Comprehensive Ranking System for Express Entry explained

Canada’s Express Entry immigration selection system uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank and select individuals who are eligible to immigrate to Canada under three federal economic immigration programs.

Under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System, people around the world who are interested in immigrating to Canada are assigned points for a range of factors.

When Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) performs an Express Entry draw from this pool of candidates, the top-ranked candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. These draws occur regularly, approximately every two weeks. The Comprehensive Ranking System is a dynamic, competitive system — the more points you accumulate, the more likely it is that you will be invited to apply.

Before being assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score, individuals must first be eligible under one of the following programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class

Candidates in the pool are assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score out of 1,200.

For single applicants without a spouse or common-law partner, there are:

• Up to 500 points available for core human capital factors, including age, level of education, language ability, and Canadian work experience;
• Up to 100 points available for skill transferability factors; and
• Up to 600 points available for additional factors (including a provincial nomination, a valid job offer, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability).

For candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, there are:

• Up to 460 points available for core human capital factors of the principal applicant;
• Up to 40 points for the core human capital factors of the spouse or common-law partner;
• Up to 100 points available for skill transferability factors; and
• Up to 600 points available for additional factors.

Under the 2021-2023 Canada Immigration Levels Plan, the number of new permanent residents admitted through Express Entry over the coming years is set to increase. More than 100,000 candidates will be admitted as new permanent residents through Express Entry annually — and the Comprehensive Ranking System is the mechanism used by Canada’s immigration authorities to decided which candidates will be invited to apply.

• Your CRS score is not high enough? Check out our guide on how to improve your CRS score.

Comprehensive Ranking System points factors

• Age
• Level of education
• First language ability
• Second language ability
• Canadian work experience

Age

Single candidates may be awarded up to 110 points for age for their Comprehensive Ranking System score. Candidates with a spouse or partner may receive up to 100 points.

Level of education

Up to 150 points are available for level of education under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System.

First Language Ability (English or French)

Comprehensive Ranking System points in this chart are for each language ability: speaking, writing, reading and listening. Therefore, a single candidate may receive up to 136 points (34×4); a candidate with an accompanying spouse or partner may receive up to 148 points (32×4 plus 5×4).

Points for language are awarded only if a candidate completes an approved language test. The points are based on the Canadian Language Benchmark levels (CLBs).

Moving2Canada readers can take advantage of a seven-day free trial of online language tutorials. Simply select to Learn English or Learn French and complete the online form.

Second Language Ability (English or French)

Points in this chart are for each language ability: speaking, writing, reading and listening.

Up to 24 points are available for a single candidate’s second language ability. Candidates with a spouse/partner “max out” their points for second language ability at 22 points, even if they get results of CLB 9 or higher in all abilities. The spouse/partner is only assessed under his or her first language.

Canadian Work Experience in the Comprehensive Ranking System

Up to 100 points are available for Canadian work experience, making it a key part of the Comprehensive Ranking System for Express Entry. 

Also known as combination factors, these points are awarded when a candidate performs well in two areas.

A candidate can only be awarded up to 100 points for skills transferability, even if they qualify for more or all points across all the related factors. Moreover, there are subtotal maximums of 50 points for skills transferability factors involving Education, as well as for Foreign (non-Canadian) work experience. In other words:

• you can’t get more than 100 points overall for skills transferability;
• you can’t get more than 50 points for factors relating to Education;
• you can’t get more than 50 points for factors relating to Foreign (non-Canadian) work experience; and
• 50 points may be awarded for a certificate of qualification in a trade, but the 100-point overall maximum still applies.

No points are available for the skill transferability of a candidate’s spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.

Skills transferability factors for Education

Education and Canadian Work Experience

Education and Language Ability

Skills transferability factors for Non-Canadian Work Experience

Non-Canadian Work Experience and Language Ability

Canadian and non-Canadian Work Experience

Certificate of Qualification in a Trade and Language Ability

The maximum available number of CRS points for these additional factors for any one candidate is 600 points.