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Express Entry candidates can maximize their score in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and improve their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Canada uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank skilled worker candidates who want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry. The CRS assigns candidates a score based on criteria such as age, education, language skills, and work experience.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is the most influential factor in receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
In other words, candidates who achieve the highest scores in the CRS have the greatest chances of receiving an ITA. If you are unsure if your CRS score is high enough, you can modify certain factors within your control to achieve a higher score.
The CRS has been shaped by the Canadian government’s studies on the outcomes of economic class immigrants. It takes these research findings into account and aims to use them to help predict a candidate’s potential for success in the Canadian labor market.
Most new immigrants to Canada are skilled workers in the economic class. Since 2015, Canada has been using Express Entry as the primary means of managing applications for skilled workers.
Express Entry is a dynamic system. Only skilled worker candidates with the highest scores in the CRS are invited by the Canadian government to immigrate to Canada.
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Components of the CRS Score
The maximum score a candidate can obtain in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is 1200 points – 600 points for the core components, spouse/partner, and skill transferability factors, and 600 points for additional components.
An Express Entry candidate can receive a maximum of 600 points in the first four categories, regardless of their marital status. The only difference is how the points are allocated and distributed.
In the additional components, a candidate can receive points for the following reasons:
- Having a provincial nomination (600 points)
- Having a job offer (50 or 200 points)
- Holding Canadian post-secondary educational credentials (15 or 30 points)
- Possessing a strong French language proficiency (25 or 50 points)
- Having a sibling in Canada (15 points)
Express Entry pool candidates need to update their profile to reflect any changes in circumstances that may affect their CRS score. Some updates are triggered automatically, such as on your birthday or when your language test results expire. For example, your score may increase when you update your profile with a valid job offer, improved language test results, or when you provide an Educational Credential Assessment for foreign education.
Start by checking your score
If you’re curious, you can check your unofficial score before you register for express entry. Keep in mind, however, that only IRCC can give you your actual score once you submit your supporting documents in the Express Entry system. Online calculators, including IRCC’s, will only be as good as the information you put into them, and will not necessarily be your end result. It is important to be careful as some online SCG calculators are not accurate.
<<>>Follow this link to calculate your CRS score
That being said, you can get a good idea of where your personal profile fits into the Express Entry system. Once you know that, you can decide if you need to improve your score and how you want to do it.
If you’re not sure if your CRS score is high enough to receive an invitation to apply (ITA), there are a few ways to increase it.
Create your profile as soon as possible
Age is one of the most influential factors in the system. If you apply when you are between 20 and 29 years old, you will automatically receive 110 CRS points. Then, the number of points for age gradually decreases until 45 years old, i.e. 0 points. It is important to note that once you are over 30, the system automatically starts deducting points. Applying early is one of the easiest ways to maximize your score
CRS – A. Basic/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 | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 100 points) | No spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 110 points) |
| 17 or younger | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 90 | 99 |
| 19 | 95 | 105 |
| 20 à 29 | 100 | 110 |
| 30 | 95 | 105 |
| 31 | 90 | 99 |
| 32 | 85 | 94 |
| 33 | 80 | 88 |
| 34 | 75 | 83 |
| 35 | 70 | 77 |
| 36 | 65 | 72 |
| 37 | 60 | 66 |
| 38 | 55 | 61 |
| 39 | 50 | 55 |
| 40 | 45 | 50 |
| 41 | 35 | 39 |
| 42 | 25 | 28 |
| 43 | 15 | 17 |
| 44 | 5 | 6 |
| 45 or more | 0 | 0 |
Improve your language score
Language proficiency is also a decisive factor. Candidates are assessed on the basis of four skills: reading, speaking, listening and writing. Each skill is associated with a distinct level of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). You need to get a CLB 4 to start earning points and there is a huge jump at each level between CLB 6 and CLB 9. If you improve your score to CLB 7, for example, that’s already 8 points of more that add to your score per ability. Candidates for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) must have a minimum of NCLC 7 in written expression, oral expression, oral comprehension and written comprehension to be eligible for Express Entry.
If you can add proficiency in French, you can get up to 6 points for each ability in a second language. If French is your first language, you must achieve an NCLC score of 7 or higher for all four French skills and a CLB score of 4 or higher for all four English skills to receive the same point increase. You can get up to 50 extra points with a NCLC 7 and a CLB 5.
Proficiency in official languages – first official language
Maximum number of points for each skill (reading comprehension, written expression, oral expression and oral comprehension):
- 32 with a spouse or common-law partner
- 34 no spouse or common-law partner
| Language proficiency levels Canadians (NCLC) by skill | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 128 points) | Number of points (Maximum 136 points) |
| Less than CLB Level 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 |
