Canada Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
If you are looking to become a permanent resident of Canada using the Express Entry system, you will be assessed using the Canada Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
For more information about the CRS, Express Entry and becoming a Canadian permanent resident, get in touch with one of our trusted legal experts on +1 844 290 6312 today.
Page Contents
- What is the Canada Comprehensive Ranking System?
- How can I increase my CRS score?
- How are the points in the CRS awarded?
- A – Core / Human Capital Factors
- B – Spouse or Common Law Partner Factors (if applicable)
- C – Skill Transferability factors
- D – Additional points
- How can Total Law help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Canada Comprehensive Ranking System?
The CRS is a points-based system that assesses and ranks individuals applying for the Express Entry route of immigration. This is intended solely for skilled workers seeking to gain Canadian permanent residence, and covers the following programs:
The CRS comprises a series of questions assessing your eligibility for permanent residence. These include things such as age, education, work experience and skills. The CRS is graded out of 1,200 points, and is separated into four main sections:
- Core / Human Capital Factors
- Spouse or Common Law Partner Factors
- Skill Transferability Factors
- Additional Points
After completing the CRS, you will be placed in the Express Entry pool. The Canadian government will then periodically reach out to those with the highest CRS points total from this pool and issue them with an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. This process, known as the Express Entry Draw, happens approximately every two weeks.
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How can I increase my CRS score?
The Comprehensive Ranking System is a dynamic system that allows Express Entry candidates the chance to increase their chances of receiving an ITA even while in the Express Entry pool.
There are many ways in which you can increase your CRS score. For example, successfully applying through the Provincial Nomination program before submitting an Express Entry application can afford you the maximum 600 points available in the Additional Points section of the CRS.
Candidates who have further education qualifications can also earn additional points in the CRS, as does Canadian work experience and securing a job offer from a Canadian company.
Language skills are also assessed in the CRS, specifically in the Skill Transferability Factors section. You can earn additional points by scoring highly on the Canadian Language Benchmark assessment and/or on the Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadien (NCLN). Express Entry candidates who are certified to be proficient in both English and French will manage to receive the highest scores on the CRS.
It may also be the case that your spouse or common-law partner may be able to score more highly on the CRS due to their qualifications, experience or skills. In that instance, it may be the case that they would make a better choice as the principal applicant for Express Entry. It is also possible for both partners to submit an application simultaneously while listing each other as an accompanying spouse, which may increase your chances of receiving an ITA.
How are the points in the CRS awarded?
Candidates are graded differently on the CRS depending on whether or not they have an accompanying spouse or common law partner emigrating with them.
If the candidate’s spouse or common law partner is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or if they are not emigrating to Canada with the candidate, the candidate will be graded in the CRS as if they don’t have a spouse or partner.
The table below summarises the maximum point total for each section:
| Factors | Maximum Points Available |
|---|---|
| A. Core / Human Capital Factors | 460 (with spouse) 500 (without spouse) |
| B. Spouse or Common-Law Factors | 40 |
| C. Skill Transferability Factors | 100 |
| D. Additional Points | 600 |
| Maximum Total Points | 1200 |
Below are the score breakdowns for every section of the CRS, including the maximum possible score candidates are able to attain in each section.
A – 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
| Age | With a spouse or common law partner | Without a spouse or common law partner |
| 17 years of age or less | 0 | 0 |
| 18 years of age | 90 | 99 |
| 19 years of age | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 29 years of age | 100 | 110 |
| 30 years of age | 95 | 105 |
| 31 years of age | 90 | 99 |
| 32 years of age | 85 | 94 |
| 33 years of age | 80 | 88 |
| 34 years of age | 75 | 83 |
| 35 years of age | 70 | 77 |
| 36 years of age | 65 | 72 |
| 37 years of age | 60 | 66 |
| 38 years of age | 55 | 61 |
| 39 years of age | 50 | 55 |
| 40 years of age | 45 | 50 |
| 41 years of age | 35 | 39 |
| 42 years of age | 25 | 28 |
| 43 years of age | 15 | 13 |
| 44 years of age | 5 | 6 |
| 45 years of age | 0 | 0 |
| Maximum | 100 | 110 |
Education
| Level of Education | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 28 | 30 |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 91 | 98 |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years | 119 | 128 |
| 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.) | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) | 140 | 150 |
| Maximum | 140 | 150 |
First Official Language Proficiency
You must have French or English language proficiency to get some points in this area. It is even more when you can speak, read, and write in both.
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| 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 |
| Maximum | 128 | 136 |
Second Official Language Proficiency
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| CLB 4 or less | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or more | 6 | 6 |
| Maximum | 22 | 24 |
Canadian Work Experience
| Canadian work experience | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| None or less than a 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 |
| Maximum | 70 | 80 |
B – Spouse or Common Law Partner Factors (if applicable)
These are factors that concern your spouse in terms of education, language ability and their work history. The maximum you can get in for A – Core / human capital + B – Spouse or common-law partner factors is 500 points
Spouse’s or common law partner’s level of education
| Spouse’s or common law partner’s level of education | With spouse or common-law partner | Without spouse or common-law partner |
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | n/a |
| Secondary school (high school graduation) | 2 | n/a |
| One-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 6 | n/a |
| Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical in 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 (PhD) | 10 | n/a |
| Maximum | 10 | n/a |
Spouse or Common Law Partner’s Official Language Abilities – First Official Language
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening) | With spouse or common-law Partner | Without spouse or common-law partner |
| 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 | 5 | n/a |
| Maximum | 20 | n/a |
Spouse or common law partner’s Canadian work experience
| Spouse’s Canadian work experience | With spouse or common-law partner | Without spouse or common-law partner |
| None or less than a 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 |
| Maximum | 10 | n/a |
C – Skill Transferability factors (Maximum 100 points)
This section assesses if you have skills or qualifications that can be used in Canada.
Education and language proficiency
| With good official language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark Level [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 | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities |
| Secondary school (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 |
| Maximum | 25 | 50 |
Education and Canadian Work Experience
| With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience | Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience |
| Secondary school (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 |
| Maximum | 25 | 50 |
Foreign Work Experience – with CLB 7 or Higher
| Years of experience | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 9 | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official 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 | 25 | 50 |
Foreign work experience – With Canadian work experience
| Years of experience | Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience | 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 |
| Maximum | 25 | 50 |
D – Additional points (Maximum 600 points)
These have to do with additional factors that can boost your scores.
| Factor | 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 (already have a job offer in National Occupational Classification – NOC – 00) | 200 |
| Arranged employment – job offer in any other NOC 0, A or B | 50 |
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
| Maximum | 600 |
How Can Total Law Help?
Ensuring that you score high enough on the CRS to receive an invitation to apply for Canada permanent residence is a crucial step in securing your permanent residency status in Canada.
Total Law’s Canadian immigration lawyers are experts in the Comprehensive Ranking System and how the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assess potential candidates. We have years’ worth of experience working with individuals looking to emigrate to Canada and helping them to maximise their chances of receiving an invitation for permanent residency.
We can analyze your case and look into your qualifications and other factors that can boost your case, and provide professional advice on how to achieve them. Also, we can help you with entering the Express Entry System and doing all that is possible to boost your chances of success.
For more information about how we can assist you and your application, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on +1 844 290 6312, or contact us through our form online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum score requirement to be eligible for the Express Entry system is 67. Beyond that, the thresholds for receiving an Invitation to Apply can vary between specific Express Entry draws, although the average cut-off point can generally range from around 400 to 600 points.
Candidates remain in the Express Entry pool for 12 months after submitting their application. If you’ve not yet received an Invitation to Apply by the end of the 12 months, you’re able to submit your application and re-enter the pool for another 12 months.
No one can predict what the CRS cut-off would be. Also, it can go from high to low and vice versa in a matter of weeks. So, it may be in your best interest to enter the pool regardless while still actively working to increase your CRS scores.
