How the CRS Score Is Calculated: Every Points Table, Explained
The Comprehensive Ranking System gives each Express Entry candidate a score out of 1,200. Here is exactly where every point comes from, with two worked examples and today's cut-offs.
The four parts of the score
| Part | Maximum (no spouse) | Maximum (spouse coming) |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital: age, education, language, Canadian work | 500 | 460 |
| B. Spouse factors: spouse's education, language, Canadian work | – | 40 |
| C. Skill transferability: combinations of education, language and work | 100 | 100 |
| D. Additional points: nomination, French, Canadian study, sibling | 600 | 600 |
| Total | 1,200 | 1,200 |
"Spouse coming" means your spouse or common-law partner will come with you to Canada and isn't a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Otherwise you're scored as single. Source: IRCC, CRS criteria (modified 16 October 2026).
A. Core points
Age (up to 110)
Full points from 20 to 29: 110 with no spouse, 100 with a spouse coming. From 30, points fall every year (5 or 6 a year to 40, then 11 a year) and reach 0 at 45. See the full table and the date your next birthday costs points on CRS points by age.
Education (up to 150)
| Highest education | No spouse | Spouse coming | Spouse's education (as the spouse) |
|---|---|---|---|
| None, or less than secondary (high school) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 30 | 28 | 2 |
| One-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school | 90 | 84 | 6 |
| Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school | 98 | 91 | 7 |
| Bachelor's degree, or a three or more year program | 120 | 112 | 8 |
| Two or more credentials, one of them a three or more year program | 128 | 119 | 9 |
| Master's degree, or professional degree needed to practice a licensed profession | 135 | 126 | 10 |
| Doctoral level university degree (PhD) | 150 | 140 | 10 |
Foreign credentials need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to count.
First official language (up to 136)
Points are given for each of the four abilities (listening, reading, writing, speaking), based on your CLB or NCLC level. The CLB calculator converts IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF and TCF scores.
| CLB level (per ability) | No spouse | Spouse coming | Second language | Spouse's language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 3 or less | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 5 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| CLB 7 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 8 | 23 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| CLB 9 | 31 | 29 | 6 | 5 |
| CLB 10 or more | 34 | 32 | 6 | 5 |
The first two columns are per ability in your first official language (maximum 136 or 128). The second-language column is per ability in your other official language, capped at 24 (22 with a spouse). The last column is your spouse's points per ability.
Canadian work experience (up to 80)
Skilled work (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) in Canada in the last 10 years.
| Skilled work in Canada | No spouse | Spouse coming | Spouse's Canadian work |
|---|---|---|---|
| None or less than a year | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 40 | 35 | 5 |
| 2 years | 53 | 46 | 7 |
| 3 years | 64 | 56 | 8 |
| 4 years | 72 | 63 | 9 |
| 5 years or more | 80 | 70 | 10 |
B. Spouse factors (up to 40)
Only if your spouse is coming with you: up to 10 for their education (last column of the education table), up to 20 for their language test (5 per ability at CLB 9+), and up to 10 for their Canadian work (last column above).
C. Skill transferability (up to 100)
These points reward combinations. Your lowest first-language ability decides the language part: "CLB 7+" means CLB 7 or higher in all four abilities, with at least one below 9; "CLB 9+" means all four at 9 or higher.
| Combination | Lower level | Higher level |
|---|---|---|
| Education + language | ||
| Post-secondary credential of 1 year or more, with CLB 7+ / CLB 9+ | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials (one 3+ years), master's or PhD, with CLB 7+ / CLB 9+ | 25 | 50 |
| Education + Canadian work | ||
| Post-secondary credential of 1 year or more, with 1 year / 2+ years in Canada | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials, master's or PhD, with 1 year / 2+ years in Canada | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work + language | ||
| 1–2 years of foreign work, with CLB 7+ / CLB 9+ | 13 | 25 |
| 3+ years of foreign work, with CLB 7+ / CLB 9+ | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work + Canadian work | ||
| 1–2 years of foreign work, with 1 year / 2+ years in Canada | 13 | 25 |
| 3+ years of foreign work, with 1 year / 2+ years in Canada | 25 | 50 |
| Certificate of qualification (trades) with CLB 5+ / CLB 7+ | 25 | 50 |
Three caps apply: the two education combinations together are capped at 50, the two foreign work combinations at 50, and the whole section at 100.
D. Additional points (up to 600)
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
| French at NCLC 7+ in all four abilities, with English at CLB 4 or lower (or no English test) | 25 |
| French at NCLC 7+ in all four abilities, with English at CLB 5+ in all four | 50 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada, 1 or 2 years | 15 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada, 3 years or more | 30 |
| Brother or sister in Canada (citizen or permanent resident, 18+) | 15 |
Job offer points were removed on 25 March 2025. New points for job offers and Canadian work in high-wage occupations start on 3 November 2026 (see below).
Worked example 1: single, 29, no Canadian experience
Bachelor's degree, CLB 8 in all four abilities, 3 years of foreign work.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age (29) | 110 |
| Education (bachelor's) | 120 |
| First language (CLB 8 × 4) | 92 |
| Canadian work | 0 |
| Core total | 322 |
| Education + language (CLB 7+, one credential) | 13 |
| Foreign work + language (3+ years, CLB 7+) | 25 |
| Skill transferability | 38 |
| CRS score | 360 |
Worked example 2: couple, 32, with Canadian experience
Master's degree, a 1–2 year Canadian credential, CLB 9 in all four abilities, 1 year of Canadian work, 2 years of foreign work. Spouse coming, with a bachelor's degree and CLB 7.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age (32, spouse coming) | 85 |
| Education (master's) | 126 |
| First language (CLB 9 × 4) | 116 |
| Canadian work (1 year) | 35 |
| Core total | 362 |
| Spouse: education 8 + language 12 | 20 |
| Education + language 50 and education + Canadian work 25, capped at 50 | 50 |
| Foreign work + language 25 and foreign work + Canadian work 13 | 38 |
| Skill transferability | 88 |
| Canadian education (1–2 years) | 15 |
| CRS score | 485 |
Notice the cap in example 2: education combinations add up to 75, but only 50 count. Both totals come from our CRS calculator, which matches IRCC's tool on 26 of 26 test profiles.
What is a good CRS score?
Whether your score is "good" depends on the draws you qualify for. In 2026:
- Canadian Experience Class: 507 to 523 (latest 519)
- French-language proficiency: 382 to 435 (latest 435)
- Healthcare and social services: 467 to 475
- Provincial Nominee Program: 697 to 805, including the 600 nomination points
See every round on the Express Entry draws page, check which categories you qualify for with the category-based draws checker, and read how to increase your CRS score.
Changes from 3 November 2026
IRCC announced new points for qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations (50, 70 or 100) and for 12+ months of Canadian work in high-wage occupations (20, 40 or 70, on top of the Canadian work points above). You get points for your Canadian work or a job offer, not both: IRCC compares the job offer's points with your whole Canadian work score (duration plus high-wage points) and uses the higher. IRCC calls this the Labour Market Integration factor, with a maximum of 150 without a spouse and 140 with one. Sources: IRCC, 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers and IRCC, Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations. We'll update these tables and the calculator once the change takes effect and we've tested it against IRCC's tool.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CRS score?
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is the number IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. It's out of 1,200 and is based on your age, education, language, work experience, your spouse's profile, combinations of those factors and bonus points such as a provincial nomination. In each draw, IRCC invites the highest-ranked candidates who meet that round's criteria.
What is a good CRS score in 2026?
It depends on which draws you qualify for. In 2026, Canadian Experience Class cut-offs were 507 to 523, French-language cut-offs 382 to 435, and Provincial Nominee Program cut-offs 697 to 805 (which include the 600 nomination points). Healthcare and trades draws needed about 467 to 477, and every CEC draw needed more than 500.
What is the maximum CRS score?
1,200. Up to 600 come from core, spouse and skill transferability factors, and up to 600 from additional points. Without a nomination, the highest possible score is 695, so every score above that includes a 600-point provincial nomination.
Why is my score lower with a spouse?
If your spouse or partner is coming with you and isn't a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, your own core maximum drops from 500 to 460, and up to 40 points move to your spouse's education, language and Canadian work. A spouse with a strong profile can make up the difference; a spouse with no test or ECA usually can't.
Which language ability matters most?
All four count separately for core points. Your lowest ability also decides your skill transferability points, so one weak ability, for example writing, can cost you up to 50 points across education and foreign work combinations.
Is this the same calculation IRCC uses?
Yes. These tables follow IRCC's CRS criteria (modified 16 October 2026), and our calculator matches IRCC's official tool on 26 of 26 test profiles. Your official score is the one shown in your Express Entry profile.