Comprehensive Ranking System

Once a foreign national’s profile is complete, the Express Entry system will determine if they meet the minimum criteria of one of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (Immigration Canada) three economic programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. If the foreign national does meet the minimum criteria of one of the three programs, their Express Entry profile will be placed in the pool of applicants. 

Once in the pool of applicants, a foreign national’s profile will be awarded points based on the information contained in their Express Entry profile, and then they will be ranked against all other candidates in the Express Entry pool. This is called the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) matrix.

A foreign national can be assigned a maximum of 600 points based on their:

  • Human capital factors – which includes, age, education, language proficiency in English and/or French, and foreign and Canadian work experience;
  • Spouse or common-law partner’s factors (if applicable); and
  • Skill transferability factors – which takes into account the foreign national’s language proficiency in English and/or French, education, and their foreign and Canadian work experience

If a foreign national’s spouse or common-law partner is not immigrating with them to Canada, or if the spouse or common-law partner is already a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, their factors will not be considered in the CRS matrix. 

A foreign national will also have the possibility of obtaining up to an additional 600 points if they have: 

  • A brother or sister, who is a Canadian citizen or Canadian permanent resident, living in Canada (15 points);
  • French language skills (maximum of 30 points);
  • A Canadian post-secondary educational credential (maximum of 30 points);
  • A qualifying offer of arranged employment (maximum of 200 points); or
  • An Express Entry Provincial Nomination (600 points)

A qualifying offer of arranged employment includes an offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirmation, or an offer made by the employer who is specified on the foreign national’s work permit, and only if they have accumulated at least one year of work experience over a continuous period for that employer in Canada. The offer of arranged employment must be for an occupation that is at the management, professional or technical level (levels O, A or B under the National Occupational Classification).

Using the CRS, Immigration Canada will select candidates with the highest point score from the Express Entry pool on a regular basis and invite them to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence.