Is French required for Canada PR? When it's optional, when it isn't, and what it gets you

French is not a general requirement for Canadian permanent residence. You can apply through Express Entry using only an English test, and that's a complete, valid route. French matters in two ways: it is required on a few French-specific routes, and on the others it's an optional advantage that can be large.

Not as a blanket rule. It depends on the route you pick, and the summary below shows how they differ. The rest of this page goes through them.

Canada has two official languages, English and French, and federal immigration accepts either as proof of language ability. Nothing in the federal immigration rules makes you speak French to settle in an English-speaking province. Québec is different: it selects its own economic immigrants and has its own French rules, and Express Entry's skilled worker and Canadian Experience routes are for people planning to live outside Québec.

There is a language requirement, but no French requirement. IRCC says you must prove your language skills with an approved test. Those are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French.

So what's the minimum French requirement for Express Entry? If you qualify with English, it's zero. If French is the language you're qualifying with, the minimum comes from your program:

These are entry minimums for each program. Meeting them doesn't guarantee an invitation, which depends on your CRS score. Our passing score guide explains why there is no pass mark and which number to aim for.

This is the case for adding French even when your English already qualifies you. With NCLC 7 or higher in all four skills, you get two things.

For an English-first candidate, the arithmetic is simple: 4 skills × 3 second-language points at NCLC 7, plus the +50 bonus, is 62 CRS. Try different levels below. The French CRS points guide has every table.

IRCC's rounds data shows French-language draws from April to October 2026 closing between 382 and 435, with 4,000 to 5,000 invitations each. These are past results on the old grid, since the CRS changed on November 3, 2026, and IRCC can change the timing and size of rounds at any time. See the French draw cut-offs guide for context, or use the CRS calculator for French draws to see where you stand.

If you're using French on purpose, plan around NCLC 7 in every skill. In CEFR terms, research for the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks places NCLC 7 at a strong B1, with elements of B2. Planning for B2 gives you a safety margin. That matters because a single weak skill removes both benefits: all four have to reach the line.

A note on diplomas: a DELF or DALF won't count for Express Entry, whatever its level. You'd need a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result, under 2 years old when you create your profile and when you apply. The CEFR converter shows how the scales roughly line up.

Québec. French is central here. Its Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) sets levels on Québec's own scale for each stream, and it accepts a wider range of tests than IRCC. Our PSTQ guide has the detail, and the Québec test comparison explains which exam to book.

Provinces. Each Provincial Nominee stream sets its own language rules. Some provinces have favoured French speakers, such as New Brunswick and Manitoba, but criteria change often. Ontario's French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream closed in 2026. Always check the province's current page.

Since it's optional for most people, this is a cost and benefit decision. Compare the gain against the time. Alliance Française estimates put B2 at roughly 550 to 650 guided hours from zero, though it varies a lot from person to person.