Express Entry is one of the most popular ways of settling in Canada as a Skilled Worker from overseas. However, the Canada Express Entry system uses a points system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
It is crucial to understand the full process and how you can calculate your CRS score if you want to increase your chances of getting invited. But don’t worry; we’re here to help you out. Here’s a detailed guide to help you understand and calculate your CRS points for Canadian immigration in 2025.
How to Calculate Express Entry Points
Canada Express Entry points refer to the CRS score. It is based on multiple factors like age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and additional criteria. There’s actually an IRCC express entry points calculator provided by the Canadian Government on their official website that you can use to calculate your Express Entry points. This is the easiest way to calculate your score.
However, here are a few things you need to understand about the basis of the calculation:
- The younger you are, the more points you receive.
- The higher your level of education, the higher points you receive
- The better you are at English and French, the higher points you receive.
- The more work experience you have, the higher points you receive.
- You also receive points based on the same factors for your spouse or common-law partner (if you are married).
- You can also receive points for a provincial nomination, a valid job offer, a Canadian education, a sibling in Canada, etc.
Express Entry Points Breakdown
The CRS score is divided into four main sections, which is also the Canada Express Entry points breakdown:
Your Personal Core/Human Capital Factors (Maximum 460 points)
- Age: Up to 100 points
- Level of Education: Up to 140 points
- Language Proficiency in English or French: Up to 150 points
- Canadian Work Experience: Up to 70 points
Your Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors (Maximum 40 points)
- Level of Education: Up to 10 points
- Language Proficiency in English or French: Up to 20 points
- Canadian Work Experience: Up to 10 points
Skill Transferability Factors (Maximum 100 points)
- Education and Language Proficiency: Up to 50 points
- Foreign Work Experience: Up to 50 points
Additional Points (Maximum 600 points)
- Provincial Nomination: 600 points
- Valid Job Offer: Up to 200 points (Note: This will be removed in Spring 2025)
- Canadian Education: Up to 30 points
- Sibling with citizenship or PR in Canada: 15 points
- French Language Skills: Up to 50 points
Note: These points are cumulative and contribute to the total CRS score, capped at 1,200, rather than being limited to a 600-point maximum for this category alone.
Latest Express Entry Draw and Cut-Off Score
The latest Canada Express Entry Draw was conducted on February 19, 2025, issuing 6,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates with French language proficiency, with a CRS cut-off score of 428. IRCC continues to hold multiple draws, increasingly emphasizing category-based selections like French proficiency to align with the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan. This reflects a shift from earlier focuses on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws in 2024.
Key Points:
- The latest CEC-specific draw had a minimum CRS score requirement of 507, which means anyone who scored under the cut-off score of 507 wasn’t invited.
- A prior PNP draw in the same week invited 1,121 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 694.
- IRCC has been holding more frequent PNP and CEC draws recently.
- This approach supports meeting the permanent residency targets for 2024 and 2025.
According to the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC targets 395,000 new permanent residents in 2025, with 289,300 under the economic class, including Express Entry. For the most accurate and specific Express Entry admission targets for 2025, refer to the latest updates on the official IRCC website, as these figures may adjust based on annual policy reviews.
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Tips to improve Express Entry CRS Score
There are multiple ways you can increase your chances of getting invited to permanently live in Canada. Here are some ways you can improve your Express Entry CRS Score:
- Improve Language Scores: Boosting your proficiency in English and/or French can add substantial points. Consider taking language courses and retaking language tests like IELTS or TEF to achieve higher scores.
- Gain More Work Experience: Accumulating additional years of skilled work experience, especially in Canada, can increase your CRS score.
- Study Masters of PhD: As we’ve indicated above, if you’re a master or PhD graduate, you can get additional points in your CRS score through studying in Canada.
- Secure a Job Offer from a Canadian Employer: Currently, obtaining a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), can add up to 200 points to your CRS score. However, IRCC has announced that this points allocation will be removed in Spring 2025 to address fraud concerns, so candidates should monitor updates and consider alternative strategies like improving language proficiency after this change takes effect.
- Obtain a PN (Provincial Nomination): Receiving a nomination from a Canadian province or territory can add 600 points to your CRS score, almost guaranteeing an ITA.
- Apply with Your Spouse: If applicable, including your spouse or common-law partner in your application and improving their language scores and education can also contribute to a higher CRS score.