Express Entry: CRS Score

When you apply for permanent residence through Express Entry, your application goes into a pool of skilled and qualified workers with which you will compete for living in Canada. Next, you are assigned points based on various factors decided by the immigration authorities and your application is ranked against other applicants using the Comprehensive Ranking system (CRS). At this point, your CRS score becomes one of the most important aspects of your immigration application.

Now, how does that happen? You see, every two weeks, there is a draw made from the Express Entry pool where eligible applicants are invited for permanent residence (PR). When a draw is made, the Canadian immigration authorities decide a CRS score cutoff that ultimately decides whether you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR or not. This cutoff tells you what the minimum CRS score is to get accepted in that particular draw. For example, if the CRS score cutoff is 490 and your CRS score is 500, you will get an ITA. 

So, are you curious now? Would you like to check your CRS score? Head over to the CRS Tool page on the official Canadian immigration website and you can fill in your information to find out a preliminary CRS score. You will also get a CRS score automatically when you create your online profile for Express Entry. This CRS score is based on the information that you provide in your profile and can be seen on the “Application/Profile Details” page of your secure account.

Always remember that the applications submitted in the pool are sorted and ranked on various factors that select candidates with highest potential for financial success and cultural integration into Canadian life. Higher your CRS score, more probability is that you rank high in the candidate pool, and more chance it is that you will be invited to apply. Your total CRS score is assigned from a maximum of 1200 points. These 1200 points are split into two sets based upon various factors:

• Core or Human Capital Factors: You can get a maximum of 600 points here based on:

  • what skills and work experience you have.

  • what skills and qualifications your spouse or common-law partner has, such as their education levels or language proficiency.

  • how transferable your skills are, including your education and work experience.

• Additional Factors: You can get a maximum of 600 points here based on:

  • whether you have degrees, diplomas, or certificates from Canadian institutions.

  • a valid job offer in Canada.

  • a nomination from a province or territory in Canada.

  • a brother or sister who is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

  • strong proficiency in French language.

Now, the math here is your core points + additional points is what will give your total CRS score. But it’s not that simple! Your points will be calculated differently based on whether you are coming to Canada with your spouse/common-law partner or not. So, if your spouse or common-law partner is not coming with you or they are already a Canadian citizen or permanent residents, then you will earn points as if you don’t have a spouse or common-law partner. But, if your spouse or partner is immigrating with you, the math will become different. Your maximum of 600 points in the core factors will be split into maximum of 560 points for your profile and maximum of 40 points for your spouse or common-law partners. Look at the tables below for more details on this.

A. Core or Human Capital Factors

Factors	Points per factor – With a spouse or common-law partner	Points per factor – Without a spouse or common-law partner
Age	100	110
Education Level	140	150
Official Language Proficiency	150	160
Canadian Work Experience	70	80

B. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors

Factors	Points per factor (Maximum 40 points)
Education Level	10
Official Language Proficiency	20
Canadian Work Experience	10

 A. Core/human capital factors + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors = Maximum 500 points (with OR without a spouse or common-law partner)

C. Skill Transferability Factors

(Maximum 100 points)

Education	Points per factor (Maximum 50 points)
Required: ·       Strong official language proficiency AND ·       Post-secondary degree	50
Required: ·       Canadian work experience AND ·       Post-secondary degree	50
Foreign Work Experience	Points per factor (Maximum 50 points)
Required: ·       Strong official language proficiency (CLB Level 7 or higher) AND ·       Foreign work experience	50
Required: ·       Canadian work experience AND ·       Foreign work experience	50
Certificate of Qualification (for people in trade occupations)	Points per factor (Maximum 50 points)
Required: ·       Strong official language proficiency AND ·       A certificate of qualification	50

A. Core/human capital factors + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Skill Transferability factors = Maximum 600 points

D. Additional Factors

(Maximum 600 points)

Factor	Maximum points per factor
Brother or sister living in Canada as a citizen or permanent resident	15
French language proficiency	50
Post-secondary education in Canada	30
Arranged employment – TEER 0 Major Group 00	200
Arranged employment – NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3, or any TEER 0 other than Major Group 00	50
PR Nomination	600

 A. Core/human capital factors + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors + C. Skill Transferability factors + D. Additional points = Grand total of maximum 1200 points

In our upcoming posts, we will talk about these CRS factors and their criteria in detail. So keep reading!

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Disclaimer:

The content available on this page is for informational purpose only. For professional advice, please book an appointment with our licensed immigration consultants through our website.

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