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 score and rank the profiles of candidates in the Express Entry immigration pool.
Candidates who have submitted an Express Entry profile are assigned a CRS score out of 1,200 points based on the details of their profile.
During an Express Entry invitation round, candidates with the highest CRS scores receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
How to get a CRS score
In order to be assigned a CRS score, you must be eligible for one of the programs managed by Express Entry:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
If you meet the requirements, you can create and submit a profile to the Express Entry pool. Your profile will be assigned a CRS score based on your skills and experience.
How to calculate your CRS score
The Comprehensive Ranking System assigns Express Entry candidates a CRS score out of 1,200 points.
Your CRS score will be calculated based on a range of factors, including your:
- age
- level of education
- language ability (English and/or French)
- work experience
- other factors
CRS points are awarded differently depending on whether you are applying as a single applicant or if you have an accompanying spouse or common-law partner:
CRS Section | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
1. Core / Human Capital Factors: This section awards points for age, level of education, official languages proficiency (English and French), and Canadian work experience. | With spouse: 460 points Without spouse: 500 points |
2. Spouse / Partner Factors: This section awards points for a spouse or common-law partner’s education, language, and Canadian work experience. | With spouse: 40 points Without spouse: not applicable |
3. Skills Transferability Factors: This section awards points based on a combination of factors (for example, strong language proficiency and a post-secondary degree). | 100 points |
4. Additional Points: This section awards points for additional factors, such as having a brother or sister living in Canada, arranged employment, and a provincial nomination. | 600 points |
To calculate your total CRS score, simply add up the points you obtained for each section: Core / human capital + Spouse or common-law partner + Skill transferability factors + Additional points = Maximum 1,200 points
You can use the tables below to calculate how many points you would obtain under each factor and your potential CRS score as an Express Entry candidate.
CRS Points Breakdown
1) 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
(with spouse: maximum 100 points / without spouse: maximum 110 points)
Age | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
17 or younger | 0 | 0 |
18 | 90 | 99 |
19 | 95 | 105 |
20-29 | 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 older | 0 | 0 |
Education
(with spouse: maximum 140 points / without spouse: maximum 150 points)
Level of Education | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
Less than secondary (high school) | 0 | 0 |
Secondary (high school) | 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 |
First official language
(with spouse: maximum 128 points / without spouse: maximum 136 points)
CLB Level per Ability | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
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 |
Second official language
(with spouse: maximum 22 points / without spouse: maximum 24 points)
CLB Level per Ability | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
CLB 4 or less | 0 | 0 |
CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
CLB 9 or more | 6 | 6 |
Canadian work experience
(with spouse: maximum 70 points / without spouse: maximum 80 points)
Canadian Work Experience | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
None or less than 1 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 |
2) Spouse/Common-law Partner Factors (if applicable)
Spouse's education
(with spouse: maximum 10 points / without spouse: does not apply)
Level of Education | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
Less than secondary (high school) | 0 | n/a |
Secondary (high school) | 2 | n/a |
One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 6 | n/a |
Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical 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 (Ph.D.) | 10 | n/a |
Spouse's language ability
(with spouse: maximum 20 points / without spouse: does not apply)
CLB Level per Ability | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
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 | 6 | n/a |
Spouse's Canadian work experience
(with spouse: maximum 10 points / without spouse: does not apply)
Canadian Work Experience | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
None or less than 1 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 |
Subtotal : 1. Core / human capital + 2. Spouse or common-law partner factors = Maximum 500 points
3) Skills Transferability Factors (maximum 100 points for this section)
Language and post-secondary education
(maximum 50 points)
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 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
Secondary (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 |
A university-level credential at the master’s level or at the level of an entry-to-practice professional degree for an occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification matrix at Skill Level A for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required | 25 | 50 |
A university-level credential at the doctoral level | 25 | 50 |
Canadian work experience and post-secondary education
(maximum 50 points)
Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience (Maximum 25 points) | Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience (Maximum 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
Secondary (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 |
A university-level credential at the master’s level or at the level of an entry-to-practice professional degree for an occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification matrix at Skill Level A for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required | 25 | 50 |
A university-level credential at the doctoral level | 25 | 50 |
Language and foreign work experience
(maximum 50 points)
Years of work experience | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 9 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 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 |
Canadian work experience and foreign work experience
(maximum 50 points)
Years of 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 |
|---|---|---|
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 |
Language and certificate of qualification
(maximum 50 points)
Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) – With [CLB] 5 or higher) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7 (Maximum 25 points) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities (Maximum 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
Subtotal: 1. Core / human capital + 2. Spouse or common-law partner + 3. Skill transferability factors - Maximum 600 points
4) Additional Points (maximum 600 points)
Adaptability | 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 |
Grand total: A. Core / human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Skill transferability factors + D. Additional points = Maximum 1,200 points
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What is the CRS cut-off?
The CRS cut-off refers to the lowest CRS score an Express Entry candidate must have to receive an invitation to apply during an Express Entry draw.
The CRS cut-off score is dynamic and changes every time there is a draw depending on:
- the number of Express Entry candidates in the pool and how competitive their profiles are
- which immigration program the draw is specific to (i.e. FSW or CEC)
- how much time has passed since the last Express Entry draw
- other factors, such as travel restrictions and the pandemic
What is a good CRS score?
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-off is dynamic and changes every time there is an Express Entry draw. Express Entry candidates with a CRS score over 500 are generally in a good position to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Since the start of the Express Entry system in 2015:
- the lowest CRS cut-off score for Federal Skilled Worker Class candidates was 413, which occurred in a "No Program Specified" draw that took place on May 31, 2017.
- the lowest CRS cut-off score for Federal Skilled Trades Class candidates was 199, which occurred during a draw that took place on May 26, 2017.
- the lowest CRS cut-off score for Canadian Experience Class candidates was 75, which occurred during a draw that took place on February 13, 2021.
Will the CRS score go down in 2022?
On July 6, 2022, Canada officially resumed invitations for Federal Skilled Workers and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. As normal draws resume, we could see CRS scores going lower as the year progresses.
Canada aims to welcome 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022, 447,055 in 2023, and 451,000 in 2024. Based on these immigration level plans for upcoming years, it is possible we will see a decrease in the CRS cut-off score in time.
How can I increase my CRS score?
There are several options for increasing your CRS score and maximizing your chances of being successful in the Express Entry pool, such as:
- retaking your language test
- gaining more work experience
- improving your education
- getting a valid job offer
- obtaining provincial nomination
Express Entry candidates should carefully review how the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) allocates points and find ways to claim as many points as possible for their specific profile.
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