws, you need NCLC 7 or higher in all four skills from an approved test (TCF Canada or TEF Canada), and you must be eligible for an Express Entry program.

2026	Draw	Invited	Cut-off
Oct 16	French	5,000	435
Oct 15	CEC	2,500	519
Aug 19	French	5,000	382
Aug 6	French	5,000	391
Jul 22	French	5,000	399
Jul 9	French	5,000	420

French = French-language proficiency draw; CEC = Canadian Experience Class. Draw results as reported by Moving2Canada. The official record is on IRCC's Express Entry rounds page. Past cut-offs don't predict future ones.

In mid-October, the French draw cut-off was 84 points lower than the Canadian Experience Class draw held the day before. For many candidates, that gap is the real value of NCLC 7.

What changes on November 3, 2026

IRCC is changing the CRS on November 3, 2026. Candidates will be able to get more points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation, and job offers will no longer need an LMIA. Scores in the pool will be recalculated, and invitation rounds pause while that happens, which may take up to two weeks.

IRCC's announcement doesn't mention any change to French-language points or the French category. But when other candidates' scores change, cut-offs can move too. Check your profile after the recalculation.

Source: IRCC news release, October 2026.

Aim for NCLC 7 in all four skills. Francora builds your plan around your exam date and tracks each skill separately, so a weak one shows up early.

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Sources

Francora teaches French; we don't give immigration advice. For advice about your own case, consult a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer.