Over 350,000 Haitian nationals living legally in the US could face deportation by February 2026.
For many Haitians with skilled work experience, Canada’s points-based Express Entry program offers a potential pathway for immigration.
Since the Canadian government places a strong emphasis on Francophone immigration, French-speaking Haitians receive a competitive advantage under Express Entry, where candidates with higher scores are prioritized.
Why Haitians are strong candidates for Canadian economic immigration programs
According to Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan, the country aims to achieve a target of 10.5% French-speaking permanent residents (PRs) by 2028 (outside Quebec).
Canada evaluates candidates for Express Entry using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which scores profiles based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and work experience, both within Canada and abroad.
Haitians fluent in both English and French have an edge in Express Entry, as they can earn up to 210 points for language skills alone under the Core Human Capital and Additional Factors section of the CRS.
Moreover, candidates can gain up to 100 extra points for language proficiency depending on their education level or the number of years of international work experience, through the Skills Transferability section.
The Canadian government conducts regular Express Entry draws to invite the highest-scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence.
Even candidates with lower CRS scores may still receive invitations through category-specific draws, which usually have lower CRS cut-off thresholds than standard draws.
One such category is “French-language proficiency,” which requires candidates to achieve Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 7 in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
This year, CRS cut-off scores for French-language draws have ranged from 379–481, making them the lowest among all category-based draws.
Out of the 94,476 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued via Express Entry this year, 42,000 came from French-language draws.
For comparison, below are the CRS cut-off scores and ITAs issued for other draw categories:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws | CRS Cut-off Scores | ITA Issuances |
| French-language proficiency | 8 | 379–481 | 42,000 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 13 | 518–547 | 24,850 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 22 | 699–855 | 9,376 |
| Healthcare and social services | 6 | 462–510 | 13,500 |
| Education | 2 | 462–479 | 3,500 |
| Trades | 1 | 505 | 1,250 |
To better understand the expenses involved, read our detailed post: How much does it cost to immigrate through Express Entry? and plan your Canadian immigration journey effectively.
Fictional examples
Below are two illustrative examples of Haitian nationals who would be eligible to immigrate through Express Entry.
Example 1
Edmund is a 28-year-old single Haitian man who has been living and working in the US as a restaurant manager for the past three years.
Before moving to the US, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business management in Costa Rica.
Edmund is fluent in both French and English, having grown up speaking French and later teaching himself English in his early twenties.
His objective is to qualify for a French-language proficiency draw and settle in Alberta.
| Factors determining CRS score | Qualifications | Points awarded |
| Age | 28 | 110 |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree | 120 |
| Language proficiency: First and second official language | NCLC/CLB 9 for all first and second language abilities | 148 |
| Canadian work experience | 0 | 0 |
| Skill transferability: Education (language + post-secondary degree) | NCLC 9 + Bachelor’s degree | 25 |
| Skill transferability: Foreign work experience (language + foreign work experience) | NCLC 9 + 3 years of US work experience | 50 |
| Additional factors: French proficiency | NCLC 9 + CLB 9 | 50 |
Core human capital score for a primary applicant with no accompanying spouse: 378/500
Skill transferability: 75/100
Additional factors: 50/600
Based on these results, Edmund has a total CRS score of 503.
With this level of points, Edmund would have been eligible for all eight French-language proficiency draws held throughout 2025. If he had an active Express Entry profile during any of those draws, he would have had a strong chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Example 2
Delia is a 31-year-old Haitian woman who has lived in the US for the past two years, working as a web developer.
Her academic qualifications include two post-secondary credentials: a one-year certificate and a three-year bachelor’s degree in web design and development.
Although Delia speaks both English and French, her stronger language is English.
Her plan is to relocate to Manitoba and join her sister, who already holds Canadian permanent resident status.
She was recently issued a provincial nomination from Manitoba—adding 600 points to her CRS score—after applying to the Skilled Worker Overseas stream with her sister acting as her Manitoba supporter.
| Factors determining CRS score | Qualifications | Points awarded |
| Age | 31 | 105 |
| Education | Two foreign academic credentials | 128 |
| Language proficiency: First and second official language | CLB 10 + NCLC 5 | 140 |
| Canadian work experience | 0 | 0 |
| Skill transferability: Education (language + post-secondary degree) | CLB 10 + two foreign educational credentials | 50 |
| Skill transferability: Foreign work experience (language + foreign work experience) | CLB 9 + two years of work experience in the US | 25 |
| Additional factors: Provincial or territorial nomination | Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program – Skilled Worker Overseas | 600 |
Core human capital score for a primary applicant without a spouse: 373/500
Skill transferability: 75/100
Additional factors: 600/600
With these components combined, Delia’s total CRS score comes to 1,048.
A score this high means Delia would have met the eligibility threshold for every Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw held by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2025. With the provincial nomination now added to her Express Entry profile, she is highly likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in an upcoming PNP draw.
Take the next step toward Canadian immigration with Temboh Immigration. Get expert guidance to maximize your French-language proficiency points and secure your Express Entry invitation.
