Role of French in the Immigration Process

In the Canadian Express Entry system, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French, Canada's official languages.

Candidates opting for French proficiency have specific advantages:
They can take either the Test d'évaluation de français (TEF) or the Test de connaissance du français (TCF) to prove their proficiency.
Strong TEF or TCF results can significantly boost a candidate's Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
Achieving Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 7 or higher in French earns an additional 50 CRS points.
Category-based draws for French-speaking Express Entry candidates were initiated in the summer of 2023.
These draws feature lower points requirements for candidates with French proficiency compared to those without.
Consequently, French-speaking candidates, even with moderate proficiency, have a notably higher chance of receiving invitations to apply for permanent residence.

Under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for Express Entry, applicants can earn maximum 74 points based on proficiency in Canada's second official language, French.
Points for language proficiency range from level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for English or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) for French.
Maximum of 22 points for a single applicant or 24 points when applying with a spouse for the second official language.
Applicants can earn an additional 25 points if they scored a CLB 4 or lower in English or if they didn't submit an English language test.
A full additional 50 points can be received by achieving a CLB 5 or higher in all four English language competencies, as well as NCLC 7 in French.

Major Canada Immigration Programs