How the CRS score is calculated
Every points table of the Comprehensive Ranking System, the caps that limit them, and worked examples you can check against the calculator.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is the points system IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. A profile can score up to 1,200 points, made up of four parts. The tables on this page are IRCC's published tables, and the calculator is built from the same numbers. The tables were last compared with IRCC's CRS criteria page on October 8, 2026; IRCC's page was dated June 22, 2026 at that time.
The four parts at a glance
| Part | What it covers | Highest score |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | Age, education, first and second official language, Canadian work experience | 500 single, 460 with a spouse |
| B. Spouse or partner | Partner's education, language and Canadian work | 40 |
| C. Skill transferability | Combinations of education, work experience, language and a trade certificate | 100 |
| D. Additional points | Nomination, sibling, French, study in Canada | 600 |
Single: 500 + 100 + 600 = 1,200. With a spouse: 460 + 40 + 100 + 600 = 1,200.
Who is scored with a spouse?
You earn points as if you had no spouse or partner if your partner is not coming with you to Canada, or if they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Only a partner who comes with you and is neither a citizen nor a permanent resident puts you in the "with a spouse" columns and adds points in part B.
A. Core / human capital factors
Highest score: 500 for a single applicant, 460 with a spouse.
Age
Your age on the date you were invited to apply (or your current age if you have not been invited).
| Age | With a spouse | Single |
|---|---|---|
| 17 or younger | 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 older | 0 | 0 |
Level of education
The highest level of education that is a Canadian credential or has an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved agency. A professional degree means medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine or pharmacy.
| Level of education | With a spouse | Single |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 28 | 30 |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year degree, diploma or certificate | 91 | 98 |
| Bachelor's degree, or a program of three or more years | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more credentials, one of them from a program of three or more years | 119 | 128 |
| Master's degree, or a professional degree needed to practise in a licensed profession | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 140 | 150 |
First official language
Points are given for each of the four abilities (speaking, listening, reading, writing), by CLB level for English or NCLC level for French. The highest is 32 per ability with a spouse (128 in total) and 34 per ability single (136 in total). Convert test scores with the CLB calculator.
| Level in each ability | With a spouse | Single |
|---|---|---|
| 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
The same four abilities in the other official language. The points are added up and then capped at 22 with a spouse or 24 without.
| Level in each ability | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 6 |
Canadian work experience
IRCC defines this as working for a Canadian employer in Canada; working remotely counts if you were physically in Canada. The questionnaire on IRCC's tool page asks for skilled work (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) in the last 10 years, paid and full-time or an equal amount of part-time.
| Experience in Canada | With a spouse | Single |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than a 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
Only when your partner comes with you and is not a citizen or permanent resident. Highest score: 40 (10 for education, 20 for language, 10 for Canadian work).
| Level of education | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 2 |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate | 6 |
| Two-year degree, diploma or certificate | 7 |
| Bachelor's degree, or a program of three or more years | 8 |
| Two or more credentials, one of them from a program of three or more years | 9 |
| Master's degree, or a professional degree needed to practise in a licensed profession | 10 |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 10 |
| Level in each ability | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB 4 or lower | 0 |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 |
| CLB 9 or higher | 5 |
| Experience in Canada | Points |
|---|---|
| None or less than a year | 0 |
| 1 year | 5 |
| 2 years | 7 |
| 3 years | 8 |
| 4 years | 9 |
| 5 years or more | 10 |
C. Skill transferability factors
These points reward combinations of factors. There are three groups: education, foreign work experience, and certificate of qualification. Each group is worth at most 50 points, and the whole section at most 100. Within the education and foreign work groups, the two tables are added together before the cap of 50 is applied.
For the language-based rows, the tier depends on all four abilities of your first official language: the lowest ability decides. CLB 7 or higher in all four earns the first column; CLB 9 or higher in all four earns the second. The certificate of qualification table works the same way, with CLB 5 and CLB 7 as its two tiers.
The education rows apply to a post-secondary credential of one year or longer. A secondary school credential or less earns nothing here.
| Education | CLB 7 or more in all four, one or more under 9 | CLB 9 or more in all four |
|---|---|---|
| Post-secondary credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials (one of three years or longer), a master's or professional degree, or a doctorate | 25 | 50 |
| Education | 1 year of Canadian work | 2 years or more of Canadian work |
|---|---|---|
| Post-secondary credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more credentials (one of three years or longer), a master's or professional degree, or a doctorate | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work experience | CLB 7 or more in all four, one or more under 9 | CLB 9 or more in all four |
|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work experience | 1 year of Canadian work | 2 years or more of Canadian work |
|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Certificate of qualification | CLB 5 or more in all four, one or more under 7 | CLB 7 or more in all four |
|---|---|---|
| With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
D. Additional points
Highest score: 600. The items are added together and then capped. A provincial or territorial nomination alone is worth 600, so with any other item the total exceeds the cap and is cut back to 600.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Brother or sister living in Canada (aged 18 or older, citizen or permanent resident) | 15 |
| French: NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities, and CLB 4 or lower in English or no English test | 25 |
| French: NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities, and CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities | 50 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of one or two years | 15 |
| Canadian post-secondary credential of three years or longer | 30 |
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
The 50-point row needs CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities. IRCC's wording does not say what happens when your English results are mixed, with some abilities at CLB 5 or higher and others at CLB 4 or lower. In that case this calculator gives 25 points, which is also what IRCC's online tool does.
Job offers no longer earn points; IRCC removed them on March 25, 2025.
Worked examples
Each example below is added up from the tables above. The calculator gives the same totals for the same answers, and the site's automated tests check every number on this page against the calculator.
Example 1: A single applicant with strong language results
Single, 29, bachelor's degree. IELTS General Training 7.0 / 8.0 / 7.0 / 7.0 for speaking, listening, reading and writing, which is CLB 9 in all four. No Canadian work experience, three years of work experience outside Canada.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 354 of 500 | Age 110, education 120, first language 124, second language 0, Canadian work 0 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 0 of 40 | Not used: you are scored as a single applicant |
| C. Skill transferability | 75 of 100 | Education 25, foreign work 50, certificate 0 |
| D. Additional points | 0 of 600 | Nomination 0, sibling 0, French 0, Canadian study 0 |
A 354 + C 75 + D 0 = 429.
Example 2: A couple, with French as a second language
Age 32, with a spouse who comes along. Master's degree. CELPIP-General 9 in all four abilities (CLB 9). TEF Canada 310 / 249 / 207 / 310 as a second language (NCLC 7). Two years of Canadian work experience and one to two years outside Canada. The spouse has a bachelor's degree, CELPIP-General 7 in all four abilities (CLB 7) and no Canadian work experience.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 385 of 460 | Age 85, education 126, first language 116, second language 12, Canadian work 46 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 20 of 40 | Education 8, language 12, Canadian work 0 |
| C. Skill transferability | 100 of 100 | Education 50, foreign work 50, certificate 0 |
| D. Additional points | 50 of 600 | Nomination 0, sibling 0, French 50, Canadian study 0 |
A 385 + B 20 + C 100 + D 50 = 555.
Example 3: A provincial nominee
Single, 38, two-year diploma. IELTS General Training 5.5 / 5.5 / 5.0 / 5.5 (CLB 6 in all four). Three years of Canadian work experience, none outside Canada. A provincial nomination, and a sibling in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 259 of 500 | Age 61, education 98, first language 36, second language 0, Canadian work 64 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 0 of 40 | Not used: you are scored as a single applicant |
| C. Skill transferability | 25 of 100 | Education 25, foreign work 0, certificate 0 |
| D. Additional points | 600 of 600 | Nomination 600, sibling 15, French 0, Canadian study 0. The section is capped at 600. |
A 259 + C 25 + D 600 = 884. Caps applied: section D is capped at 600 (the items add up to 615).
Example 4: A skilled trades worker
Age 27, with a partner who is not coming to Canada, so scored as single. High school diploma. CELPIP-General 7 in all four abilities (CLB 7). Four years of Canadian work experience and a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 280 of 500 | Age 110, education 30, first language 68, second language 0, Canadian work 72 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 0 of 40 | Not used: you are scored as a single applicant |
| C. Skill transferability | 50 of 100 | Education 0, foreign work 0, certificate 50 |
| D. Additional points | 0 of 600 | Nomination 0, sibling 0, French 0, Canadian study 0 |
A 280 + C 50 + D 0 = 330.
Example 5: French-language skills and a Canadian credential
Age 34, married to a Canadian citizen, so scored as single. Two or more credentials, one of them from a program of three or more years, and a Canadian credential of three years or longer. TEF Canada 393 / 316 / 263 / 393 as the first language (NCLC 10). IELTS General Training 5.0 / 5.0 / 4.0 / 5.0 as the second language (CLB 5). One year of Canadian work experience, three years outside Canada, and a sibling in Canada.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 391 of 500 | Age 83, education 128, first language 136, second language 4, Canadian work 40 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 0 of 40 | Not used: you are scored as a single applicant |
| C. Skill transferability | 100 of 100 | Education 50, foreign work 50, certificate 0 |
| D. Additional points | 95 of 600 | Nomination 0, sibling 15, French 50, Canadian study 30 |
A 391 + C 100 + D 95 = 586.
Example 6: A couple with an applicant aged 41
Age 41, with a spouse who comes along. One-year diploma. PTE Core 68 / 60 / 60 / 69 (CLB 7 in all four). Five years of Canadian work experience and one to two years outside Canada. The spouse has a high school diploma, no language test and no Canadian work experience.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 253 of 460 | Age 35, education 84, first language 64, second language 0, Canadian work 70 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 2 of 40 | Education 2, language 0, Canadian work 0 |
| C. Skill transferability | 76 of 100 | Education 38, foreign work 38, certificate 0 |
| D. Additional points | 0 of 600 | Nomination 0, sibling 0, French 0, Canadian study 0 |
A 253 + B 2 + C 76 + D 0 = 331.
Example 7: The highest possible score with a spouse
Age 25, with a spouse who comes along. Doctorate and a Canadian credential of three years or longer. CELPIP-General 10 in all four abilities, TCF Canada 14 / 523 / 524 / 14 as a second language (NCLC 9). Five years of Canadian work experience, three years outside Canada, a certificate of qualification, a nomination and a sibling in Canada. The spouse has a doctorate, five years of Canadian work experience and CELPIP-General 9 in all four abilities.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 460 of 460 | Age 100, education 140, first language 128, second language 22, Canadian work 70 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 40 of 40 | Education 10, language 20, Canadian work 10 |
| C. Skill transferability | 100 of 100 | Education 50, foreign work 50, certificate 50. The section is capped at 100. |
| D. Additional points | 600 of 600 | Nomination 600, sibling 15, French 50, Canadian study 30. The section is capped at 600. |
A 460 + B 40 + C 100 + D 600 = 1,200. Caps applied: the second official language is capped at 22 (it would be 24); section C is capped at 100 (the groups add up to 150); section D is capped at 600 (the items add up to 695).
Example 8: The highest possible score as a single applicant
The same profile as the previous example, but single, with CELPIP-General 12 / 11 / 10 / 12 (CLB 10 in all four abilities). It reaches the maximum of 1,200.
| Part | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A. Core / human capital | 500 of 500 | Age 110, education 150, first language 136, second language 24, Canadian work 80 |
| B. Spouse or partner | 0 of 40 | Not used: you are scored as a single applicant |
| C. Skill transferability | 100 of 100 | Education 50, foreign work 50, certificate 50. The section is capped at 100. |
| D. Additional points | 600 of 600 | Nomination 600, sibling 15, French 50, Canadian study 30. The section is capped at 600. |
A 500 + C 100 + D 600 = 1,200. Caps applied: section C is capped at 100 (the groups add up to 150); section D is capped at 600 (the items add up to 695).
Where IRCC's online tool differs from the criteria
IRCC's Check your score tool and its CRS criteria page agree on almost every answer. We found two situations where the tool gives fewer points than the criteria. This calculator follows the criteria, and shows a note under your result when your answers fall into one of these cases.
| Situation | IRCC criteria | IRCC online tool | This calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCF Canada as the first official language, an ability at NCLC 4 | 6 points for that ability | 0 points | 6 points |
| French bonus: NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities, with PTE Core as the English test and CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities | 50 points | 25 points | 50 points |
Both look like mistakes in the tool. For TCF Canada it is the only test for which the tool gives nothing at level 4. For the French bonus it counts CELPIP and IELTS results but leaves out PTE Core. IRCC has not said which version is right, so we cannot be certain. In both cases the Express Entry system, not this page and not the online tool, decides your official score.
How accurate is this?
The tables were typed from IRCC's CRS criteria page and language score charts. We then checked them against the scoring code of IRCC's online tool by giving both the same 20,000 random profiles (last done on October 8, 2026). The results agreed, apart from the two cases above.
It is still an estimate. IRCC's Express Entry system decides your official score from your profile and documents, and IRCC changes the rules from time to time.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the points with a spouse lower than the points for a single applicant?
When a partner comes along, the core factors are worth a little less (up to 460 instead of 500), and the partner's own education, language and Canadian work add up to 40 points. Both routes reach the same highest total of 1,200.
What happens if my spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident?
IRCC scores you as if you did not have a spouse or partner. The same goes if your partner is not coming to Canada with you. You get the single-applicant column in every table and no points in section B.
Are job offers worth points?
Not any more. Job offer points (200 for Major Group 00 and 50 for other skilled jobs) were removed from the CRS on March 25, 2025. This guide and the calculator contain no job offer points.
How are the caps applied?
First each factor is scored, then the caps are applied in order. The second official language is capped at 22 points with a spouse and 24 without. Each skill transferability group (education, foreign work experience, certificate of qualification) is capped at 50, and the whole section at 100. The additional points are capped at 600.
How do language test scores become CLB levels?
IRCC publishes a chart for each approved test. The CLB calculator uses those charts for IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
Sources
- Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria: every table on this page
- Check your score: IRCC's questionnaire, with the definitions of each answer
- Language test results: score charts and approved tests
- Who can apply: who can enter the pool