Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

The new Express Entry system was introduced by Canada in 2015 to process applications to most federal economic immigration programs. As all the programs under this system are extremely competitive, the applicants are ranked against each other and the highest-ranking candidates are selected to become Canadian permanent residents.

A merit-based points system, known as Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was developed by the Government of Canada to rank immigration candidates. According to this system, a CRS score is assigned to each candidate in the Express Entry pool. It manages 3 programs, namely:

  • Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
  • Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

A person submitting his/her profile to the Express Entry pool is assigned a CRS score out of 1200 points. the Canadian government conducts an Express Entry draw almost every two weeks where the highest-ranking candidates are issued Invitations to Apply (ITA). It should be noted that the IRCC keeps all the information regarding date of draw, number of ITAs to be issued and minimum required CRS score undisclosed.

CRS Score

Here’s a summary of maximum points that Express Entry candidates may receive for each factor under the CRS.

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

 

  1. Core/Human Capital Factors

Factors

Points

 

With Spouse/Common-Law Partner

Without Spouse/Common-Law Partner

Age

100

110

Level of Education

140

150

Official Languages Proficiency

150

160

Canadian Work Experience

70

80

Maximum

460

500

 

  1. Spouse/Common-Law Partner Factors

Factors

Points

Level of Education

10

Official Languages Proficiency

20

Canadian Work Experience

10

Maximum

40

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

 

  1. Skill Transferability Factors (Maximum 100 Points)

Education

 

With good/strong official languages proficiency and a post-secondary degree

50

With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree

50

Maximum

50

Foreign Work Experience

 

With good/strong official languages proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark [CLB] level 7 or higher) and foreign work experience

50

With Canadian work experience and foreign work experience

50

Maximum

50

Certificate of Qualification (for people in trade occupations)

 

With good/strong official languages proficiency and a certificate of qualification

50

Maximum

50

Maximum

100

 

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

 

  1. Additional Points (Maximum 600 Points)

Factor

Points

Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident)

15

French language skills

30

Post-secondary education in Canada

30

Arranged employment

200

PN nomination

600

Maximum

600

 

  1. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors + C. Transferability factors + D. Additional points = Grand total – Maximum 1,200 points

Section-wise Breakdown of Points

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 Factors

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

17

44 years of age

5

6

45 years of age or more

0

0

Maximum

100

110

 

Education Factors

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 Factors

Official languages proficiency – first official language: Maximum points for each ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
-    32 with a spouse or common-law partner
-    34 without a spouse or common-law partner

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

Note: Points are awarded for each language ability

Second Official Language Factors

Official languages proficiency – second official language: Maximum points for each ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
-    6 with a spouse or common-law partner up to a maximum of 22 points
-    6 without a spouse or common-law partner up to a maximum of 24 points

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

Note: Points are awarded for each language ability

Canada Work Experience Factors

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

Level of Education

Spouse’s or Common-Law Partner’s Level of Education

With a spouse or common-law partner

Without a spouse or common-law partner

Less than secondary school (high school)

0

NA

Secondary diploma (high school graduation)

2

NA

One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute

6

NA

Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute

7

NA

Bachelor's degree OR a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute

8

NA

Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years

9

NA

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

NA

Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.)

10

NA

Maximum

10

Does Not Apply

Spouse’s or Common-Law Partner’s Official Languages Proficiency – First Official Language Factors

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening )

With a spouse or common-law partner

Without a spouse or common-law partner

CLB 4 or less

0

NA

CLB 5 or 6

1

NA

CLB 7 or 8

3

NA

CLB 9 or more

5

NA

Maximum

20

Does Not Apply

Note: Points are awarded for each language ability

Spouse or Common-Law Partner’s Canadian Work Experience

Spouse’s Canadian Work Experience

With a spouse or common-law partner

Without a spouse or common-law partner

None or less than a year

0

NA

1 year

5

NA

2 years

7

NA

3 years

8

NA

4 years

9

NA

5 years or more

10

NA

Maximum

10

Does Not Apply

 

Subtotal: A – Core/Human Capital + B – Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors – Maximum 500 Points

C – Skill Transferability Factors (Maximum 100 Points for this Section)
 

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 Good Official Language Proficiency (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

 

Trade Certificate and Language Proficiency

Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) – With good official language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark Level [CLB] 5 or higher)

Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7

Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities

With a certificate of qualification

25

50

Maximum

25

50

Subtotal: A – Core/Human Capital + B – Spouse or Common-Law Partner + C – Skill Transferability Factors – Maximum 600 Points

D – Additional Points (Maximum 600 Points)

Additional Points

Factor

Points

Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident)

15

French language skills

30

Post-secondary education in Canada

30

Arranged employment

200

PN nomination

600

Maximum

600

 

A. Core/Human Capital + B. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors + C. Transferability Factors + D. Additional Points = Grand Total – Maximum 1,200 Points

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