What is Express Entry CRS Score?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria to determine eligibility of candidates applying to come to Canada under the Express Entry stream. The CRS system (Canada express entry CRS results) help the Canadian government, through the ministry of immigration “manage applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs.”
Express Entry draws are conducted on bi-weekly (sometime monthly) basis based on certain CRS cut off marks determined by IRCC. The express entry program consist of the following sub-categories:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
- Canadian Experience Class
How are CRS points determined?
The Canadian Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) group criteria into 4 main subgroups:-
- Core/Human factors
- Spouse/Common-law partner factors
- Skills transferability factors, and
- 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/or 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
Core/Human and Spouse/Common-law factors
Irrespective of a principal applicant’s country of origin, the possible maximum 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 Age | Apply with a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 100 points) | Apply without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| 17 years old or less | 0 | 0 |
| 18 years old | 90 | 99 |
| 19 years old | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 29 years old | 100 | 110 |
| 30 years old | 95 | 105 |
| 31 years old | 90 | 99 |
| 32 years old | 85 | 94 |
| 33 years old | 80 | 88 |
| 34 years old | 75 | 83 |
| 35 years old | 70 | 77 |
| 36 years old | 65 | 72 |
| 37 years old | 60 | 66 |
| 38 years old | 55 | 61 |
| 39 years old | 50 | 55 |
| 40 years old | 45 | 50 |
| 41 years old | 35 | 39 |
| 42 years old | 25 | 28 |
| 43 years old | 15 | 17 |
| 44 years old | 5 | 6 |
| 45 years old or more | 0 | 0 |
Express Entry Education Factors
| Level of Education | With 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) | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 28 | 30 |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 91 | 98 |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years | 119 | 128 |
| 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) | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D) | 140 | 150 |
Express Entry Language Proficiency for the First Official Language
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 128 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 136 points) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Express Entry Language Proficiency for the Second Official Language
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 128 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 136 points) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Skill transferability factors
Skill transferability factors combines a candidates education, work experience (foreign or within Canada), and their 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 sub category is 100.
Express Entry Skill Transferability Factors
| With good official language proficiency (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 |
|---|---|---|
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| 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 |
| Foreign work experience with good official language proficiency | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under CLB 9 | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| 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 |
| Foreign work experience with Canadian work 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 |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| 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 |
| Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) with good official language proficiency | 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 |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
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 education | With 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) | 0 | n/a |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 2 | n/a |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 6 | n/a |
| Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 7 | n/a |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 8 | n/a |
| Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years | 9 | n/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) | 10 | n/a |
| Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D) | 10 | n/a |
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability – First official language | With 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 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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’s 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. There is no difference between the two except the name. The CIC is now called the IRCC. See list of recent draws on WorkStudyVisa.
If your score meets the minimum CRS cut off for the round of invitation for which your express entry profile is eligible, you will be selected. An invitation to apply, otherwise known as ITA is issued to you. If interested, learn how to create a qualifying express entry profile. We have some resources here to know more about invitation to apply (ITA).
Check Latest Express Entry InvitationsLow 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 in addition to Express Entry. Try one of these resources!
- How to score high in Canada express entry
- Bump up your low CRS result
- People with CRS score below 400 should see this
- Tips to meet the Canada Express Entry CRS cut off mark
