French CRS Points Calculator: What French Adds to Your CRS

French changes an Express Entry score in three places: the core language points, the 25 or 50 additional points for French, and the skill transferability points that depend on your first official language. The calculator below adds them up from your French NCLC and English CLB levels and shows the difference between your profile with French and the same profile without it.

Every number comes from IRCC’s Comprehensive Ranking System criteria, read on October 6, 2026. It is an estimate of the French-related factors only; age, education and work-experience core points are not part of it.

French CRS Points: Key Points

• NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities adds 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower (or untested) and 50 points if your English is CLB 5 or higher in all four abilities.
• French as your second official language is worth up to 24 points (22 with a spouse): 1 point per ability at NCLC 5 or 6, 3 at NCLC 7 or 8, 6 at NCLC 9 or more.
• French as your first official language scores like English does: up to 34 points per ability (32 with a spouse), 17 at NCLC 7, 23 at NCLC 8, 31 at NCLC 9.
• Skill transferability points for education and foreign work experience need CLB 7 or more in all four abilities of your first official language; French can be that language.
• A single ability at NCLC 6 blocks the additional points, so the weakest ability decides the gain.

On this page

1. Key points
2. The calculator
3. How the CRS scores French
4. The 25 or 50 extra points
5. Skill transferability
6. First or second language
7. Two worked examples
8. FAQ
9. French classes at TFA

French CRS points calculator

How the CRS scores French

The CRS treats French and English the same way: each of your four abilities is scored on its own, and the language you list as your first official language uses the bigger table. These are IRCC’s current tables.

Most candidates list English first and French second, so their French core points are the small table: 12 points for NCLC 7 in all four abilities, 24 for NCLC 9. The larger effect comes from the additional points below and, for strong French speakers, from switching French to the first position.

The 25 or 50 additional points for French

The additional points sit in section D of the CRS, next to the points for a sibling in Canada or Canadian education. Two conditions:

The rule is all-or-nothing. NCLC 7 in reading, listening and writing with NCLC 6 in speaking gives 0 additional points; one band in speaking is worth 25 or 50 points on its own. The TEF Canada score chart and the TCF Canada score chart show the exact scores that count as NCLC 7 in each ability.

NCLC 7 in all four abilities is also the entry condition for the French-language category draws, where cut-offs have run between 382 and 420 in 2026.

Skill transferability and French

Skill transferability points (maximum 100) pair your education and foreign work experience with your first official language. They need CLB 7 or higher in all four abilities of that language; CLB 9 or higher in all four doubles them.

If your English is below CLB 7 in one ability and your French is NCLC 7 or higher in all four, listing French first unlocks these pairs. The calculator shows both arrangements side by side.

Pro tip: check the second table before the first. A candidate with English CLB 6 and French NCLC 8 gains more from making French the first official language than from any other single change to the profile.

First or second official language: which to choose

You choose the order in your Express Entry profile, and you can change it any time before an invitation. The rule of thumb:

• If your French levels are higher than your English levels in most abilities, list French first. You keep the English points as a second language (up to 24) and the French bonus still applies.
• If your English is CLB 9 or higher in all four abilities, keep English first; French second still brings up to 24 core points plus the 25 or 50 additional points.
• If one language is below CLB 7 in a single ability, it should not be first: that one ability caps the skill transferability pairs.

The calculator applies both orders to your levels and names the one that scores higher.

Two worked examples

Example 1: English CLB 9, French NCLC 7, no spouse. English first gives 31 points per ability, 124 in total. French second gives 3 per ability, 12 points, and the additional points are 50 because English is CLB 5 or higher. French adds 62 points to this profile.

Example 2: English CLB 6 (CLB 5 in speaking), French NCLC 8, no spouse. English first gives 9, 9, 9 and 6 points, 33 in total, and no skill transferability pairs because speaking is below CLB 7. French first gives 23 per ability, 92 points; English second gives 1 per ability, 4 points; the additional points are 50 because every English ability is CLB 5 or higher. With a bachelor’s degree and three years of foreign experience, French at NCLC 8 also unlocks 25 plus 25 skill transferability points. French adds 163 points to this profile, 113 of them before transferability.

French CRS points FAQ

How many CRS points do you get for French?

Up to 50 additional points for NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities, plus the core language points: up to 24 as a second official language or up to 136 as a first official language, and up to 100 skill transferability points that depend on the first official language.

Do I need an English test to get the 50 points?

Yes. The 50 points need CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities. With no English test, or CLB 4 or lower in any ability, the additional points are 25.

Can French be my first official language?

Yes. IRCC lets you choose which language is first. French first pays when your French levels are higher than your English levels, or when English is below CLB 7 in one ability and French is not.

Does NCLC 6 in one ability get any additional points?

No. The 25 and 50 points need NCLC 7 or higher in every ability. NCLC 6 in one ability keeps the core points for the other three but removes the bonus entirely.

Do the French points apply to the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program?

Yes. The CRS ranks every candidate in the Express Entry pool, whatever the program. The Federal Skilled Worker Program also has its own 67-point eligibility grid, where French as a second official language is worth 4 points at NCLC 5 or higher.

How long are French test results valid for CRS points?

Two years from the date the results are issued. They must still be valid when you complete your profile and when you submit the permanent residence application.

French classes at Toronto French Academy

Toronto French Academy prepares Express Entry candidates for the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada with small live groups, private classes and weekly corrected practice, online and in Toronto. Most students who start at A2 or B1 reach NCLC 7 in four to six months, which is the level where the 25 or 50 additional points start. Book a demo class to have your level assessed against the points you are after.