Comprehensive Ranking System for Canada Express Entry

Canada’s express entry system uses Comprehensive Ranking System, commonly knows as CRS, to rank and select aspirants of Canadian immigration. Express entry is one of the most widely known immigration streams. It is primarily for skilled professionals who wish to move to Canada as permanent residents. Comprehensive ranking system allocates points for various aspects such as education, language ability in English and French, age, work experience, and adaptability.

Keep reading, as this article provides all the details about Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) of the Canadian Express Entry.

CRS Points Calculation Factors

CRS score is based on various factors, lets us have a look at each factor

Age

Age ( Yrs)	With Spouse	Without Spouse
17 or less	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 more	0	0

Education

Education Level	With Spouse	Without Spouse
Less than high school ( Grade 12)	0	0
High School (Grade 12)	28	30
1 year degree, diploma, certificate	84	90
2 year degree, diploma or certificate	91	98
Bachelors degree, diploma or certificate (3 year or more)	112	120
Two diplomas, certificate or degrees. One has to be 3 years or more	119	128
Masters degree (17-18 years education), Or professional degree	126	135
Phd	140	150

For those who have completed their education outside of Canada, they must have obtained Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) before they can be allocated the CRS score for education.

Language Ability

CLB Level per module	With Spouse	Withot Spouse
CLB 3 or less	0	0
CLB 4 -5	6	6
CLB 6	8	9
CLB 7	16	17
CLB 8	22	23
CLB 9	29	31
CLB 10	32	34

To obtain points for language ability one must have taken one of the IRCC designated language tests. Each module of the test will be awarded CRS score individually. The CLB score conversion tables are provided through this link.

Canadian Work Experience

Years	With Spouse	Without Spouse
Less than 1	0	0
1	35	40
2	46	53
3	56	64
4	63	72
5 or more	70	80

Canadian work experience is only considered if the applicant worked for a Canadian employer while living in Canada on a valid work authorization. Experience gained during studies in Canada cannot be considered as Canadian work experience for purpose of CRS score.

Additional Points

Factor	Points
Brother or sister who is Canadian PR/Citizen and living in Canada	15
French Langauge Ability	50
Canadian Education	30
Eligible Job Offer from Canadian Employer (NOC 00)	200
Eligible Job Offer from Canadian Employer (NOC 0, A, B)	50
Provincial Nomination	600

Provincial nomination from Quebec cannot be used for express entry and CRS score calculation.

Job offer must be backed by a Labor Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) if required for CRS score calculation.

Canadian education of one year gives 15 CRS points, and if its 2 years of Canadian education then its 30 CRS points as listed above. This education must have been completed within Canada while having a legal Canadian study permit or authorization. If the study is more than 50 % online/distance learning that does not qualify as Canadian education for the purpose of CRS score calculation.

Skill Transferability (Education & Language)

Language and Education	CLB 7 or more on all modules of language test, at least one module less than CLB 9	CLB 9 or more on all modules of language test
High School or less	0	0
1 year diploma at university/college	13	25
Two or more degreess, diplomas. One must be of three years or mrore	25	50

Skill Transferability (Education & Canadian Experience)

Education and Canadian Experience	1 Yr Canadian Experience	2 Yr Canadian Experience
High School or less	0	0
One year degree, diploma	13	25
Two or more degree, diploma. One must be of three year or more	25	50

Skill Transferability (Foreign Experience & Canadian Experience)

Foreign Experience & Canadian Experience	1 Year Canadian Experience	2 Year Canadian Experience
No Foreign Experience	0	0
1-2 Years of foreign experience	13	25
3 years of or more foreign experience	25	50

Skill Transferability (Foreign Experience & Language)

Foreign Experience & Language	CLB 7 or more in all modules	CLB 9 or more in all modules
No Foreign Experience	0	0
1-2 Years of foreign experience	13	25
3 years of or more foreign experience	25	50

Spouse Points – Education

Spouse - Education	CRS Points
Less than high school ( Grade 12)	0
High School (Grade 12)	2
1 year degree, diploma, certificate	6
2 year degree, diploma or certificate	7
Bachelors degree, diploma or certificate (3 year or more)	8
Two diplomas, certificate or degrees. One has to be 3 years or more	9
Masters degree (17-18 years education), Or professional degree	10
Phd	10

Spouse can only obtain the CRS score when they have also obtained an Educational Credential Assessment(ECA). It is not mandatory for spouse to obtain an ECA, but it does help by adding CRS points.

Spouse Points – Language

Spouse - Language Ability per module of test	CRS Points
CLB 4 or less	0
CLB 5-6	1
CLB 7-8	3
CLB 9 -10	5

Spouse may also add CRS points if they sit for one of the IRCC designated language tests. Like an ECA, it is not mandatory for spouse to take language test. Points are awarded for each section(reading, writing, speaking, listening) of the test individually.

Immigration Streams Using CRS Score

CRS score is used to select Canadian immigration applicants under the following federal economic immigration streams.

Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSW)

Federal Skilled Worker Program is the main express entry stream that attracts skilled immigrants with work experience gained outside of Canada. As there is a shortage of skilled labor within Canada so this stream allows skilled professionals from across the world to obtain permanent residence in Canada and become active part of Canadian work force. To be eligible for FSWP category applicants must have at least one year of work experience outside of Canada, high school education, and good language skills in English/French.

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)

Canada has specific needs for people with expertise in skilled trades/professions (such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, technicians, etc.). These professionals usually do not have a level of education comparable to Bachelors/Masters degree so they have their own stream under the Express Entry. This stream is called Federal Skilled Trades Program(FST).

To be eligible for FST stream one must have at least two years of full-time work experience (or corresponding part-time work history) in a skilled trade profession. For this stream National Occupation Classification (NOC) in Major Group 72, 72, 82, or 92, or Minor Group 632 or 633 are considered only. Applicants of FST category are also required to prove language ability in English/French.

Federal Skilled Trade category applicants must either have a full-time job offer, or have a certificate of qualification that has been issued by a relevant Canadian trade licensing body.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Every year a large number of foreign nationals move to Canada as international students or on various types of Work permits. Canadian Experience Class is the immigration category under Express Entry that facilitates such applicants who have already obtained work experience in Canada on a temporary status. For the CEC stream required work experience is 12 months of professional job experience (or comparable part-time) in Canada gained during the last three year. Minimum language levels are Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for NOC 0 and Canadian 5 for NOC B jobs, as determined by a CIC-approved exam.

There are various Canadian Provincial Nomination Programs(PNP) that also use Express Entry and Comprehensive Ranking System to rank and select immigration applicants. Some of these programs are;

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

Ontario’s provincial nomination program (OINP) has a specific stream for Express Entry applicants. This stream is called Human Capital Priorities Stream. This stream uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of Express Entry for selection of permanent resident applicants for the Ontario provincial nomination program.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

The province of Alberta manages its provincial nomination program by the name of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). Under this PNP program there is Alberta Express Entry Stream, which uses CRS scores to invite and select applicants from the Express Entry pool.

Nova Scotia Immigrant Nominee Program

Nova Scotia’s provincial nomination program(NSNP) has a stream specifically for Express Entry applicants. Selection for this PNP stream is also based on CRS score of express entry.

Official CRS Calculator

To calculate comprehensive ranking score please use the Official CRS calculator tool by IRCC. CRS score is only awarded once the applicant creates Express Entry Profile. To create the express entry profile one must have obtained ECA for Canada immigration and taken a language test. After creating the profile applicants enter the Express Entry Pool and are awarded the Comprehensive Ranking System Score(CRS).

One can assess the CRS score by making a guess about various factors listed above even if language test and ECA have not been obtained yet.

Thousands of People Granted Permanent Residence/Year

The Canadian government has acknowledged that additional immigrants are needed to satisfy future labor market demands and to assist the country’s rapid industrialization. During last three to four years Canada has invited between 80,000 – 100,00 skilled immigrants under the Express Entry system. As per the recent Canada Immigration Level Plan it is expected that in 2022 a total of 56,000 new permanent residents will be admitted under express entry. The same number will increase to 76,000 and 111,500 in years 2022 and 2024, respectively. Some of the provinces such as Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia also use Express Entry system, and its Comprehensive Ranking System to invite skilled migrants for its Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP).

There are various strategies to enhance your Comprehensive Ranking System score to get selected for an Express Entry draw! Boosting your CRS score is the most effective approach to increasing your chances of being invited in an express entry draw for Canadian permanent residence application.