The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is an online point-based system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to determine the eligibility of a candidate for immigration to Canada. The CRS score is determined based on an individual's age, education, language proficiency, work experience and other factors.

Posted At: Sep 09, 2023 - 255 Views

Canada’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is an important part of the Express Entry immigration system. It is used to rank applicants for immigration to Canada based on their age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. The CRS score is used to determine which applicants will be invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

In order to calculate an applicant’s CRS score, several factors are taken into consideration. The CRS score is based on a maximum of 1200 points. The factors that are considered are:

• Core Human capital factors – These include age, education, work experience and language ability. Each of these factors is given a certain number of total points, which are then combined to give an overall score for human capital factors.Age: Candidates between the age of 18 and 35 get the maximum points for this factor. The points decrease as the age increases.

Language Proficiency: Candidates with Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 8 or higher for either English or French are awarded the highest points.

Education: Candidates with a Canadian post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate, or a foreign equivalent degree, diploma, or certificate are awarded the highest points.

Work Experience: Candidates with at least one year of skilled work experience in the past three years get the highest points.

Arranged Employment: Candidates with a valid job offer from a Canadian employer get the highest points.

Adaptability: Candidates who have a spouse or common-law partner with language proficiency, work experience or education credentials are awarded the highest points.

• Spouse or Common-Law Partner factors – If the applicant has a spouse or common-law partner, they will be eligible for additional points. These points are awarded based on the same factors as the human capital factors, such as age, education, and language ability.

• Skill Transferability factors – These are points awarded based on the applicant’s ability to transfer their skills to the Canadian labour market. Points are awarded based on the applicant’s education, work experience, and language ability.

• Additional Points – An additional 600 points can be awarded for other factors such as having a job offer in Canada, or having a family member residing in Canada.

The higher the overall CRS score, the more likely an applicant is to be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. However, the CRS score alone cannot guarantee an invitation to apply for permanent residence. All applicants must still meet all the necessary requirements for immigration to Canada, including passing a criminal record check and medical exam. Additionally, the CRS score is only one factor that is considered when determining which applicants will be invited to apply for permanent residence. The Canadian government also looks at factors such as the applicant’s ability to integrate into Canadian society, and the economic and labour market needs of Canada.

The CRS is used to assess a person's profile and compare it with others who have applied for immigration to Canada. It helps to assess the relative strength of the applicant's profile in comparison to others in the Express Entry pool. It is important to note that the CRS score is not a measure of your eligibility for immigration but rather a measure of your relative strength in comparison to other applicants.

When a potential immigrant applies for permanent residence through the Express Entry system, the CRS score is calculated automatically by the IRCC. The score is used to compare applicants and rank them against each other. The IRCC conducts regular draws from the Express Entry pool and invites the highest scoring applicants to submit an ITA.

When applying for immigration as a family, the CRS score is calculated taking into account the combined factors of all family members. Factors such as age and language proficiency are particularly important when applying as a family, as they can increase the total CRS score significantly. Other factors, such as education and work experience, are also taken into consideration, but are usually not as important as age and language proficiency.

In addition to the CRS score, the Express Entry system also takes into account a variety of other criteria, such as the number of family members applying and the family’s financial resources. The more family members who apply, the higher the CRS score will be. Additionally, the more financially stable the family is, the higher the CRS score will be.


The CRS score is an important part of the Express Entry system and is used to rank applicants for Canadian immigration. The higher the CRS score, the more likely an applicant is to be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. However, the CRS score is only one factor that is considered when determining which applicants will be invited to apply.

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