If you wish to immigrate to Canada through one of the programs under Express Entry, then the Comprehensive Ranking System, or CRS, is something you definitely should be familiar with. This system ranks skilled worker candidates who want to immigrate to Canada through a scoring system based on several criteria such as age, education, work experience, and language skills.
What Is The Comprehensive Ranking System?
The Canadian government created a merit-based scoring system that allocates a score to each candidate in the Express Entry pool to rank immigration candidates. This is called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and the CRS score is the number of points issued to each applicant.
Express Entry is in charge of three different programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
A maximum CRS score of 1200 points is assigned to everybody who submits a profile to the Express Entry pool of candidates. The Canadian government holds an Express Entry draw every two weeks, in which the highest-ranking individuals are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency. Note that IRCC does not reveal the date of the draw, the number of ITAs that will be given, or the minimum CRS score required in advance of each draw.
Is There A Way To Increase My CRS Score?
The Comprehensive Ranking System is dynamic and complex, but there are multiple ways to boost your scores and therefore, your rankings, and ultimately, your chances of receiving an ITA and permanent residency.
Work Experience
An applicant’s work experience is a huge part of your Express Entry points since it handles applications to economic immigration streams. However, accumulating more years of work experience merely to boost your Express Entry points may not be simple.
Most applicants fail to maximize the work experience they already have, though. Express Entry utilizes the National Occupational Classification (NOC) matrix. Taking the time to find the proper NOC code that reflects your career history is one of the easiest ways to boost your score.
You’ll need to prove that the NOC codes you declare in your application are accurate, or else you might be found guilty of misrepresenting your work experience.
IELTS Scores
Improving your IELTS score is one of the best ways to increase your CRS score.
Good IELTS results can earn candidates up to 160 points. If you have post-secondary education OR at least three years of work experience plus good IELTS scores, you get an additional 50 points. If you achieve a CLB 9 in all language abilities, you might earn up to 260 Express Entry points solely for your language ability.
You have the option of taking the IELTS as many times as you desire. After you submit your profile to the pool, you can even update your Express Entry profile with new IELTS test results.
Spousal Points
This may not be applicable for some, but if you have a spouse or a common-law partner, you may be eligible for more points through three possibilities.
First, your spouse or common-law partner may earn you more points. They can do this by retaking language tests or getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
The second possibility is that you are a higher scorer as a single applicant. Since those with spouses or partners are scored differently, your profile as a singular application may rank better if you list them as non-accompanying. You can still sponsor them to join you in the future after a period of separation.
Third, your spouse or partner may be the stronger applicant. This possibility may require them to list you as non-accompanying and to just sponsor you in the future after a period of separation.
If you’ve maximized all the possible points you can accrue from the above criteria, there are more ways to possibly boost your CRS score.
Valid Job Offers
A qualifying and a valid job offer from a Canadian employer can give you a minimum additional score of 50 up to a maximum of 200 bonus points. Regularly visit the Canada Job Bank and private job boards including Canada Career Site to connect with Canadian employers that fit your work experience.
You can learn more about How to Get a Job Offer
Provincial Nomination
If you are nominated by a province, you will earn 600 bonus points. Many provinces have nomination programs that are similar to Express Entry, however, it is normally up to the applicant to figure out which programs they are eligible for and how to apply.
Keep in mind that applying for a provincial nomination is generally a separate process.
You can learn more about Provincial Nominee Programs
Education
Returning to school is a substantial financial investment, but it may have a significant impact on your CRS score.
A one-year post-secondary certificate program might get you a lot of points. If you already hold a three-year or more post-secondary degree worth 120 points and enroll in a second one-year program, you can claim an extra 8 points for education alone. You can get an extra 50 points for skills transferability if you already have CLB 9 and two years of Canadian work experience. That’s 58 more points all up for grabs on education alone.
Find out more information about How to Become an International Student in Canada
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