How to calculate your Express Entry CRS score

By “Express Entry CRS score” is implied the ranking score allotted to a federal Express Entry candidate while in the pool of Canada immigration hopefuls. Launched in 2015, the Express Entry system is an online application management system used by the Canadian government for managing permanent residence applications from skilled workers. A points-based system, the CRS is used for assessing, scoring, and ranking profiles in the Express Entry pool. The federal Express Entry system comes under the purview of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC]. Allotted out of a 1,200-point matrix, the CRS score is not to be confused with the 67-point Canada eligibility calculation. While Canada eligibility calculation plays a role before the creation of an Express Entry profile, the CRS calculation comes much later.

What programs come under IRCC Express Entry?

There are 3 main economic immigration programs that come under IRCC Express Entry. [1] Federal Skilled Worker program [FSWP]: for skilled workers with foreign work experience that intend to take up permanent residence in Canada [2] Federal Skilled Trades Program [FSTP]: for skilled workers that want to take up Canada PR based on their being qualified in a particular skilled trade. [3] Canadian Experience Class [CEC]: for skilled workers with previous – as well as recent – Canadian work experience that want to take up permanent residence in Canada. To be in the Express Entry pool, you will have to qualify for any 1 the above 3 economic immigration programs of Canada. An individual might qualify for more than 1 programs. In such situations, they will have to specify the specific program that they wish to be considered by IRCC for.

Additionally, the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP] of Canada, also referred to as Canadian PNP, has many immigration pathways or ‘streams’ linked with IRCC Express Entry. PNP nominations through Express Entry aligned streams are referred to as ‘enhanced’ nominations and have a completely online application process. Fetching 600 points on its own, a PNP nomination guarantees an invitation to apply by IRCC for that Express Entry candidate. Applying for Canadian permanent residence through the federal Express Entry system is by invitation only. The higher the CRS score that you have, the brighter the chances of your being issued an ITA by IRCC in an Express Entry draw held subsequently.

  Now, let’s see how is the CRS score calculated.

An Overview of CRS score calculation for IRCC Express Entry

Maximum points available: 1,200 Core [Factors A, B, C] points: 600 Additional [Factor D] points: 600 CRS score of a candidate = A + B + C + D

A. Core / human capital factors  [Note. Here, points allotted per factor will differ between applying with or without spouse/partner. For example, the factor of ‘age’ can get you CRS 100 if applying with spouse/partner, and CRS 110 if applying without spouse/partner.] With a spouse or common-law partner: Maximum 460 points. Without a spouse or common-law partner: Maximum 500 points. Factors assessed -          Age -          Education -          Language proficiency [IELTS, CELPIP etc.] -          Canadian work experience

B. Spouse or common-law partner  Maximum 40 points available. -          Education -          Language proficiency [IELTS, CELPIP etc.] -          Canadian work experience

A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner = Maximum 500 points

C. Skill Transferability factors Maximum 100 points available. -          Education -          Foreign work experience -          Certificate of qualification [only for those in trade occupations]

A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Transferability factors = Maximum 600 points

Another 600 CRS points come under “additional points”. D. Additional points  Maximum 600 points available.  -          PNP nomination [CRS 600 points] -          Arranged employment, that is, job offer in Canada [CRS 200 points] -          French language skills [CRS 50 points] -          Post-secondary education in Canada [CRS 30 points] -          Brother or sister living in Canada as a PR or citizen [CRS 15 points]

CRS score of the candidate –    A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors + C. Transferability factors + D. Additional points = Grand total

  Fetching 600 points under CRS calculation, a PNP nomination guarantees an ITA by IRCC in a subsequent IRCC Express Entry draw to be held. Now, let us see the maximum points available under each of the CRS factors.

CRS – A. Core / human capital factors Total points available: -          With a spouse or common-law partner – Maximum 460 points -          Without a spouse or common-law partner – Maximum 500 points

Factor 1 of 4: Age

The factor of age can get you a maximum of 100 points when applying with spouse/common law partner. Applying without a spouse or partner can get you up to 110 points for age. Those between 20 – 29 years of age are eligible for the maximum points. Being 17 years or less will get you 0 points. On the other end of the spectrum, 45 years or above for age will also get you 0 points. The exact points for the factor vary from age to age.

Factor 2 of 4: Education

Points available for education under human capital factors – ·         With spouse/partner: maximum 140 CRS points ·         Without spouse/partner: maximum 150 points A PhD will fetch you the maximum points. A Master’s degree, or professional degree that might be required for practicing in a licensed profession is worth 126 points [with a spouse/partner], or 135 [without a spouse/partner]. Note. An Educational Credential Assessment [ECA] report will be required for establishing the equivalent of the foreign education to the Canadian educational standard. An “ECA for immigration purposes” will have to be secured, from IRCC designated organizations, such as World Education Services [WES]. For a list of the Universities in India Recognized by WES for ECA of Immigrants, see here.

Factor 3 of 4: Languages proficiency

First official language Here, you can get a maximum of 128 points – that is, 32 maximum points each for the 4 abilities (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) assessed – when applying with a spouse/common-law partner. Applying without a spouse/partner will get you maximum of 136 points. 34 points each are allotted to each of the 4 abilities. CLB 10 is worth the maximum points attainable under the factor. By ‘CLB’ is implied the Canadian Language Benchmark. CLB 10 is equal to the following score in IELTS – reading: 8.0, writing: 7.5, listening 8.5, and speaking: 7.5.

Second official language Up to a combined maximum of 22 CRS points when applying with a spouse/partner. Applying without a spouse/partner can get a combined maximum of 24 CRS. Here, 6 points will be given for each of the abilities.

Factor 4 of 4: Canadian work experience

5 years of more of Canadian work experience is worth a maximum of 70 points, when applying with a spouse/partner; and 80 points when applying without spouse/partner. 1 year of Canadian work experience is worth 35 points [with spouse/partner], or 40 points [without spouse/partner].

 

CRS – B. Spouse or common-law partner factors [if applicable]

Level of education of the spouse/common-law partner Masters’ or PhD degree is worth the maximum 10 points available for this factor.

Languages’ proficiency of the spouse/common-law partner  Maximum 20 points available, 5 points for each of the 4 abilities assessed. CLB 9 or more is worth the maximum of 20 points available. For the sake of conversation, CLB 9 is equal to the following in IELTS – reading: 7.0, writing: 7.0, listening: 8.0, and speaking: 7.0.

Canadian work experience of the spouse/common-law partner  Maximum attainable points for the factor: 10 points [for an experience of 5 years or above].

   

CRS – C. Skill transferability factors Maximum points available: 100

Education  Good official language proficiency AND a post-secondary degree

With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree

Foreign work experience – With good official language proficiency

Foreign work experience – With Canadian work experience

 

CRS – D. Additional points  Maximum available – 100 points
Factor	Points available
PNP nomination	600
Arranged employment in Canada at NOC 00 level	200
Arranged employment - any other NOC 0, A, B	50
Scored NCLC 7 or higher on all four French language skills and scored CLB 5 or higher on all four English skills	50
Post-secondary education in Canada – with a credential of 3 years or longer	30
Scored NCLC 7 or above on each of the 4 French language skills and CLB 4 or lower in English (or did not take an English test)	25
Brother or sister living in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident of Canada	15
Post-secondary education in Canada – with a credential of 1-2 years	15

Note. NOC: National Occupational Classification matrix that allots a unique 4-digit code to each of the occupations available in the Canadian labour market. NCLC: Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens [for French]. Worth 600 CRS points, a PNP nomination guarantees an ITA by IRCC. Even if you have a comparatively low CRS score, a PNP nomination can propel your profile to the top of the IRCC pool of Canada immigration hopefuls. As on September 14, 2021, there were a total of 179,055 profiles in the IRCC pool. Of these, only 571 were in the CRS 601-1,200 score range.

Am I eligible for Canadian PNP?

8 provinces and 2 territories in Canada are a part of the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP]. Quebec is the only province not a part of Canadian PNP. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec has a greater autonomy over the selection of newcomers. The territory of Nunavut, on the other hand, has no immigration program as such. Now, there are around 80 immigration pathways or ‘streams’ available under the PNP of Canada. Each of the PNP streams targets a specific class of immigrants. A PNP stream might target – ·         Skilled workers, ·         Semi-skilled workers, ·         International students, or ·         Businesspeople. The eligibility criteria vary from stream to stream. Provincial and territorial [PT] governments under the PNP hold draw from time to time. Draws held by PT governments might be general and in keeping with the standard criteria of that stream. At times, the PT governments might hold ‘targeted’ draws as well, with additional eligibility criteria for that draw alone. The most ideally-suited PNP stream for you would be as per your individual background,  circumstances, expectations, and preferences.   Canadian provinces/territories and their PNP programs Alberta : Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program [AINP] British Columbia : British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program [BC PNP] Manitoba : Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program [MPNP] Ontario : Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program [OINP] Nova Scotia : Nova Scotia Nominee Program [NSNP] New Brunswick : New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program [NBPNP] Newfoundland and Labrador : Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program [NLPNP] Prince Edward Island : Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program [PEI PNP] Northwest Territories : Northwest Territories Provincial Nominee Program Saskatchewan : Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program [SINP] Yukon : Yukon Nominee Program [YNP]

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