It depends on where your English is now. If you are at CLB 7 or 8, getting to CLB 9 in all four English skills is often worth more raw CRS (about 69–93 points for a typical single applicant with a degree and 3+ years of foreign work) than French at NCLC 7, which adds 62. If your English is already CLB 9, more English is worth about 12 points while French still adds 62 and opens French-language draws, which have been cutting off far lower. Your starting French level decides whether 3–6 months is enough.
Key takeaways
- English CLB 7 → 9 lifts first-language points and skill transferability points together.
- French NCLC 7 in all four adds 12 second-language points and +50 (with English CLB 5+): 62 total.
- Once English is CLB 9, more English barely moves CRS; French still adds 62.
- French NCLC 7 also unlocks French-language category draws, a separate, usually lower queue.
- NCLC 7 from zero takes far longer than 6 months. From B1 it can fit.
On this page
Thousands of Express Entry candidates face the same choice: one more push on IELTS, CELPIP or PTE Core, or start French. The honest answer is it depends on your English score today, and on how much French you already have. The math below uses IRCC's CRS tables, and every scenario is shown in full so you can check it.
- +93
- English CLB 7 → 9 (example profile below)
- +62
- French NCLC 7 for an English-first candidate
- +12
- English CLB 9 → 10 (single)
What does better English get you?
#For most candidates English is the first official language, which uses IRCC's biggest table. A single applicant gets 17 points per skill at CLB 7, 23 at CLB 8, 31 at CLB 9 and 34 at CLB 10+ (16, 22, 29 and 32 with a spouse).
English also drives skill transferability. With CLB 7+ in all four first-language skills, a degree and foreign work experience earn transferability points. Reach CLB 9 in all four and those points roughly double. That is why CLB 9 is the big English milestone.
| Combination | CLB 7+, one or more skills under CLB 9 | CLB 9+ in all four |
|---|---|---|
| Post-secondary credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Master's, or two credentials with one of 3+ years | 25 | 50 |
| 1–2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3+ years of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
The education and foreign-work combinations are capped at 50 points each, and the whole transferability section at 100.
What does French get you?
#If English is your first official language, French counts as your second. At NCLC 7 in all four skills that is 3 points per skill = 12, then the French bonus: +50 if your English is CLB 5+ in all four, +25 if it is CLB 4 or lower or you have no English test. The bonus needs NCLC 7 in every skill, so NCLC 6 in one skill gives only 4 points in total. Full tables are in CRS points for French.
NCLC 7+ in French plus CLB 5+ in English is the top tier: 50 additional points, and you’re eligible for French-language draws.
NCLC 7 in all four also makes you eligible for French-language proficiency draws. IRCC renewed that category for 2026, and reported cut-offs have been much lower than general rounds. Check the latest numbers in French draw CRS cut-offs instead of planning on one draw.
Worked scenarios: English push vs French
#Example profile: single, one bachelor's degree, 3+ years of foreign work, no Canadian experience. Only language-related points are counted: first language, second language, French bonus, and the two transferability combinations that depend on language.
| Starting point | Option | First language | Transferability | French (2nd lang + bonus) | Total | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English CLB 7 | Stay as is | 68 | 38 (13 + 25) | 0 | 106 | — |
| English CLB 7 | English to CLB 9 | 124 | 75 (25 + 50) | 0 | 199 | +93 |
| English CLB 7 | French NCLC 7 | 68 | 38 | 62 (12 + 50) | 168 | +62 |
| English CLB 8 | English to CLB 9 | 92 → 124 | 38 → 75 | 0 | 130 → 199 | +69 |
| English CLB 8 | French NCLC 7 | 92 | 38 | 62 | 192 | +62 |
| English CLB 9 | English to CLB 10 | 124 → 136 | 75 (already max) | 0 | 199 → 211 | +12 |
| English CLB 9 | French NCLC 7 | 124 | 75 | 62 | 261 | +62 |
| English CLB 7 | Both | 124 | 75 | 62 | 261 | +155 |
A degree with a master's or two credentials, or Canadian work experience, changes the transferability rows. Put your own levels in below.
Best next step: raise French writing from NCLC 6 to 7 → +58 points (unlocks the French bonus).
- NCLC 7 in every French skill → +58 points (includes the +50 French bonus, and opens French-language draws)
Uses IRCC’s CRS criteria. Language only: skill-transferability points (language combined with education or foreign work, up to 100) and your spouse’s language (up to 20) are separate. For your full score, use IRCC’s official CRS tool. Have raw TEF or TCF scores? Use the full calculator.
Which should you choose?
#Usually English first. CLB 9 in all four can add 69–93 points in the profile above, and someone who already uses English daily can often get there faster than a beginner can reach NCLC 7. Then add French if you need more.
Exception: if you already have B1 French, NCLC 7 may be 4–5 months away (see how long to reach NCLC 7), and it gets you into French draws as well as +62.
French. English to CLB 10 adds only 12 points. French NCLC 7 adds 62 and a second, usually lower queue. Your skill transferability is already maxed by English.
English first. Federal Skilled Worker needs CLB 7 in all four first-language skills, and transferability points only start at CLB 7. Fix eligibility before chasing bonuses.
Make French your first official language. NCLC 7 is worth 68 first-language points (single), plus +25 with no English test or +50 with English CLB 5+ in all four. A modest English test can be worth more than another French level.
Could the rules change?
#- Job offer points are gone. IRCC removed job offer CRS points on March 25, 2025, so language now matters even more. See French PR without a job offer.
- The French bonus is under review. In an April 2026 consultation, IRCC said it was "assessing the possibility of removing or changing" the French proficiency points. It proposed keeping first- and second-official-language points. As of October 9, 2026, IRCC's CRS page still lists +25 and +50.
- French draws continue. IRCC's February 2026 category announcement kept rounds for candidates with strong French skills.
If the bonus were removed, French NCLC 7 would drop from +62 to +12 in the table above, but it would still give you access to French draws. Gains from English (first-language and transferability points) are not part of the review. That is one more reason to cover English first if you are below CLB 9.
- Myth
French always beats English for CRS.
FactNot on points alone. From CLB 7, reaching CLB 9 in English can add more (93 in our example) than French NCLC 7 (62). French's edge is the separate draw.
- Myth
French at NCLC 6 is still worth most of the points.
FactNo. NCLC 6 in any skill means no bonus and no French draws. NCLC 6 in all four is worth 4 points as a second language.
- Myth
If I learn French I can skip the English test.
FactOnly if French is your first official language, and then the bonus is +25 instead of +50. A modest English result (CLB 5 in all four) lifts it to +50.
- Myth
Job offers still add 50 or 200 points.
FactNo. IRCC removed job offer CRS points as of March 25, 2025.
Check yourself
1 of 4.Single applicant, English CLB 9 in all four. What does English CLB 10 in all four add to first-language points?
2 of 4.English CLB 8 in all four. French NCLC 7 in all four. What does French add?
3 of 4.Which English level doubles the transferability points for education and foreign work?
4 of 4.What else does NCLC 7 in all four French skills give you besides points?
Questions people ask
If your English is CLB 7 or 8, reaching CLB 9 in all four often adds more CRS than French NCLC 7. If you're already at CLB 9, French adds 62 points and access to French draws, while more English adds about 12.
At NCLC 7 in all four skills: 12 second-language points plus a +50 bonus (with English CLB 5+ in all four), so 62 for a single applicant. See CRS points for French.
No. IRCC converts all three to the same CLB levels, and CLB is what earns points. Pick the test format that suits you.
From B1, often yes with steady study. From zero, rarely: one Alliance Française estimate puts B2 at about 550–600 hours. See how long to reach NCLC 7.
Not as of October 9, 2026. IRCC consulted in 2026 on possibly removing or changing it, but the CRS criteria page still lists +25 and +50. Watch IRCC's announcements.
Terms in this guide
- English tests accepted by IRCC
- CRS French bonus
- French-language proficiency draw
- CLB
- CRS
- Category-based draw
- NCLC 7
- NCLC
Each one is defined in plain English in the TEF & TCF Canada glossary.
Sources
- IRCC: Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria
- IRCC: Express Entry language test results
- IRCC: Consultations on reforms to Express Entry and the CRS (2026)
- IRCC: Canada prioritizes top talent in 2026 Express Entry categories (Feb 18, 2026)
- IRCC: Express Entry for French-speaking skilled workers
Rules and fees change. Always confirm with IRCC and your test centre before you pay.
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