Canada has welcomed hundreds of thousands of permanent residents on the basis of their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores.
The Canadian federal government uses the CRS to determine which candidates will receive invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence (PR) through the Express Entry system.
If you’re seeking Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry, understanding the CRS can help you figure out how to boost your score, thereby increasing your chances of getting invited to apply for PR.
This article will cover
- How a CRS score can impact whether you receive permanent residency in Canada;
- Two fictional profiles that would qualify for recent Express Entry draws;
- Who is eligible to receive a CRS score;
- How Canada uses the CRS score to determine who will receive an ITA;
- Whether you should submit a profile in Express Entry with a low score;
- How you can improve your CRS score; and
- What the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is and how it’s measured.
How does the CRS affect who receives permanent residency?
Your CRS score can make the difference between getting PR and not getting PR.
To get permanent residence through Express Entry, you must receive an invitation to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The Canadian federal government holds regular draws, in which they select the Express Entry candidates who will receive ITAs.
The Express Entry system awards each candidate a CRS score between 0 and 1200.
The higher your CRS score, the greater your chance of receiving an ITA in an Express Entry draw.
To be selected in a draw, you must meet the requirements for that draw, and your CRS score must meet or exceed the cut-off score for that draw.
Express Entry draw examples
Here are two examples of fictional candidate profiles who would likely have been invited in recent Express Entry draws.
Example one: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Layla has a profile in the Express Entry pool, and qualifies for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) PR pathway.
She is a single 39-year-old from Sweden, and has completed a master’s degree at a Canadian university.
After graduating, she applied for and received a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and then worked in Canada as a graphic designer for two years.
Layla has advanced English and French language skills.
She has a sister who has been living in Ontario for the last for 10 years as a Canadian citizen.
| Factors determining CRS scores | Qualifications | Points awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 39 | 55 |
| Education | Master’s degree | 135 |
| Language proficiency: First and second official language | CLB 9 on all first and second official language abilities | 148 |
| Canadian work experience | Two years | 53 |
| Skill transferability: Education: (language + post-secondary degree) | CLB 9 + master’s degree | 50 |
| Additional factors: Post-secondary education in Canada (3+ years) | Master’s degree obtained in Canada | 30 |
| Additional Factors: French proficiency | French language proficiency: NCLC 9 | 50 |
| Additional factors: Sibling living in Canada | Sister living in Ontario | 15 |
Core human capital for a primary applicant with no spouse: 391/500
Skill transferability: 50/100
Additional Factors: 95/600
Layla has amassed 536 points for her skills and qualifications.
One of the most recent CEC draws that occurred was on January 23, 2024, and it had a cut-off score of 527. If Layla, at the time of this draw, had an eligible profile in the Express Entry pool, she would have exceeded the cut-off score and more than likely have received an ITA for this program-specific Express Entry draw.
Example two: French-language proficiency
Ronald is a 31-year-old single man working in France as a librarian for over 10 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in linguistics.
Ronald has a profile in the Express Entry pool and qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
He has advanced language proficiency in French (CLB 11) and has achieved a CLB 5 in English proficiency.
| Factors determining CRS scores | Qualifications | Points awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 31 | 99 |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree | 120 |
| Language proficiency | CLB 11 (French) and CLB 5 (English) | 140 |
| Skill transferability: Education (Language + post-secondary degree) | CLB 11 + bachelor’s degree | 25 |
| Skill transferability: Foreign work experience (foreign work experience +language) | 10 years as a librarian + CLB 11 | 50 |
| Additional factors: French proficiency | CLB 11 (French) and CLB 5 (English) | 50 |
Core human capital for a primary applicant with no spouse: 359/500
Skill transferability: 75/100
Additional factors: 50/100
According to his profile, Ronald has amassed 484 points, which exceeds the cut-off score of 466 for the most recent French-language proficiency draw that took place on December 3, 2024.
If Ronald had had an active profile in the pool on 3 Dec, he would likely have received an ITA.
The remainder of the article will explain the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), how these points were calculated and where they’re coming from, as well as how you can increase your score to enhance your chance of qualifying for an Express Entry draw.
Who can receive a CRS score?
To receive a CRS score, you must first enter the Express Entry pool. To enter the pool, you must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the three Express Entry-managed immigration programs:
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC);
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); or
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
You must also intend to settle in a province or territory other than Quebec—Quebec has its own immigration system, and immigration to Quebec is not managed through Express Entry.
How does Canada use the CRS to determine who gets permanent residency?
In each Express Entry draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invites the highest ranking candidates who meet the requirements for that draw.
IRCC holds the following types of draws:
- General draws: Includes eligible candidates who have a valid profile in the Express Entry pool for any of the three Express Entry-aligned programs.
- Program-specific draws: Includes eligible candidates for a specific Express Entry-aligned program (for example, CEC).
- Category-based draws: Includes only eligible candidates who meet the criteria for a category established by IRCC.
There are six federally established categories, including French-language proficiency and select occupations within these five fields:
- Agriculture and agri-food;
- Healthcare;
- Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM);
- Trades; and
- Transport.
If you meet the requirements for the draw type, and have a valid profile in the Express Entry pool, you can expect to receive an ITA if your CRS score exceeds or equals the cut-off score for that draw.*
*In the event that more than one profile’s CRS is equal to the cut-off score, and there are not enough spots to invite them all, IRCC uses a tie-breaking rule, inviting the candidate(s) with the earlier date(s) and time(s) of profile submission(s).
How are CRS scores calculated?
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) awards points to candidates in the Express Entry pool for numerous factors, including:
- Age;
- Arranged employment;
- Education;
- Family ties to Canada;
- Language proficiency;
- Skills;
- Work experience; and
- Other factors (such as provincial or territorial nominations).
Your CRS score is calculated according to four primary sections:
- Core human capital.
- Spousal or common-law partner factors (if applicable).
- Skill transferability.
- Additional Factors.
The following two tables presents each section under which you’ll be scored and the maximum amount of CRS points you can earn as a primary candidate with and without a spouse:
Scoring summary table for core human capital with and without a spouse
| Scoring factors | Points for sole candidate without spouse or common-law partner | Points for primary candidate with spouse or common-law partner |
| Age | 110 | 100 |
| Level of education | 150 | 140 |
| Official languages proficiency | 160 | 150 |
| Canadian work experience | 80 | 70 |
| Maximum points: 500 | Maximum points: 460 | |
| Spouse’s level of education | N/A | 10 |
| Spouse’s official language proficiency | N/A | 20 |
| Spouse’s Canadian work experience | N/A | 10 |
Scoring summary table for skill transferability and additional factors
| Scoring factors | CRS points for all profiles |
|---|---|
| Education | |
| Official language proficiency and post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Canadian experience and post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Maximum points: 50 | |
| Foreign work experience | |
| Official languages proficiency and foreign work experience | 50 |
| Canadian work experience and foreign work experience | 50 |
| Maximum points: 50 | |
| Certificate of qualification | |
| Official languages proficiency and certificate of qualification | 50 |
| Maximum points: 50 | |
| French language proficiency | 50 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada | 30 |
| Arranged employment under NOC TEER 0 major group 00 | 200 |
| Arranged employment under NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3
OR NOC TEER 0 except major group 00 |
50 |
| Brother or sister living in Canada (as a citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
Below you’ll find a more comprehensive breakdown of this table divided into sections and factors.
Core human capital
Under core human capital, you will be assessed and rewarded CRS points based on the following factors:
- Age;
- Canadian work experience;
- Level of education; and
- Official languages proficiency.
Your score will depend on whether you’re being assessed with or without a spouse.
If you are applying without a spouse, you can earn up to 500 points for human capital factors.
With a spouse included in your EOI, you can earn up to 460 points (as well as benefit from up to 40 points with their skills and qualifications).
Age
You will receive points for your age, unless you’re below 18 years of age or 45 years of age or older.
You can receive up to 110 points as a sole candidate under the CRS or 100 points if your spouse is included in the application.
If you are between ages 20 to 29, you receive the maximum number of points. At age 30 onwards, points awarded for age begin to decrease.
| Age | Points for sole candidates without a spouse or common-law partner | Points for primary candidate with a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| 17 or less | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 99 | 90 |
| 19 | 105 | 95 |
| 20 to 29 | 110 | 100 |
| 30 | 105 | 95 |
| 31 | 99 | 90 |
| 32 | 94 | 85 |
| 33 | 88 | 80 |
| 34 | 83 | 75 |
| 35 | 77 | 70 |
| 36 | 72 | 65 |
| 37 | 66 | 60 |
| 38 | 61 | 55 |
| 39 | 55 | 50 |
| 40 | 50 | 45 |
| 41 | 39 | 35 |
| 42 | 28 | 25 |
| 43 | 17 | 15 |
| 44 | 6 | 5 |
| 45 or more | 0 | 0 |
Canadian work experience
You can earn points for Canadian work experience obtained within the past 10 years, up to a maximum of 80 points (as a sole candidate) or 70 points (with a spouse):
| Amount of Canadian work experience | Points for sole candidates without a spouse or common-law partner | Points for primary candidate with a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than a year | 0 | 0 |
| One year | 40 | 35 |
| Two years | 53 | 46 |
| Three years | 64 | 56 |
| Four years | 73 | 63 |
| Five or more years | 80 | 70 |
| Maximum points: 80 | Maximum points: 70 |
Level of education
The type and quantity of educational credentials you possess significantly impacts the amount of CRS points you’ll be awarded by the CRS.
| Level of education | Points for sole candidates without a spouse or common-law partner | Points for primary candidate with a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary school | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary school credential | 30 | 28 |
| One-year credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) | 90 | 84 |
| Two-year credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) | 98 | 91 |
| Bachelor’s degree or three+ year credential | 120 | 112 |
| Two+ credentials (certificates, diplomas, or degrees) | 128 | 119 |
| Master’s degree or professional degree* | 135 | 126 |
| Doctoral level credential (Ph.D) | 150 | 140 |
| Maximum points: 150 | Maximum points: 140 |
Professional degrees from the following fields count:
- Medicine;
- Veterinary medicine;
- Dentistry;
- Optometry;
- Law;
- Chiropractic medicine; and
- Pharmacy.
To count any foreign educational credentials toward your CRS score, you must obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for each foreign credential.
Official languages proficiency
You can score points based on your proficiency in each of Canada’s official languages: English and French.
Points are awarded for each language ability—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—according to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB), which has 12 levels (from basic to advanced proficiency).
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | Points for sole candidates without a spouse or common-law partner | Points for primary candidate with a spouse or common-law partneR |
| Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 9 | 8 |
| CLB 7 | 17 | 16 |
| CLB 8 | 23 | 22 |
| CLB 9 | 31 | 29 |
| CLB 10 or more | 34 | 32 |
| Maximum points: 136 | Maximum points: 128 | |
| 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 points: 24 | Maximum points: 22 | |
| Maximum total points: 160 | Maximum total points: 150 | |
To claim CRS points for your language proficiency, you’ll have to complete a language proficiency test from a provider that’s been approved by the Canadian federal government.
Spouse or common-law partner
If your profile includes a spouse, then your profile can score only up to 460 points on Core Human Capital, and you can score up to 40 points for spousal factors.
Your profile will score points based on your spouse’s
- Canadian work experience;
- Level of education; and
- Official language proficiency.
| Spouse’s Canadian work experience | Maximum points |
|---|---|
| None or less than a year | 0 |
| One year | 5 |
| Two years | 7 |
| Three years | 8 |
| Four years | 9 |
| Five years or more | 10 |
| Spouse’s level of education | Maximum points |
|---|---|
| Less than secondary school | 0 |
| Secondary school credential | 2 |
| One-year credential | 6 |
| Two-year credential | 7 |
| Bachelor’s degree or three+ year credential | 8 |
| Two+ credentials | 9 |
| Master’s, doctoral, or professional degree | 10 |
Spouse’s official languages proficiency
Spouses are only assessed on their highest proficiency official language.
Each language ability—speaking, listening, reading, and writing— will be awarded up to five points.
| Spouse’s CLB level | Maximum points |
|---|---|
| CLB 4 or less | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or 10 | 5 |
Skill transferability
You can receive up to a maximum of 100 points for skill transferability factors, which award points for combinations:
- Education (50 points):
- Post-secondary degree and good official language proficiency.
- Post-secondary degree and Canadian work experience.
- Foreign work experience (50 points):
- Foreign work experience and good official language proficiency.
- Foreign work experience and Canadian work experience.
- Certificate of qualification (50 points).
You can only claim points for one skill combination within the education and foreign work experience categories, even if you qualify for more than one combination within each.
Education
You can earn points under skill transferability for the following education-centered combination factors, including having
- At least a post-secondary degree and good official languages proficiency; or
- At least a post-secondary degree and Canadian work experience.
Each of these combinations awards 50 points, but you can only amass 50 points, even if you have a post-secondary degree, good official language proficiency, and Canadian work experience.
Post-secondary degree and good official languages proficiency
| Level of education | Points for CLB 7 or higher on all first official language abilities (one or more under CLB 9) | Points for CLB 9 or higher on all four first official language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school credential or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary credential (program minimum one year) | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials, OR a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree. | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum points: 25 | Maximum points: 50 | |
Post-secondary degree and Canadian work experience
Having a post-secondary education combined with at least one year of Canadian work experience can earn you CRS points.
You can earn up to 50 points for level of education and Canadian work experience under skill transferability.
| Level of education | Points for education and one year of Canadian work experience | Points for education and two years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school credential or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post secondary credential (program minimum one year) | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials,* OR a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum points: 25 | Maximum points: 50 | |
*To score points for having two or more post-secondary credentials, at least one of them must be from a program three years or longer.
Foreign work experience
You can earn up to 50 points for having at least one of the following combinations:
- Foreign work experience and good official language proficiency; or
- Foreign work experience and Canadian work experience.
Foreign work experience and good official language proficiency
| Years of foreign work experience | Points for foreign work experience and CLB 7 or higher on all first official language abilities (one or more under CLB 9) | Points for foreign work experience and CLB 9 or higher on all four first official language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| None | 0 | 0 |
| One or two | 13 | 25 |
| Three or more | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum points: 25 | Maximum points: 50 | |
Foreign work experience and Canadian work experience
You can earn up to 50 points for having both foreign work experience and Canadian work experience.
| Years of experience | Points for foreign work experience and one year of Canadian work experience | Points for foreign work experience and two or more years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| One to two years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| Three or more years of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Maximum points: 25 | Maximum points: 50 | |
Certificate of qualification
For having a certification of qualification in your skilled trade and good language proficiency, you can score up to 50 points:
| Certificate of qualification and official language proficiency | Points for a certificate of qualification and CLB 5 or higher on all first official language abilities (one or more under 7) | Points for a certificate of qualification and minimum of CLB 7 on all first official language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
Certificates of qualification are issued by a provincial, territorial, or federal authority and prove you can work in your skilled trade within Canada.
Additional factors
You can score a maximum of 600 CRS points for additional factors.
| Factors | Points |
|---|---|
| Arranged employment – NOC TEER 0 Major Group 00* | 200 |
| Arranged employment – NOC TEER 1,2, or 3 or any TEER 0 (excluding Major Group 00)* | 50 |
| Brother or sister living in Canada (as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident)** | 15 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of one or two years | 15 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of three or more years | 30 |
| NCLC 7 or higher for all French language abilities and CLB 4 or lower in English (or no test taken) | 25 |
| NCLC 7 or higher for all French language abilities and CLB 5 or higher in all English abilities | 50 |
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
*As of spring 2025, candidates will no longer be awarded additional points for arranged employment.
** You can also receive points if your spouse has a sibling in Canada. Having more than one sibling cannot award more than the 15 total points.
How to increase your CRS Score
The most feasible ways of increasing your CRS score are
- Obtaining a provincial or territorial nomination;
- Obtaining arranged employment; and
- Increasing your language proficiency.
You can, of course, also increase your education and/or work experience, but this can take several years, and you’ve likely already been doing everything you can to get the best education and work experience that aligns with your life goals.
Provincial or territorial nomination
You can score an additional 600 CRS points for receiving a provincial or territorial nomination.
When you create your Express Entry profile, you can indicate which provinces or territories you’d like to be considered for.
To be considered for a nomination, you must follow the consideration process for the specific PNP stream.
Some streams are passive, meaning that as long as you’ve an up to date profile, and have indicated an interest in that region, the province or territory may send you a notification through your Express Entry profileasking you to apply for nomination under that stream.
Other streams are active, meaning that you must take some action yourself in order to be considered for nomination. For example, you might have to submit another expression of interest in the PNP’s pool, and be drawn from the PNP before being able to apply for nomination.
If you want to obtain a provincial or territorial nomination, you’ll have to research which streams you’re eligible for, and then be sure to follow the consideration process for each stream.
Arranged employment
At the time of writing, you can score an additional 50 or 200 points by having a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
You must meet specific criteria for your job offer to be valid, including it being supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or being LMIA-exempt.
The additional points for having a valid job offer will be removed from the CRS in the Spring of 2025.
Language proficiency
Language proficiency contributes a lot of points in the CRS.
You can score
- Up to 160 points for Core Human Capital + Spousal language skills.
- Up to 100 Skill Transferability points (when combining language with other factors); and
- Up to 50 additional points, for high French proficiency.
If you are not able to obtain a provincial nomination, studying to improve your language skills and re-taking language tests may be the most feasible way for you to increase your CRS score.
You can re-take language tests as many times as you want.
Should you still submit an EOI with a low CRS score?
If you have a low CRS score, you may still be able to receive an ITA by
- Obtaining a provincial or territorial nomination; or
- Qualifying for a category-based draw.
You can receive a provincial or territorial nomination with any level of CRS score, even 0.
And while recent CEC draws have had cut-off scores of 500 or higher, the French-language proficiency draw on March 26, 2024 had a cut-off score of 338.
There is also nothing wrong with entering the pool and then working on increasing your CRS score over time.
What is the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)?
The CLB is a standard used to recognize, measure, and describe your English or French language proficiency in Canadian immigration applications.
You need to know your CLB when applying to most Canadian immigration programs, as well as to obtain CRS points.
Some programs accept a CLB 4, such as the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), while others like the FSWP require a CLB 7.
When you take a federally-approved language test, you will be tested on four language abilities:
- Speaking;
- Listening;
- Reading; and
- Writing.
Your language test results can be converted to CLB levels, ranging from level one (basic) to level 12 (advanced). You can use CanadaVisa’s language converter to ascertain your CLBs.
These CLB levels are divided into three language proficiency stages:
Stage one: Basic proficiency
- Includes CLB 1 to CLB 4.
Stage two: Intermediate proficiency
- Includes CLB 5 to CLB 8.
Stage three: Advanced proficiency.
- Includes CLB 9 to CLB 12.
For each of your four language abilities being tested, you will fall into one of the four benchmarks within these three language proficiency levels:
- Initial;
- Developing;
- Adequate; or
- Fluent.
CanadaVisa offers more in-depth descriptors of each CLB language ability on their designated CLB webpage.
In order to test your language proficiency levels, you need to take a language proficiency test from a federally-approved language test provider. The are the five providers currently approved:
- The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index (CELPIP);
- The International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
- The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core;
- The Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada (TEF); and
- The Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF).
The first three test your English language proficiency and the remaining two test your French language proficiency.
You must remember to input your converted test results into your Express Entry profile.
