Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) – How Express Entry Candidates Are Ranked in Canada
Candidates who submit a profile to the Express Entry pool are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranking candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.
Understanding how the CRS score works is essential if you want to successfully immigrate to Canada through Express Entry.
What Is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to assess and rank candidates in the Express Entry pool.
Your CRS score determines:
Your ranking in the pool
Your chances of receiving an ITA
Your competitiveness in Express Entry draws
The maximum CRS score is 1200 points.
How the CRS Score Is Calculated
The Express Entry CRS score is divided into four main categories:
A. Core / Human Capital component (Up to 500 Points)
1. 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 | 17 |
44 years of age | 5 | 6 |
45 years of age or more | 0 | 0 |
Maximum | 100 | 110 |
2. 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 |
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 |
3. Language
First Official Language Factors
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
*Points are awarded for each language ability | ||
Less than CLB 4 | Less than CLB 4 | Less than CLB 4 |
CLB 4 or 5 | CLB 4 or 5 | CLB 4 or 5 |
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 Factors
*Points are awarded for each language ability
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 |
4. 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 |
Subtotal: A – Core / human capital factors
With a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 460 points
Without a spouse or common-law partner – Maximum 500 points
B– Spouse or common-law partner
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 | Does Not Apply |
Spouse or common-law partner’s official language abilities
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening) | With spouse or common-law Partner | Without spouse or common-law partner | |
*Points are awarded for each language ability | |||
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 | Does Not Apply | |
Spouse or Common-law partner 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 | Does Not Apply |
Subtotal: A – Core / human capital
+ B – Spouse or common-law partner factors –
Maximum 500 point
C – Skill Transferability factors
(Maximum 100 points for this section)
1. 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 |
2.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 |
3. 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 |
Canadian Work Experience and Foreign 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 |
Subtotal: A – Core / human capital,
+ B – Spouse or common-law partner
+ C – Skill transferability component
Maximum 600 points
Factor | Points |
Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
French language skills | 50 |
Post-secondary education in Canada | 30 |
Arranged employment | 200 |
PN nomination | 600 |
Maximum | 600 |
Approximately every two weeks, the Canadian government conducts an Express Entry draw, where they issue a round of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidate
How to Increase Your CRS Score
If your CRS score is low, do not panic. There are strategic ways to improve it:
✔ Improve Your Language Score
Retake IELTS or CELPIP to achieve CLB 9 or higher.
✔ Gain Additional Work Experience
Both Canadian and foreign experience improve points.
✔ Complete Higher Education
Upgrading to a Master’s degree can significantly boost CRS.
✔ Apply for a Provincial Nomination Program (PNP)
Receiving a provincial nomination adds 600 points.
✔ Improve Spouse Profile
If married, your spouse can retake language tests or complete ECA.
✔ Learn French
French language proficiency adds valuable additional points.
Strategic planning can increase your score by 50–150+ points.
Express Entry Programs Using CRS
The CRS system applies to candidates under:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)
All are managed through Canada’s Express Entry system.
Not Sure About Your CRS Score?
Our team can:
Accurately calculate your CRS score
Identify improvement strategies
Assess PNP eligibility
Create a personalized Express Entry strategy