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Understanding Your Canada Express Entry CRS Results

One of the first steps you must take when deciding to relocate to Canada is to select an immigration program for which you are eligible and have a basic understanding of how the Canada express entry CRS results are determined. The Express Entry program or a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is how most new immigrants petition for permanent residence (PR).

These programs are well-liked due to their straightforward application procedures and large intakes. Nevertheless, completing an Express Entry profile does not ensure that you will receive a request for a PR application.

Your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) ranking will determine your eligibility for these programs. The number of applicants for Canadian immigration is increasing yearly, increasing competitiveness and pushing the required minimum CRS scores.

This post discusses the Comprehensive Ranking System, explains how CRS scores are calculated, and offers some advice on how to raise your CRS score to improve your prospects of becoming an immigrant through the Express Entry and PNP programs.

What is the Express Entry CRS Score?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria to determine the eligibility of candidates applying to come to Canada under the Express Entry stream. The CRS system (Canada express entry CRS results) helps the Canadian government, through the ministry of immigration, “manage applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs.”

Express Entry draws are conducted bi-weekly (sometimes monthly) based on certain CRS cut-off marks determined by IRCC. The express entry program consists of the following sub-categories:

  1. Federal Skilled Worker Program
  2. Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
  3. Canadian Experience Class

How can I start the Express Entry procedure?

Step 1: Visit the Express Entry page on CanadaVisa to get started.

Step 2: Use the free CRS calculator to determine your Canada express entry CRS results score.

Step 3: If you are qualified for Express Entry, go to the Express Entry draw page on the CanadaVisa homepage to find out the most current CRS requirements for selected applicants.

Step 4: Determine how to raise your CRS score.

Step 5: Register for Express Entry on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada website (IRCC). You must have passed your language test(s) and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

How are Canada Express Entry CRS results determined?

The Canadian Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) groups criteria into four main subgroups:-

  1. Core/Human factors
  2. Spouse/Common-law partner factors
  3. Skills transferability factors, and
  4. Additional factors (based on connection/ties to Canada)

Ideally, the factor groups listed above are determined by prospective immigrants’ characteristics in the following areas:

  • Age
  • Skills in English and French Language
  • Education
  • Work experience
  • Presence/absence of a valid job offer, and
  • The applicant’s perceived adaptability to live in Canada.

Maximum Express Entry CRS Score & Cut-Off Marks

1. Core/Human and Spouse/Common-law factors;

Irrespective of a principal applicant’s country of origin, the possible maximum Canada express entry CRS results score in the Core/Human Capital Factors group for a single applicant is 500. It is 460 if the applicant is married or has a common-law partner that is not a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. With a spouse or partner combined, the maximum score is 500.

Express Entry Human Capital Factors

Applicant's AgeApply with a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 100 points)Apply without a spouse or common-law partner
17 years old or less00
18 years old9099
19 years old95105
20 to 29 years old100110
30 years old95105
31 years old9099
32 years old8594
33 years old8088
34 years old7583
35 years old7077
36 years old6572
37 years old6066
38 years old5561
39 years old5055
40 years old4550
41 years old3539
42 years old2528
43 years old1517
44 years old56
45 years old or more00

Express Entry Education Factors

Level of EducationWith a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 140 points)Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 150 points)
Less than secondary school (high school)00
Secondary diploma (high school graduation)2830
One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute8490
Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute9198
Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute112120
Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years119128
Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic medicine, law, or pharmacy)126135
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D)140150

Express Entry Language Proficiency for the First Official Language

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per abilityWith a spouse or common-law partner  (Max. 128 points)Without a spouse or common-law partner  (Max. 136 points)
Less than CLB 400
CLB 4 or 566
CLB 689
CLB 71617
CLB 82223
CLB 92931
CLB 10 or more3234

Express Entry Language Proficiency for the Second Official Language

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per abilityWith a spouse or common-law partner  (Max. 128 points)Without a spouse or common-law partner  (Max. 136 points)
Less than CLB 400
CLB 4 or 566
CLB 689
CLB 71617
CLB 82223
CLB 92931
CLB 10 or more3234

2. Skill transferability factors;

Skill transferability factors combine a candidate’s education, work experience (foreign or within Canada), and official language skills based on standardized language test results. Considerations are also given to whether or not the principal applicant has a certificate of qualification from a Canadian province, federal body, or territory. The maximum score possible in this subcategory is 100.

Express Entry Skill Transferability Factors

With good official language proficiency (CLB 7 or higher) and a post-secondary degreePoints 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
 (Max. 25 points)(Max. 50 points)
Secondary school (high school) credential or less00
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer1325
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 longer2550
With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degreePoints for education + 1 year of Canadian work experiencePoints for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience
 (Max. 25 points) (Max. 50 points)
Secondary school (high school) credential or less00
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer1325
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 longer2550
Foreign work experience with good official language proficiencyPoints for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under CLB 9Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities
 (Max. 25 points) (Max. 50 points)
No foreign work experience00
1 or 2 years of foreign work experience1325
3 years or more of foreign work experience2550
Foreign work experience with Canadian work experiencePoints for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experiencePoints for foreign work experience + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience
 (Max. 25 points) (Max. 50 points)
No foreign work experience00
1 or 2 years of foreign work experience1325
3 years or more of foreign work experience2550
Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) with good official language proficiencyPoints for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities
 (Max. 25 points) (Max. 50 points)
With a certificate of qualification2550

3. Additional points;

The following additional points are awarded based on a candidate’s situation. The make-up of the Canada express entry CRS results depends on whether or not a candidate met the factors considered in calculating the CRS results.

Express Entry Spouse Factors

Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of educationWith a spouse or common-law partner  (Max. 10 points)Without a spouse or common-law partner  (Does not apply)
Less than secondary school (high school)0n/a
Secondary diploma (high school graduation)2n/a
One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute6n/a
Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute7n/a
Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute8n/a
Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years9n/a
Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic medicine, law, or pharmacy)10n/a
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D)10n/a
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability – First official languageWith a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 5 points per ability – reading, writing, speaking, listening)Without a spouse or common-law partner
CLB 4 or less0n/a
CLB 5 or 61n/a
CLB 7 or 83n/a
CLB 9 or more5n/a
Spouse’s Canadian work experienceWith a spouse or common-law partnerWithout a spouse or common-law partner
None or less than a year0n/a
1 year5n/a
2 years7n/a
3 years8n/a
4 years9n/a
5 years or more10n/a
Additional points Maximum 600 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 – NOC 00 200
Arranged employment – any other NOC 0, A or B 50
Provincial or territorial nomination 600

So what are your chances?

Analyzing your CRS results

The government of Canada conducts the Express Entry draws every two weeks, sometimes monthly. The branch of government that handles Express Entry is the IRCC. The IRCC stands for Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada. This body used to be called CIC until 2015. After that, there is no difference between the two except for the name, and the CIC is now called the IRCC.

See a list of recent draws on WorkStudyVisa.

You will be selected if your score meets the minimum CRS cut-off for the round of invitations for which your express entry profile is eligible. Then, an invitation to apply, or ITA, is issued to you. If interested, learn how to create a qualifying express entry profile, and here we have some resources to know more about an invitation to apply (ITA).

Check Latest Express Entry Invitations

Low CRS Score?

If your score is lower than the cut-off mark, you may not get selected in a draw, but there may be ways to improve your score or other immigration options besides Express Entry. Try one of these resources!

  1. How to score high in Canada express entry
  2. Bump up your low CRS result
  3. People with CRS scores below 400 should see this
  4. Tips for meeting the Canada Express Entry CRS cut-off mark
  5. Best CRS Score To Obtain Canada PR Invitation In 2023

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