CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System

Comprehensive Ranking System for Canadian Permanent Residence

Comprehensive Ranking System score (CRS) is the overall immigration point score that checks your PR chances for Canada. CRS considers various factors while evaluating immigration points through Express Entry. The Comprehensive Ranking system score is calculated for the skilled migration categories. These are responsible for inviting overseas foreign skilled migrants to Canada. The migrants are invited to settle permanently in the country and contribute to the economy. You need to score higher points to be eligible.

What is Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?

Comprehensive Ranking System is basically a points system. This points system assesses and scores an Express Entry profile of a candidate. This evaluation is done to rank the candidate against all the other candidates in the pool of Express Entry at the time of a round of invitations. As soon as a profile is created by the candidate on his/her online account, the system automatically assigns a CRS score to the profile. The score is based on the information given in the profile. The CRS score can be seen on your Application/Profile Details page of your online account.
Scoring high is crucial in the CRS to receive and Invitation to Apply at the time of round of invitations. Remember, higher the score, better are your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

ALLOCATION OF CRS POINTS:

The maximum score that can be earned in CRS is 1200 points. The allocation of points is as follows:

I. A core set of human capital factors are considered. These factors usually drive economic outcomes (you can score upto 460-500 points here). The factors that are considered here are:

  • Age of the candidate
  • Level of education
  • Official language proficiency
  • Canadian work experience

II. Spousal factors ( you can score upto 40 points)
III. Transferable set of skills / The factors that interact to influence the core set (upto 100 points)
IV. Other additional factors (upto 600 points). These factors include:

  • A valid provincial nomination/ territorial nomination (upto 600 points)
  • A qualifying offer of arranged employment is necessary (upto 50 points for all the occupations listed in NOC O, A and B. NOC OO is an exception here as you can score upto 200 points here)
  • Canadian education credential (upto 30 points)

In case, your spouse is not accompanying you to Canada, or she is a Citizen or a Permanent resident, you will earn points as if you are all alone. Let us have a quick run through the summary of maximum points per factor for the candidates in the Express Entry system. This

A. Core / Human Capital factors

Factors Points per factor – With spouse/Common-law partner Points per factor –Without a spouse/ Common-law partner
Age 100 110
Level of Education 140 150
Official Language Proficiency 150 160
Canadian work experience 70 80

B. Spouse or common law partner factors

Factors Points per Factor (Maximum 40 points)
Level of Education 10
Official Language Proficiency 20
Canadian Work Experience 10

A. Core / Human Capital factors + B. Spouse or common law partner factors = Maximum 500 points (with or without spouse/ common-law partner)

C. Skills Transferability factors (Maximum 100 points)

Education Points per factor (Maximum 50 points)
With good/ strong official languages proficiency and a post-secondary degree 50
With Canadian work experience and post –secondary degree 50

Foreign work experience Points per factor (Maximum 50 points)
With good/ strong official language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark [CLB] level 7 or higher) and foreign work experience 50
With Canadian work experience and foreign work experience 50

Certificate of Qualification (for people in Trade and Occupation Points per factor (Maximum 50 points
With good/ strong official language proficiency and a certificate of qualification 50

A. Core / Human Capital factors + B. Spouse or common law partner factors + C. Skills Transferability factors = Maximum 600 points
D. Additional Points (Maximum 600 points)
Factor Maximum points per factor
Brother/Sister living in Canada ( Citizen /Permanent resident) 15
French language skills 30
Post-Secondary education in Canada 30
Arranged Employment 200
PN Nomination 600

A. Core / Human Capital factors + B. Spouse or common law partner factors + C. Skills Transferability factors + D. Additional Points = Maximum 1200 points (Grand Total).

CRS Tool (CRS POINTS CALCULATOR):

The CRS Tool helps in calculating the CRS score. The score is calculated based on the answers provided by you in the CRS Calculator. You can use the CRS Tool in the following scenarios:
• In case you are eligible for at least 1 Express Entry program
• If you want to check your CRS score but factually you have not an Express Entry profile.
• If you want to check whether the change in your profile has affected your CRS score. This happens when you receive an invitation to apply for Permanent residency.

What if The CRS of The Candidate Changes?

Every single candidate is under a moral/legal obligation to ensure the accuracy and updation of their respective Express Entry profile. If any candidate is submitting an application for permanent residence, then he/ she is bound to substantiate it simultaneously in the Express Entry profile too. A mere failure in complying with such rules shall result in the refusal of application. Such an application may be assessed as misrepresented.
As and when the candidate updates/changes the information on his/her profile through his account, then the CRS of that candidate is bound to change. The recent changes with the new CRS will reflect in the information automatically. This is how any new information can be seen in the account once updated.

Round of Invitation For Express Entry Draws:

The number of candidates to be invited to apply for permanent residence is controlled by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC controls this through Round of Invitations system. The Round of invitations for the Express Entry draw are conducted at frequent intervals. The first Express Entry draw for the year 2020 was done conducted on 8th January 2020. The candidates with the highest scores are given preference. There are a set of Ministerial instructions alongside each invitation round. These instructions are posted online at the time of invitation round. The Express Entry system relies on them to invite candidates from the pool.

The date and time of invitation round is included in the Ministerial instructions. Along with this, the number of candidates receiving the invitation and the included immigration programs for the round are mentioned. The score of the lowest ranked candidate with an issued ITA is published at the end of the round. You need to check your score to gauge where you stand in comparison to the lowest score published. By doing so you will get a fair understanding of your chances of receiving an invite.

The Comprehensive Ranking System considers a few factors before allotting points. The best possible way to improve you CRS is through Provincial Nominee Program. Achieving the nomination can boost your score in leaps and bounds. With the larger targets in 2020 and 2021 there are possibilities of larger/ quicker draws. So, dear friends get ready to improve your possibility of grabbing an opportunity to enter the country of your dreams.