Express Entry Draw Report: April 2026 — French Draws Hit New Lows
April 2026 Express Entry Draws — Complete List
April 2026 saw six rounds of Express Entry invitations with French-proficiency draws accounting for nearly 80% of all ITAs issued. A new monthly low of CRS 388 was set in the April 16 French draw.
| Date | Draw Type | ITAs Issued | CRS Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, 2026 | French Proficiency | 8,500 | 404 |
| April 9, 2026 | General (No Program) | 3,500 | 514 |
| April 14, 2026 | Agriculture and Agri-Food | 1,500 | 303 |
| April 16, 2026 | French Proficiency | 9,000 | 388 |
| April 23, 2026 | Transport Occupations | 2,000 | 412 |
| April 28, 2026 | French Proficiency | 8,700 | 396 |
April 2026 Summary
- Total ITAs in April: 33,200
- French draw ITAs: 26,200 (78.9%)
- General draw ITAs: 3,500 (10.5%)
- Specialty draw ITAs: 3,500 (10.5%)
- New monthly low CRS (French): 388 on April 16
- French draws held in April: 3
The Agriculture and Transport Draws
April brought two specialty draws in sectors facing labour shortages:
Agriculture and Agri-Food (April 14)
This draw targeted workers in agricultural occupations — farm supervisors, specialized livestock workers, nursery and greenhouse workers, and agri-food processing workers. The CRS cutoff of 303 is extremely low, reflecting that fewer skilled workers in the Express Entry pool hold these occupations. If you work in this sector, your Express Entry pathway is very accessible.
Transport Occupations (April 23)
Targeting transport and logistics occupations including truck drivers (long-haul), transport supervisors, and related NOC TEER 2-3 categories. The CRS of 412 reflects that more of these workers are in the Express Entry pool. French speakers in transport with NCLC 7 would have qualified for the April 16 French draw at CRS 388 — well below this specialty draw's cutoff.
What the April 16 Draw at CRS 388 Means
The April 16 French draw invited 9,000 candidates at a CRS of 388 — the single largest draw of 2026 up to that point and the lowest CRS of 2026 at the time.
A CRS of 388 corresponds to a profile roughly like this:
| Factor | Profile |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 |
| Education | Bachelor's degree |
| English | CLB 8 |
| French | NCLC 7 (B2) — all skills |
| Work Experience | 2 years (NOC TEER 0/1) |
| Adaptability | None |
This is a typical well-qualified but not exceptional profile. The only factor making it competitive is the French language score. Without French, this profile would need a CRS of 514+ for the General draw — a gap of 126 points.
2026 French Draw CRS Tracker (January–April)
| Draw Date | CRS Cutoff | ITAs |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | 419 | 8,000 |
| Jan 22, 2026 | 412 | 8,200 |
| Feb 5, 2026 | 408 | 8,500 |
| Feb 19, 2026 | 401 | 8,500 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | 396 | 8,500 |
| Mar 19, 2026 | 391 | 8,700 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | 404 | 8,500 |
| Apr 16, 2026 | 388 | 9,000 |
| Apr 28, 2026 | 396 | 8,700 |
The data is clear: French draws are the dominant channel for Express Entry invitations in 2026. If you are not yet at NCLC 7 French, every month you delay is another 25,000+ invitations that go to candidates who made French their priority.
We publish monthly draw reports here on WayToFrench. See our May 2026 draw report and June 2026 draw report for the latest results.
Curious how this affects your own score? Run the numbers with our free CRS calculator.