The CRS Calculator Tool will let you know, depending on your answers, how much Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points you could claim in the Express Entry pool.
| 1. What’s Express Entry? 4. What’s the CRS score threshold? | 2. What’s a CRS score? 5. How to increase your score with a PNP? | 3. The CRS Calculator Tool 6. How’s the CRS score calculated? |
What’s Express Entry?
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the Express Entry system to select the desired candidates to apply for permanent residence.
Three federal programs go through the Express Entry system: the Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) program, the Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program, and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). You need to be eligible to one of these programs to be able to enter the Express Entry pool of candidates, where each candidate is assigned a CRS score.
What’s a CRS score?
A Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is assigned to each candidate, depending on a number of factors, including age, level of education, language proficiency, work experience, etc.
Beware that calculating your CRS points does not mean you are eligible to one of the three programs of Express Entry. You will need to make sure you are eligible to one of the three programs before. You see the eligibility criteria of each federal program here.
To be able to know your exact CRS score, you will need to have your language test results, and your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your degree is not Canadian. If you do not have these, you can still try and see how many CRS points you can claim for other factors.
The CRS Calculator Tool
What’s the minimum CRS score?
To become a permanent resident of Canada through the Express Entry system, you will need to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from IRCC. You will only receive an ITA if your CRS score is above or equal to the minimum CRS score set in a draw.
A draw is a mechanism used by IRCC in which they select Express Entry applicants whose CRS scores are above a threshold that they set at each draw. Draws usually take place on Wednesdays every two weeks, but IRCC does deviate from this unspoken rule.
How to increase your score with a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are an immigration option to consider when not having enough CRS points. Indeed, when selected by a province to receive a provincial nomination, you will receive an additional 600 points, which will automatically get you an ITA in the next draw.
However, we do have options available like, getting a fast track course in order to gain more points, obtaining a single sitting degree or LMIA.
Most provinces have immigration streams that are aligned with Express Entry, however, each province and each stream has its own eligibility criteria. You can use our PNP Eligibility Tool to find out if you could be eligible, and you should also check out our PNP Live Monitor for the latest updates on each stream of the PNPs.
How’s the CRS score calculated?
Express Entry candidates are given a score out of 1,200 based on the four major sections:
- A. Core / human capital factors: these include points for Age, Education, Canadian Work Experience and Language proficiency. These are considered as key to economic success for immigrants.
- B. Spouse or common-law partner factors: these include the accompanying spouse or common-law partner’s Language proficiency, Education, and Canadian Work Experience.
- C. Skills transferability: this section provides additional points to your profile that are based on a combination of factors, e.g a combination of your Education, Language proficiency, and/or Non-Canadian Work Experience.
- D. Additional points: This section awards 600 additional points for a Provincial nomination, and other additional points for a valid job offer, etc..
The table below summarizes the maximum points that can be awarded for each factor. Be careful to look into each factor’s detailed tab to understand how to calculate your CRS score.
| Section/Factor | Maximum CRS points with spouse/partner | Maximum CRS points without spouse/partner |
|---|---|---|
| A & B. Core/human capital factors | ||
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Education level | 150 | 150 |
| Language proficiency | 170 | 160 |
| Canadian work experience | 80 | 80 |
| Total A & B. | 500 | 500 |
| C. Skill transferability factors | ||
| Combination of (i) Education and (ii) Language proficiency OR Canadian work experience | 50 | 50 |
| Combination of (i) Non-Canadian work experience and (ii) Language proficiency OR Canadian work experience | 50 | 50 |
| Combination of (i) a Certificate of qualification and (ii) Language proficiency | 50 | 50 |
| Total C. | 100 | 100 |
| D. Additional points | ||
| Provincial nomination | 600 | 600 |
| Valid job offer | 200 | 200 |
| French abilities | 30 | 30 |
| Sibling in Canada (citizen or permanent resident) | 15 | 15 |
| Total D. | 600 | 600 |
| TOTAL A + B + C + D | 1200 | 1200 |
Sections A & B. Core/Human capital factors (Max 500 points)
Education Level (Max points: 150 points)
Points are only awarded for the highest level of education obtained. The maximum points that can be awarded for education are 150 CRS points, either if single or with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
| Education Level | CRS points without spouse/partner | CRS points with spouse/partner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Applicant | Spouse/Partner | ||
| Doctoral (PhD) degree | 150 | 140 | 10 |
| Master’s degree, OR professional degree | 135 | 126 | 10 |
| Two or more credentials, with a least one for a program of three years or more | 128 | 119 | 9 |
| Three-year or more post-secondary credential | 120 | 112 | 8 |
| Two-year post-secondary credential | 98 | 91 | 7 |
| One-year post-secondary credential | 90 | 84 | 6 |
| Secondary (high) school diploma | 30 | 28 | 2 |
| Less than secondary (high) school | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Language proficiency (Max points: 170 with spouse, 160 without)You can choose your first official language if you take the French and English test. The tests where you scored the best marks is the one you should take as your first official language.
For your first official language, the following conversion table lets you know how many CRS points you can claim based on your test results. This table is per ability, so for example, if you got a Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) 7 for the four abilities (speaking, reading, listening, writing) and are single, you will get 17 x 4 = 68 points.
| First Official Language Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | CRS points without spouse/partner | CRS points with spouse/partner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Applicant | Spouse/Partner | ||
| CLB3 or less | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB4 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| CLB5 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| CLB6 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| CLB7 | 17 | 16 | 3 |
| CLB8 | 23 | 22 | 3 |
| CLB9 | 31 | 29 | 5 |
| CLB10 or more | 34 | 32 | 5 |
For the second official language, the following conversion table lets you know how many CRS points you can earn, per ability.
There is no additional points for the second Official Language, there no need for your spouse or common-law partner to take French and English tests.
CRS points with a spouse or partner cannot exceed a total 22 points.
| Second Official Language Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) | CRS points without spouse/partner | CRS points with spouse/partner |
|---|---|---|
| CLB4 or less | 0 | 0 |
| CLB5 or CLB6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB7 or CLB8 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB9 or more | 6 | 6 |
Canadian work experience (Max points: 80 points)You need to find your NOC here first, and then check if your job experience in that NOC is eligible.
The maximum points that can be awarded for Canadian work experience are 80 CRS points, either if single or with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
| Canadian Work Experience | CRS points without spouse/partner | CRS points with spouse/partner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Applicant | Spouse/Partner | ||
| Less than one year | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| One year | 40 | 35 | 5 |
| Two years | 53 | 46 | 7 |
| Three years | 64 | 56 | 8 |
| Four years | 72 | 63 | 9 |
| Five years or more | 80 | 70 | 10 |
Section C. Skill transferability factors (Max 100 points)
Education Level (Maximum 50 points)The skill transfer-ability factors are the most important in your CRS score. You can add up to a 100 points to your score, almost guaranteeing you to be drawn from the pool. However, it is not easy. For candidates in the Federal Skilled Workers program (that do not have Canadian work experience), scoring a CLB9 in all four language abilities is what could make you stand out.
For example here, if you have at least CLB9 in all four abilities, and a Master’s degree (which theoretically had to obtain a Bachelors first that is usually 4 years long), you will get an additional 50 points. This is why it is extremely important to assess all your credentials with an ECA and not just your highest degree, it will not cost you more money if you do it in one take.
If you have CLB9 on all four abilities, you will not get to add up the points for CLB7 also. It’s either one or the other.
| Education level + Language proficiency | Minimum CLB7 on the four language abilities | Minimum CLB9 on the four language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Post-secondary education of less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of at least 1 year | 13 | 25 |
| At least 2 post-secondary credentials, one of which is a program at least 3 years | 25 | 50 |
This can come in handy if you are eligible to the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), you could also get an additional 50 points if you satisfy to the two conditions below, on (i) the level of education, and (ii) the Canadian work experience.
| Education level + Canadian work experience | At least 1 year of Canadian work experience | At least 2 years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| Post-secondary education of less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary education of at least 1 year | 13 | 25 |
| At least 2 post-secondary credentials, one of which is a program at least 3 years | 25 | 50 |
You cannot get more than 50 points in this category, even if you get the 50 points from the first table, and the 50 points from the second table. And you cannot get more than 100 points in this whole section C.
Foreign work experience (Maximum 50 points)The skill transferability factors are the most important in your CRS score. You can add up to a 100 points to your score, almost guaranteeing you to be drawn from the pool. However, it is not easy. For candidates in the Federal Skilled Workers program, scoring a CLB 9 in all four language abilities is what could make you stand out.
For example here, if you have at least CLB 9 in all four abilities, and 3 years of foreign work experience (non-Canadian), you will get an additional 50 points.
If you have CLB9 on all four abilities, you will not get to add up the points for CLB7 also. It’s either one or the other.
| Foreign work experience + Language proficiency | Minimum CLB7 on the four language abilities | Minimum CLB9 on the four language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign work experience: Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| Foreign work experience: 1 to 2 years | 13 | 25 |
| Foreign work experience: at least 3 years | 25 | 50 |
This can come in handy if you are eligible to the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), you could also get an additional 50 points if satisfy to the two conditions below, on (i) the foreign work experience, and (ii) the Canadian work experience.
| Canadian + Foreign Work Experience | At least 1 year of Canadian work experience | At least 2 years of Canadian work experience |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign work experience: Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| Foreign work experience: 1 to 2 years | 13 | 25 |
| Foreign work experience: at least 3 years | 25 | 50 |
You cannot get more than 50 points in this category, even if you get the 50 points from the first table, and the 50 points from the second table. And you cannot get more than 100 points in this whole section.
Certificate of qualification (Maximum 50 points)This skill transfer-ability factor concerns the candidates eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades program, that hold a valid certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a competent provincial or federal authority. You can get an additional 50 points if your language proficiency in the four abilities is at CLB 7 and hold a certificate of qualification.
If you have CLB7 on all four abilities, you will not get to add up the points for CLB5 also. It’s either one or the other.
| Certificate of qualification + Language proficiency | Minimum CLB5 on the four language abilities | Minimum CLB7 on the four language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Issued a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
Section D. Additional factors (Max 600 points)
Additional factors You can get up to 600 additional points.
| Additional points | Maximum 600 points |
|---|---|
| Provincial or territorial nomination acquired through an Express Entry aligned PNP stream | 600 |
| Valid job offer in NOC skill type 00 (Senior Management) | 200 |
| Valid job offer in NOC skill type/level 0, A or B | 50 |
| Completion of post-secondary program in Canada, of at least 3 years in duration | 30 |
| Completion of post-secondary program in Canada, of 1 or 2 years in duration | 15 |
| French: at least CLB7 AND English: at least CLB5 – On all four language abilities | 30 |
| French: at least CLB7 AND English: lower than CLB5 or no test results- On all four language abilities | 15 |
| Sibling in Canada as Citizen or Permanent Resident | 15 |
If during your studies in Canada, you received more than 50 percent of your education via distance learning, you should not get the additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for completion of post-secondary program in Canada.