The comprehensive ranking system for those seeking permanent residence in Canada’s Express Entry System is often misunderstood.

A common question for those seeking permanent residence in Canada is how to immigrate through the Express Entry program and how the comprehensive ranking system works. I had a chance to discuss how this all works with immigration expert Michael Sigurdson who is the managing partner at Lyon Stern Immigration.

The first thing he addressed is the common misconception that Express Entry is an immigration program. Express Entry is not an immigration program but rather a system that manages applications for three of the country’s economic immigration programs – Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. 

Further, Express Entry operates as a points-based system using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to score and rank candidates in the applicant pool. Understanding how the CRS works is essential to success under Express Entry.

The CRS has a total of 1200 possible points across four categories: core factors, spouse factors, skill transferability factors, and additional points. The core factors like age, education, language ability, and Canadian work experience can provide up to 500 points based on objective scoring grids published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). For example, the maximum age factor is 110 points for those aged 20-29, declining with age to 0 points by age 45. Education is worth up to 150 points with the maximum for doctoral and Master’s degrees.

Skill Transferability provides up to 100 points based on foreign work experience and education at half the value of Canadian equivalents. The spouse factor awards points based on the core factors for a spouse or common-law partner, to a max of 20 points. This recognizes the human capital of a spouse can also contribute to success in Canada.

The additional points section offers up to 600 points for key qualifying factors like a valid job offer, provincial/territorial nomination, and Canadian education credentials. A job offer alone gives 200 points while a nomination is worth 600 points – catapulting candidates to the top ranks. Canadian education like a degree, diploma or certificate obtained in Canada is worth a maximum of 30 points based on the credential.

In each round of invitations, the IRCC establishes a minimum CRS cut-off score and the top-ranked candidates above that score receive invitations to apply. The cut-off varies each round based on quotas and number of candidates but tends to be in the mid-400s. Candidates are incentivized to maximize their score wherever possible to improve their ranking and chances of being invited. The transparent CRS aims to make Express Entry competitive and objective in selecting the top candidates to apply for permanent residence.