Express Entry CRS calculator

How the CRS score works

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is how the Government of Canada ranks candidates in the Express Entry pool, the system used for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. The score goes up to 1,200 points and adds four blocks: core factors (up to 500 points), spouse or partner factors (up to 40), skill transferability (up to 100) and additional points (up to 600).

You are scored as a single candidate if your spouse or partner is not coming with you to Canada, or if they are already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. In that case, the core factors are worth a little more, to make up for the spouse points.

Age

Candidates between 20 and 29 get the most points. From 30 on, the score drops every year, and at 45 it reaches zero.

Level of education

Education completed outside Canada needs an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to count. The higher the credential, the more points, up to 150 for a doctorate.

Official languages: English and French

Language is the factor that most often changes a score. Each of the four abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing) is converted to a Canadian Language Benchmark level (CLB, or NCLC in French) and scored separately. The table below shows the points per ability in your first official language. A second official language adds up to 6 points per ability, and French at NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities also adds up to 50 additional points.

Accepted tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English; TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than two years old. For example, on IELTS, CLB 9 means 7.0 in speaking, reading and writing and 8.0 in listening.

Second official language

If you also have a test in the other official language, each ability adds points too, up to 24 in total (22 with a spouse).

What each test score means in CLB or NCLC

The official equivalency charts, test by test. Open the test you took.

Canadian work experience

Skilled work (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) done in Canada, for a Canadian employer, in the last 10 years. One year is already worth up to 40 points, and five years or more are worth up to 80.

Spouse or partner factors

When your spouse or partner comes with you and is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, their education (up to 10 points), their language in their first official language (up to 20) and their Canadian work experience (up to 10) add up to 40 points.

Spouse's education

Spouse's first official language

Spouse's Canadian work experience

Skill transferability: the combinations

This block rewards combinations of factors. There are five combinations, grouped in three parts. Education combinations add up to a maximum of 50 points, foreign work experience combinations add up to 50, the certificate of qualification is worth up to 50, and the whole block is capped at 100 points. “Language” here always means your first official language, in all four abilities.

1. Education + language

2. Education + Canadian work experience

Combinations 1 and 2 together: maximum 50 points.

3. Foreign work experience + language

4. Foreign work experience + Canadian work experience

Combinations 3 and 4 together: maximum 50 points.

5. Certificate of qualification (trades) + language

Additional points

Since March 25, 2025, job offers no longer give CRS points. The cut-off score changes with every round of invitations, so this page does not show a fixed number: check the official rounds of invitations.

Frequently asked questions