How the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Works - Express Entry
Canada uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank Foreign Nationals who want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry . Candidates are ranked against one another, only the highest scoring candidates will receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. In order to submit the Express Entry Profile a candidate must have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The CRS score base on different criteria such as age, language skills, education and work experience.
Almost every two weeks the Canadian government conducts Express Entry draw so as to issue Invitation to Apply (ITAs) to the highest-scoring candidates in the Express Entry pool. A CRS score out of 1200 points is assigned to every candidate who submits his/her profile through the Express Entry pool.
Express Entry manages three applications from the federal economic immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Program
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program
How can I increase my CRS Score?
CRS Score or points depends on major factors which are: language abilities, work experience, education and age. Securing additional points apart from the major factors can be a great advantage to the applicant’s chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply in the Express Entry draw. These additional points are having a brother or sister in Canada, speaking French at a high level, receiving a job offer in Canada and getting nominated from the Provision Nominee Program (PNP)
How can a Provincial Nomination or Invitation to Apply (ITA) increase my CRS Score?
Securing a nomination through the Provision Nominee Program (PNP) can suddenly result to an additional 600 points to your CRS Score, guaranteeing an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score Factors
| Factors | maximum points available |
|---|---|
| Core / Human Capital Factors | 460 (with spouse), 500 (without spouse) |
| Spouse or Common-law Partner Factors | 40 |
| Skilled Transferability Factors | 100 |
| Additional Points | 600 |
Note; There is maximum of 1200 points/score under Comprehensive Ranking System.
Core / Human Capital Factors
| Factors | Points with a spouse or common-law partner | Points without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Education Level | 140 | 150 |
| Language Proficiency | 150 | 160 |
| Canadian Work Experience | 70 | 80 |
| Maximum Points | 460 | 500 |
Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors
| Factors | Points |
|---|---|
| Education Level | 10 |
| Language Proficiency | 20 |
| Canadian Work Experience | 10 |
| Maximum Points | 40 |
Skills Transferability Factors
| Factors | Points |
|---|---|
| Education Level | |
Strong/good official educational languages proficiency test results and a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Canadian work experience and post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Foreign Work Experience | |
Strong/good official languages proficiency test results (Canadian Language Benchmark [CLB] level 7 or higher) and foreign work experience | 50 |
| Canadian work experience and Foreign work experience | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Certificate of Qualification (For Skilled Trades) | |
| Strong/good official languages proficiency and a certificate of qualification | 50 |
| Maximum | 50 |
| Maximum Points | 100 |
Additional Points
| Factors | points |
|---|---|
Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
| French Language Proficiency | 50 |
| Post secondary education in Canada | 30 |
| Employment offer | 200 |
| Provincial Nominee Nomination | 600 |
| Maximum | 600 |
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score Factors are further divided up section by section.
Core / Human Capital Factors
- With a spouse or common-law partner: Maximum 460 points total for all factors.
- Without a spouse or common-law partner: Maximum 500 points total for all factors.
Age Factor
| Age (years) | With a spouse or common-Law Partner | Without a spouse or common-Law Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 90 | 99 |
| 19 | 95 | 105 |
| 20-29 | 100 | 110 |
| 30 | 95 | 105 |
| 31 | 90 | 99 |
| 32 | 85 | 94 |
| 33 | 80 | 88 |
| 34 | 75 | 83 |
| 35 | 70 | 77 |
| 36 | 62 | 72 |
| 37 | 60 | 66 |
| 38 | 55 | 61 |
| 39 | 50 | 55 |
| 40 | 45 | 50 |
| 41 | 35 | 39 |
| 42 | 25 | 28 |
| 43 | 15 | 17 |
| 44 | 5 | 6 |
| 45 or more | 0 | 0 |
| Maximum Points | 100 | 110 |
Education Factor
| Education Level | with a spouse or common-law partner | without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Less than High (secondary) school | 0 | 0 |
| High (secondary) school graduation | 28 | 30 |
| One year post-secondary program | 84 | 90 |
| Two year post-secondary program | 91 | 98 |
| Three year post-secondary program or more (Bachelor degree) | 112 | 120 |
Two or more post-secondary programs, one must be for a program of three years or more | 119 | 128 |
Master\’s or entry-to-practice professional degree in medicine, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic medicine, dentistry or law | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) | 140 | 150 |
| Maximum Points | 140 | 150 |
First Language Factor
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | with a spouse or common-law partner | without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 3 or less | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| CLB 10 or higher | 32 | 34 |
| Maximum Points | 128 | 136 |
Second Language Factor
| Canadian language benchmark (CLB) | with a spouse or common-law partner | without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 6 | 6 |
| Maximum Points | 22 | 24 |
Canadian Work Experience Factor
| Number of Years | With a Spouse or Common-law Partner | Without a Spouse or Common-law Partner |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
| Maximum Points | 70 | 80 |
Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors
Official Language Factor
| Canadian language benchmark (CLB) | with a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 5 |
| Maximum Points | 20 |
Education Factor
| Education Level | with a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|
| Less than High (secondary) school | 0 |
| High (secondary) school graduation | 2 |
| One year post-secondary program | 6 |
| Two year post-secondary program | 7 |
| Three year post-secondary program or more (Bachelor degree) | 8 |
Two or more post-secondary programs, one must be for a program of three years or more | 9 |
Master\’s or entry-to-practice professional degree in medicine, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic medicine, dentistry or law | 10 |
| Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) | 10 |
| Maximum Points | 10 |
Canadian Work Experience Factor
| Number of Years | With a Spouse or Common-law Partner |
|---|---|
| None or less than 1 | 0 |
| 1 year | 5 |
| 2 years | 7 |
| 3 years | 8 |
| 4 years | 9 |
| 5 years or more | 10 |
| Maximum Points | 10 |
Skills Transferability Factors
Education and Language Proficiency
| Education | CLB 7 or higher on all language abilities, with one at least CLB 8 | CLB 9 or higher on all language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| High (secondary) school education or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of 1 year or more | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary education credentials, at least one of 3 years long or more | 25 | 50 |
| Masters or entry-practice professional degree | 25 | 50 |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum Points | 25 | 50 |
Education and Canadian Work experience
| Education and Canadian work experience | 1 year of Canadian Work Experience | 2 year or more of Canadian Work Experience |
|---|---|---|
| High (secondary) school education or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of 1 year of more | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary education credentials, at least one of 3 years long or more | 25 | 50 |
| Master\’s or entry-practice professional degree | 25 | 50 |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum Points | 25 | 25 |
Foreign Work Experience
| Year of Experience | CLB 7 or more on all language abilities, with one at least CLB 8 | CLB 9 or higher on all language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum Points | 25 | 50 |
Canadian Work Experience and Foreign Work Experience
| Year of Experience | 1 year of Canadian Work Experience | 2 or more years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum Points | 25 | 50 |