The Express Entry system is a merit-based system for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada permanently. This system ranks applicant profiles based on a points-based Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
How it works:
- Eligibility: Meet the requirements for one of the three Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Skilled workers with foreign education and experience.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Skilled trades workers with foreign qualifications and experience.
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Skilled workers with Canadian work experience.
- Create a profile: Submit your profile through the Express Entry online portal.
- Get a CRS score: Your profile will be assigned a score out of 1,200 based on factors like education, work experience, language skills, and age.
- Invitations to Apply (ITAs): During regular rounds, IRCC invites the highest-ranked candidates with CRS scores above a predetermined threshold to apply for permanent residence.
Benefits of Express Entry:
- Faster processing times: Applicants with high CRS scores may receive permanent residence status within 6 months.
- Transparent selection process: The points-based system ensures fairness and objectivity in selection.
- Flexibility: Choose the program that best suits your skills and experience.
Get started:
- Check your eligibility for an Express Entry program.
- Learn more about the CRS score and how it’s calculated.
- Create your Express Entry profile.
Determining your Express Entry CRS Score
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) assigns a score out of 1,200 points to each Express Entry candidate. This score determines your relative position in the pool and influences your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.
What factors impact your CRS score?
Several key factors contribute to your CRS score:
- Core human capital factors:
- Age: Points decrease with age, with younger applicants receiving more points.
- Education: Points are awarded based on your highest level of completed education, with higher degrees earning more points.
- Language ability: Strong proficiency in English and/or French significantly boosts your score.
- Work experience: Points are granted for skilled work experience relevant to your immigration program, with Canadian experience holding greater weight.
- Additional factors:
- Arranged employment in Canada: A valid job offer secured through the Express Entry system can add significant points.
- Adaptability: Points are awarded for factors like Canadian education or past visits to Canada.
- Spouse or common-law partner’s characteristics: Certain aspects of your spouse/partner’s education, language skills, and work experience can contribute to your overall score.
CRS Points Breakdown by Section
CRS Section | Maximum Points (With Spouse) | Maximum Points (Without Spouse) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Core / Human Capital Factors | 460 | 500 | |
Spouse / Partner Factors | 40 | Not Applicable | |
Skills Transferability Factors | 100 | 100 | |
Additional Points | 600 | 600 | |
Total | 1200 | 1200 |
Additional Notes:
- The Core / Human Capital Factors section awards the most points, making it crucial for maximizing your CRS score.
- While the Spouse / Partner Factors section can contribute points, it only applies to applicants with spouses or common-law partners.
- The Skills Transferability Factors and Additional Points sections offer opportunities to boost your score beyond the core factors.
- Remember, the maximum points are just potential benchmarks. Your actual score will depend on your individual profile and specific circumstances.
1. Core Human Capital Factors:
This section assesses your core skills and experience, awarding points based on:
- Age: Points decrease with age.
- Education: Points increase with higher levels of education attained.
- Language Proficiency: Points are awarded for proficiency in English and/or French.
- Canadian Work Experience: Points are awarded for relevant work experience gained in Canada.
Maximum Points:
- With Spouse/Common-Law Partner: 460 points (combined for all factors)
- Without Spouse/Common-Law Partner: 500 points (individual)
Age
(with spouse: maximum 100 / without spouse: maximum 110)
Age | With Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Points) | Without Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Points) | |
|---|---|---|---|
17 or younger | 0 | 0 | |
18 | 90 | 99 | |
19 | 95 | 105 | |
20-09 | 100 | 110 | |
30 | 95 | 105 | |
31 | 90 | 99 | |
32 | 85 | 94 | |
33 | 80 | 88 | |
35 | 70 | 77 | |
36 | 65 | 72 | |
37 | 60 | 66 | |
38 | 55 | 61 | |
39 | 50 | 55 | |
40 | 45 | 50 | |
41 | 35 | 39 | |
42 | 25 | 38 | |
43 | 15 | 17 | |
44 | 5 | 6 | |
45 or older | 0 | 0 |
Education
(with spouse: maximum 140 / without spouse: maximum 150)
Absolutely! Here’s the data you provided transformed into a table:
Level of Education | With Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Points) | Without Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Points) |
|---|---|---|
Less than secondary (high school) | 0 | 0 |
Secondary (high school) | 28 | 30 |
One-year degree, diploma or certificate | 84 | 90 |
Two-year program at a university/college/institute | 91 | 98 |
Bachelor’s degree or longer program (3+ years) | 112 | 120 |
Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees (one 3+ years) | 119 | 120 |
Master’s degree or professional degree | 126 | 135 |
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) | 140 | 150 |
First official language
(with spouse: maximum 128 / without spouse: maximum 136)
Here’s the data formatted as a table:
CLB Level | Points (With Spouse) | Points (Without Spouse) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Less than CLB 4 | 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 more | 32 | 34 |
Second official language
(with spouse: maximum 22 / without spouse: maximum 24)
Absolutely! Here’s the data presented in a clear and concise table format:
Second Official Language Proficiency | Points (With Spouse) | Points (Without Spouse) | |
|---|---|---|---|
CLB Level per Ability | |||
Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 | |
CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 | |
CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 | |
CLB 9 or more | 6 | 6 |
Canadian work experience
(with spouse: maximum 70 / without spouse: maximum 80)
Canadian Work Experience | With spuse | Without spouse | |
|---|---|---|---|
None or less than 1 year | 0 | 0 | |
1 year | 35 | 40 | |
2 years | 46 | 53 | |
3 years | 56 | 64 | |
4 years | 63 | 72 | |
5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
2) Spouse/Common-law Partner Factors (if applicable)
The partner factors award points for a spouse or common-law partner’s education, language, and Canadian work experience.
Spouse’s education
(with spouse: maximum 10 points / without spouse: does not apply)
Level o Education | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
Less than secondary (high school) | 0 | n/a |
Secondary (high school) | 2 | n/a |
One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 6 | n/a |
Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 7 | n/a |
Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 8 | n/a |
Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years | 9 | n/a |
Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (For “professional degree,” the degree program must have been in: medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine, or pharmacy.) | 10 | n/a |
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) | 10 | n/a |
Spouse’s language ability
(with spouse: maximum 20 points / without spouse: does not apply)
CLB Level per Ability | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
CLB 4 or less | 0 | n/a |
CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | n/a |
CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | n/a |
CLB 9 or more | 6 | n/a |
Spouse’s Canadian work experience
(with spouse: maximum 10 points / without spouse: does not apply)
Canadian Work Experience | With spouse | Without spouse | |
|---|---|---|---|
None or less than 1 year | 0 | n/a | |
1 year | 5 | n/a | |
2 years | 7 | n/a | |
3 years | 8 | n/a | |
4 years | 9 | n/a | |
5 years or more | 10 | n/a |
Subtotal : 1. Core / human capital + 2. Spouse or common-law partner factors = Maximum 500 points
3) Skills Transferability Factors (maximum 100 points for this section)
The skills transferability factors award points based on a combination of factors (for example, strong language proficiency and a post-secondary degree).
Language and post-secondary education
(maximum 50 points)
CLB 7 or higher and a post-secondary degree | Points for CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, with one or more under CLB 9 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
Secondary (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 |
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials | 25 | 50 |
was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | ||
A university-level credential at the master’s level or at the level of an entry-to-practice professional degree for an occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification matrix at Skill Level A for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required | 25 | 50 |
A university-level credential at the doctoral level | 25 | 50 |
Canadian work experience and post-secondary education
(maximum 50 points)
Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience (Maximum 25 points) Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience (Maximum 50 points) | Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience (Maximum 50 points) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Secondary (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 | |
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 | |
Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 25 | 50 | |
A university-level credential at the master’s level or at the level of an entry-to-practice professional degree for an occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification matrix at Skill Level A for which | 25 | 50 | |
A university-level credential at the doctoral level | 25 | 50 |
Language and foreign work experience
(maximum 50 points)
Years of work experience | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 9 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 50 points) | |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Canadian work experience and foreign work experience
(maximum 50 points)
Years of work experience | Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience (Maximum 25 points) | Points for foreign work experience + 2 years or more 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 |
Language and certificate of qualification
(maximum 50 points)
Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) – With [CLB] 5 or higher) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
Subtotal: 1. Core / human capital + 2. Spouse or common-law partner + 3. Skill transferability factors – Maximum 600 points
4) Additional Points (maximum 600 points)
The additional points section awards points for factors such as having a brother or sister living in Canada, arranged employment, and a provincial nomination.
Adaptability | Points |
|---|---|
Brother or sister living in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident of Canada | 15 |
Scored NCLC 7 or higher on all four French language skills and scored CLB 4 or lower in English (or didn’t take an English test) | 25 |
Scored NCLC 7 or higher on all four French language skills and scored CLB 5 or higher on all four English skills | 50 |
Post-secondary education in Canada – credential of one or two years | 15 |
Post-secondary education in Canada – credential three years or longer | 30 |
Arranged employment – NOC 00 | 200 |
Arranged employment – any other NOC 0, A or B | 50 |
Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
Grand total: A. Core / human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Skill transferability factors + D. Additional points = Maximum 1,200 points
Express Entry Cut-Off Scores:
What is a CRS cut-off?
The CRS cut-off score is the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score an Express Entry candidate must achieve to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during a draw. This score is not predetermined but changes with each draw based on several factors:
- Pool competitiveness: The number and quality of other profiles in the pool influence the cut-off score.
- Program specific: Each draw targets a specific immigration program (e.g., FSWP, CEC), leading to separate cut-off scores.
- Time since last draw: Longer intervals between draws may result in higher cut-off scores due to accumulated applications.
- Additional factors: Government policy changes, travel restrictions, and pandemics can also impact cut-off scores.
What is a good CRS score?
While the cut-off score fluctuates, generally, a CRS score above 500 offers a better chance of receiving an ITA. Historical data shows:
- Lowest FSWP cut-off: 413 (May 31, 2017, “No Program Specified”)
- Lowest FSTP cut-off: 199 (May 26, 2017)
- Lowest CEC cut-off: 75 (February 13, 2021)
Will the CRS score go down in 2024?
With regular invitations for FSWP and CEC candidates resuming in July 2022, the score may decrease as the year progresses. Canada aims to welcome a significant number of new permanent residents in the coming years:
- 431,645 in 2022
- 447,055 in 2023
- 451,000 in 2024
These high immigration targets suggest a potential future decrease in the CRS cut-off score.
How can I improve my CRS score?
Several strategies can maximize your CRS score and boost your chances in the Express Entry pool:
- Improve language skills: Retake English or French language tests.
- Gain work experience: Relevant skilled work experience earns points.
- Upgrade your education: Consider higher education or professional certifications.
- Secure a job offer: A valid job offer significantly increases your score.
- Explore provincial nomination: Applying through a provincial program can add points.
By carefully understanding the CRS point allocation and actively improving your profile, you can increase your chances of receiving an ITA and pursuing permanent residency in Canada.