Express Entry: How the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Works
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based scoring method used within Canada’s Express Entry system to rank candidates who want to apply for permanent residency.
When a candidate creates an Express Entry profile, they are automatically assigned a CRS score based on several personal and professional factors. These include age, level of education, skilled work experience, language proficiency in English or French, and other factors such as adaptability or having a valid job offer.
Each candidate is placed into a pool and ranked against others. Higher CRS scores improve the chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Every few weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducts draws and invites candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply for permanent residency.
The CRS system is designed to identify candidates who are most likely to succeed economically in Canada, making it a key part of the Express Entry immigration process.
Table of Contents
About the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
Most immigrants coming to Canada under the economic class are skilled workers. Since 2015, Canada has been using the Express Entry system to manage and process applications for these candidates.
Express Entry works as a competitive ranking system where candidates are assessed and compared against each other. Only those with the strongest profiles are typically invited to apply for permanent residency.
To rank applicants, Canada uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This system assigns points based on a candidate’s profile, including factors such as age, education, language ability in English and/or French, and skilled work experience. If applicable, a spouse or partner’s details are also included in the assessment.
About every two weeks, draws are conducted from the Express Entry pool, and candidates with the highest CRS scores receive invitations to apply for permanent residence.
How to start the Express Entry process
Step 1: Visit CanadaVisa’s Express Entry page to understand how the system works.
Step 2: Check your eligibility and estimate your CRS score using a free CRS calculator.
Step 3: If you qualify, review recent Express Entry draw results to understand the score ranges of invited candidates.
Step 4: Look for ways to improve your CRS score, such as language improvement or gaining additional work experience.
Step 5: Create your Express Entry profile on the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. Before doing this, you must complete approved language tests and obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
Why Does Canada Use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
Canada uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to select skilled worker applicants who are more likely to adapt successfully and contribute to the country’s economy and workforce. The system helps identify candidates with qualities that increase their chances of building stable and successful careers after arriving in Canada.
The CRS uses a data-driven approach that evaluates factors linked to economic success, creating advantages for both Canada and immigrants. By selecting candidates with strong potential, Canada aims to support successful settlement and long-term workforce participation.
The structure of the CRS is based on many years of government research into how immigrants perform in the labour market. Research has shown that newcomers who have strong educational backgrounds, valuable work experience, good language abilities, and who immigrate at younger or middle working ages often achieve better employment outcomes and integrate more effectively into Canadian society.
Further evidence has supported the effectiveness of this approach. After the launch of Express Entry in 2015, studies examining the performance of immigrants selected through the system found encouraging results. Reports indicated that many Express Entry immigrants experienced strong employment levels, higher average earnings, and relatively lower unemployment rates, suggesting that the CRS has been effective in identifying candidates with strong potential for success in Canada.
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Points Structure
Comprehensive Ranking System: Core Human Capital Factors
For this table, **”PA”** refers to the **Principal Applicant**, while **”spouse”** refers to the applicant’s **spouse or common-law partner**.
Age
| Age (in years) | With an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 100) | Without an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 110) |
|---|---|---|
| under 18 | 0 points | 0 points |
| 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 |
Level of education
| Level of education | With an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 140 for PA, 10 for spouse) | Without an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 150) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary (high) school credential | 0 points | 0 points |
| Secondary school credential | 28 for PA; 2 for spouse | 30 |
| One-year post-secondary program | 84 for PA; 6 for spouse | 90 |
| Two-year post-secondary program | 91 for PA; 7 for spouse | 98 |
| Post-secondary program of 3 or more years | 112 for PA; 8 for spouse | 120 |
| Two or more post-secondary programs, of which at least one was completed after a post-secondary program of three or more years | 119 for PA; 9 for spouse | 128 |
| Master’s or entry-to-practice professional degree | 126 for PA; 10 for spouse | 135 |
| Doctoral Degree (PhD) | 140 for PA; 10 for spouse | 150 |
First Language Ability (English or French)
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | With an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 128 for PA; 20 for spouse) | Without an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 136) |
|---|---|---|
| For each language ability | 32 points for PA; 5 points for spouse | 34 points |
| CLB 3 or lower | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 | 6 for PA; 0 for spouse | 6 |
| CLB 5 | 6 for PA; 1 for spouse | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 for PA; 1 for spouse | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 for PA; 3 for spouse | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 for PA; 3 for spouse | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 for PA; 5 for spouse | 31 |
| CLB 10 or higher | 32 for PA; 5 for spouse | 34 |
*Points in the chart above are for each language ability: speaking, writing, reading and listening, respectively.
Second Language Ability (English or French)
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | With an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 22) | Without an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 24) |
|---|---|---|
| For each language ability | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 6 | 6 |
*Points in the chart above are for each language ability: speaking, writing, reading and listening, respectively.
Canadian Work Experience
| Number of years | With an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 70 for PA; 10 for spouse) | Without an accompanying spouse (maximum points available: 80) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 0 points | 0 points |
| 1 year | 35 for PA; 5 for spouse | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 for PA; 7 for spouse | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 for PA; 8 for spouse | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 for PA; 9 for spouse | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 for PA; 10 for spouse | 80 |
Comprehensive Ranking System: Skill Transferability Factors
Candidates can receive up to 100 points under the Skill Transferability Factors category of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This section evaluates how different skills and qualifications work together to strengthen a candidate’s overall profile.
The system includes five skill combination categories, with each category allowing candidates to earn a maximum of 50 points. However, even if the total score across all combinations exceeds 100 points, the highest score awarded under this section remains 100 points.
The calculation of skill transferability points is the same for all applicants, regardless of whether they apply alone or with a spouse or common-law partner. In addition, no separate skill transferability points are granted for a spouse or partner’s qualifications.
For this table, “CLB” refers to Canadian Language Benchmark, which is the standard used in Canada to measure language proficiency levels.
Education and Canadian Work Experience
| Education | 1 year of Canadian work experience | 2 or more years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| No post-secondary education | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of 1 year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials, the first of which was 3 or more years in duration | 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 |
Education and Language Ability
| Education | CLB 7 or higher on all language abilities, with at least one of these CLB 8 | CLB 9 or higher for all language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| No post-secondary education | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of 1 year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary credentials, the first of which was 3 or more years in duration | 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 Ability and Non-Canadian Work Experience
| Non-Canadian Work Experience | CLB 7 or higher on all language abilities, with at least one of these CLB 8 | CLB 9 or higher for all language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| No non-Canadian work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of non-Canadian work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 or more years of non-Canadian work experience | 25 | 50 |
Certificate of Qualification in a Trade and Language Ability
| Certificate of Qualification | CLB 5 or higher on all language abilities, with at least one CLB 5 or 6 | CLB 7 or higher on all language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a province | 25 | 50 |
Comprehensive Ranking System: Additional Factors
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination certificate | Points |
|---|---|
| For an enhanced nomination certificate from a Canadian province (except Quebec) | 600 points |
| Canadian study experience | Points |
| If the candidate has an eligible credential from a one-year or two-year post-secondary program in Canada | 15 points |
If the candidate has either:
|
30 points |
| French language ability | Points |
| If the candidate proves adequate intermediate (equivalent to CLB 7) or better French ability, and English ability of CLB 4 or lower (or no English language test result) | 25 points |
| If the candidate proves adequate intermediate (equivalent to CLB 7) or better French ability, and English ability of CLB 5 or better | 50 points |
| Sibling in Canada | 15 Points |
If the candidate, or the accompanying spouse/common-law partner, has a sibling in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of at least 18 years of age
|
15 points |
Points for Canadian study experience are only awarded when specific conditions are met. A candidate must have:
Completed studies at a recognized Canadian educational institution
Been enrolled in a full-time program for at least eight months
Been physically present in Canada for at least eight months during their studies
A candidate may also receive up to 15 points for having a sibling in Canada. This limit applies regardless of how many eligible siblings the candidate or their accompanying spouse/common-law partner may have.
Maximum Points Cap for Additional Factors
All additional factors combined under the CRS are capped at 600 points per candidate.
This means that even if a candidate qualifies for multiple high-value factors—such as:
Canadian post-secondary education, and
A provincial nomination (enhanced nomination certificate)
they will still receive a maximum of 600 points total in this category. Any potential excess points (for example, 615 or 630) are not counted beyond this cap.
Improving Your CRS Score
Candidates who rank at the top of the Express Entry pool are generally the most likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. Because of this, applicants are encouraged to make use of every available opportunity to strengthen their profile and improve their CRS score.
To learn more about strategies for increasing your ranking, you can refer to resources that explain how to improve your CRS score in detail.
