What the CRS does
The CRS is the points system IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. It applies only after a profile meets at least one of the three programs (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program). It is completely separate from the 67-point FSWP selection grid, which only decides FSWP eligibility.
Under the rules in force today, the maximum score is 1,200: up to 600 for core factors (sections A, B and C below) and up to 600 additional points (section D). There is no fixed pass mark. Each invitation round sets its own cut-off, depending on the type of round, the number of invitations and the profiles in the pool. In category rounds, eligible candidates are still ranked against each other by CRS. If candidates tie at the cut-off, the profile submitted earlier (by date and time) is invited first.
A. Core / human capital
Age, education, official languages, Canadian work experience. Maximum 460 with an accompanying spouse or partner, 500 without.
B. Spouse or partner factors
The accompanying spouse's education, language and Canadian work. Maximum 40.
C. Skill transferability
Combinations of education, language and work experience. Maximum 100.
D. Additional points
Provincial nomination, French, Canadian study, sibling in Canada. Maximum 600.
"With a spouse" in the tables below means a spouse or common-law partner who is coming with you to Canada. If your spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or is not coming with you, you are scored as if single.
A. Core and human capital factors
Age
| Age | With a spouse | Without a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 17 or under | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 90 | 99 |
| 19 | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 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 over | 0 | 0 |
Level of education
| Education | With a spouse | Without a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary school | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary school diploma | 28 | 30 |
| One-year post-secondary program | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year post-secondary program | 91 | 98 |
| Bachelor's degree or other program of 3 years or more | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more credentials, one of them 3 years or more | 119 | 128 |
| Master's degree, or entry-to-practice professional degree in a licensed occupation | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 140 | 150 |
Foreign education counts only with a valid educational credential assessment (ECA). For Express Entry, only degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine and pharmacy are scored like a master's degree as professional degrees.
First official language (points per ability)
Each of the four abilities (speaking, listening, reading, writing) is scored separately. Maximum 128 with a spouse (32 per ability) and 136 without (34 per ability). Convert test scores with our language score converter.
| CLB / NCLC level, per ability | With a spouse | Without a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Below CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| CLB 10 or higher | 32 | 34 |
Second official language (points per ability)
Maximum 22 with a spouse and 24 without.
| CLB / NCLC level, per ability | With a spouse | Without a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 6 | 6 |
Canadian work experience
Skilled work (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) done in Canada while authorized to work.
| Years of Canadian work experience | With a spouse | Without a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
B. Spouse or common-law partner factors
These apply only if your spouse or partner is coming with you. Maximum 40 points.
| Spouse's education | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than secondary school | 0 |
| Secondary school diploma | 2 |
| One-year program | 6 |
| Two-year program | 7 |
| Bachelor's degree or program of 3 years or more | 8 |
| Two or more credentials, one of them 3 years or more | 9 |
| Master's or professional degree | 10 |
| Doctoral degree | 10 |
| Spouse's first official language, per ability | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 5 |
| Spouse's Canadian work experience | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| 1 year | 5 |
| 2 years | 7 |
| 3 years | 8 |
| 4 years | 9 |
| 5 years or more | 10 |
C. Skill transferability factors
Five combinations, each capped at 50 points, with a section maximum of 100. These points are the same with or without a spouse.
Education with strong language
| Education | CLB 7+ in all abilities (one or more below 9) | CLB 9+ in all four abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program of 1 year or more | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials, one of 3 years or more | 25 | 50 |
| Master's or professional degree | 25 | 50 |
| Doctoral degree | 25 | 50 |
Education with Canadian work experience
| Education | 1 year of Canadian work | 2 years or more |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program of 1 year or more | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials, one of 3 years or more | 25 | 50 |
| Master's or professional degree | 25 | 50 |
| Doctoral degree | 25 | 50 |
Foreign work experience with strong language
| Foreign work experience | CLB 7+ in all abilities (one or more below 9) | CLB 9+ in all four abilities |
|---|---|---|
| None | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more | 25 | 50 |
Foreign work experience with Canadian work experience
| Foreign work experience | 1 year of Canadian work | 2 years or more |
|---|---|---|
| None | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more | 25 | 50 |
Certificate of qualification with language
| Credential | CLB 5+ in all abilities (one or more below 7) | CLB 7+ in all four abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian certificate of qualification in a trade | 25 | 50 |
The November 3, 2026 changes do not affect this section. Skill transferability will continue to use only the length of Canadian work experience.
D. Additional points
Maximum 600 points.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Provincial or territorial nomination (enhanced, through Express Entry) | 600 |
| French NCLC 7+ in all four abilities, and English CLB 4 or lower (or no English test) | 25 |
| French NCLC 7+ in all four abilities, and English CLB 5+ in all four | 50 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of 1 or 2 years | 15 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of 3 years or more | 30 |
| Brother or sister in Canada (18 or older, citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
| Valid job offer | 0 (removed March 25, 2025; see the new factor) |
How to use your score
- Confirm program eligibility firstCRS ranking applies only after your profile meets CEC, FSWP or FSTP.
- Enter only facts you can proveUse valid test results, ECAs, reference letters and civil-status documents. Every point must be supported after the invitation.
- Check the calculationEstimate with our CRS calculator or IRCC's official tool, and compare the result with the score in your profile.
- Keep the profile currentUpdate anything that changes your score: a new test, another year of work, a birthday, marriage, a nomination. A lower score must be reported too.
- Compare with recent roundsSee recent cut-offs on our draws page. A past cut-off does not predict the next one.
Labour Market Integration factor (takes effect November 3, 2026)
The Labour Market Integration (LMI) factor changes how IRCC scores Canadian work experience and job offers. You get points through one of two routes, whichever gives more. The two routes are never added together. The maximum is 150 points without an accompanying spouse or partner and 140 with one.
Route 1: Canadian work experience
Route 1 = the existing length-of-experience points (the Canadian work experience table in section A: up to 70 with a spouse, 80 without) + new high-wage points.
| Qualifying Canadian experience in high-wage occupations | High-wage points |
|---|---|
| 12 months or more in occupations at 2× or more the average median wage | 70 |
| If not eligible for 70: 12 months or more combined in occupations at 1.5× or more | 40 |
| If not eligible for 40: 12 months or more combined in occupations at 1.3× or more | 20 |
| Less than 12 months in high-wage occupations | 0 |
- You need at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work in high-wage occupations. The time can be continuous or not, full-time or the equivalent part-time, and spread across several jobs.
- For jobs held at the same time, hours count only up to 30 per week.
- IRCC's backgrounder says the experience must generally have been gained in Canada, in the last 10 years, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. Specific rules apply to certain physicians providing publicly funded services.
- The high-wage tiers are not added together: you receive the highest tier you qualify for.
- Highest possible Route 1 score: 80 + 70 = 150 without a spouse; 70 + 70 = 140 with a spouse.
Route 2: qualifying job offer
| Occupation of the job offer | Points |
|---|---|
| High-wage, 2× or more the average median wage | 100 |
| High-wage, 1.5× to under 2× | 70 |
| High-wage, 1.3× to under 1.5× | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
- The offer must be valid under Express Entry rules: generally full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after you become a permanent resident. Specific requirements apply to skilled trades and physicians.
- No LMIA is needed, and an LMIA no longer adds points. Offers can be for new or existing positions, from new or existing employers.
- An officer will check that the offer is genuine: that the employer is actively in business, has a reasonable need for the job, can meet its terms and follows employment and recruitment laws, and that you are qualified and likely to accept and do the work. A revoked offer no longer qualifies.
What counts as a high-wage occupation
- A five-digit NOC qualifies when the median wage of everyone in Canada working in that occupation is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole workforce. Your own salary is not used.
- IRCC uses Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data for the last 3 years. Each NOC gets the highest level it reached in that period. The first list uses 2023 to 2025 data.
- The list has 186 occupations: 31 at the 2× level, 89 at 1.5× and 66 at 1.3×. If the list changes after your invitation, the level on your invitation date applies.
| Level | Examples from IRCC's list (NOC) |
|---|---|
| 2× | Financial managers (10010); human resources managers (10011); computer and information systems managers (20012); petroleum engineers (21332); general practitioners and family physicians (31102); lawyers (41101); university professors and lecturers (41200) |
| 1.5× | Data scientists (21211); cybersecurity specialists (21220); software engineers (21231); civil engineers (21300); mechanical engineers (21301); pharmacists (31120); registered nurses (31301); secondary school teachers (41220); construction managers (70010) |
| 1.3× | Accountants and auditors (11100); financial analysts (11101); human resources professionals (11200); chemists (21101); architects (21200); web developers (21234); dietitians (31121); social workers (41300) |
Search all 186 high-wage occupations
Worked examples
Example 1: experience only
No accompanying spouse; 2 years of Canadian experience (53 points); 12 months of it at the 1.5× level, but not 12 months at 2× (40 points). Route 1 = 53 + 40 = 93. No job offer, so the LMI factor is 93.
Example 2: experience and a job offer
Same person, now with a valid offer at the 2× level (100 points). Route 2 = 100 is higher than Route 1 = 93, so the LMI factor is 100. A 70-point offer would not help: the factor would stay at 93.
These examples show only the LMI factor. The length-of-experience points are part of it, so they are not counted again elsewhere. Skill transferability is calculated separately and is unchanged.
Transition
- All profiles will be recalculated automatically from November 3, 2026. IRCC says this may take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will pause until it is finished.
- If you have a valid job offer without an LMIA, add it to your profile before November 3, 2026, using the temporary placeholder entries on IRCC's changes page (the online form still asks for an LMIA).
- Where the LMI factor sits in the CRS structure, and the new overall maximum, have not yet been published by IRCC.
Important cautions
- Do not confuse the CRS with the 67-point FSWP grid.
- An online estimate is not a guarantee that IRCC will accept every point you claim.
- Language results expire after 2 years and ECAs after 5 years; both must be valid when you create the profile and when you apply.
- Your age points change on your birthday. Recalculate before you accept an invitation.
- Spring 2026 consultation ideas (such as removing spousal or sibling points or changing age points) are proposals only and are not part of the CRS.
Frequently asked questions
What CRS score do I need?
There is no fixed score. Each round sets its own cut-off. From February 20 to October 16, 2026, Canadian Experience Class rounds closed at about 507 to 523, and French-language rounds at 382 to 435. See our draws page for current rounds.
Does a job offer give me points today?
No. Job-offer points were removed on March 25, 2025. From November 3, 2026, an offer earns 50, 70 or 100 points only if it is in a high-wage occupation.
Will the new factor add 150 points to my score?
No. The factor includes the Canadian work experience points you may already have. The new points are the high-wage points (20, 40 or 70), or a job offer score that replaces Route 1 when it is higher.
Is a provincial nomination still worth 600 points?
Yes. An enhanced provincial or territorial nomination accepted in your profile adds 600 points.
Does a category round give extra points?
No. A category only decides who can be invited in that round. Candidates are still ranked by CRS.
Official sources
- IRCC: Comprehensive Ranking System criteria
- IRCC: CRS tool
- IRCC: Changes to Express Entry (November 3, 2026)
- IRCC backgrounder: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
- IRCC: High-wage occupations list
- IRCC: Ministerial Instructions amendment (March 25, 2025)
- IRCC news: Action to reduce fraud in Express Entry (December 23, 2024)
- IRCC: Language test results
- IRCC: Educational credential assessment
- IRCC: Rounds of invitations
- IRCC: 2026 consultations on Express Entry reforms (report)
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.