Canada Express Entry: Tips To Increase CRS Score
Canada’s Express Entry system is dynamic, which means that a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CSR) score is not fixed, but can improve if the candidate is willing to put in the effort.
Candidates can try to improve their CRS scores by following the tips mentioned below.
Perfecting the profile
To stand a chance in the Express Entry pool, your profile must accurately represent you. Candidates cannot only earn additional points on their CRS score, but there are also severe penalties for misrepresenting the information provided there.
The first thing to note is that the credentials required to enter the Express Entry pool are not necessarily the same as those that will maximize the CRS score.
Language
Language can be worth up to 290 points and is a valuable factor as determined by the CRS.
Language is also an area that can often be improved because the levels required to enter the Express Entry pool are significantly lower than the level that awards maximum CRS points.
For example, for a Federal Skilled Worker, to enter the Express Entry pool, a minimum language benchmark (CLB) of 7 is required in each language ability such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
However, CLB 10 is the highest language level for which points are awarded within the CRS.
Language is also a valuable CRS factor because it counts points in various sections of the CRS, in areas such as:
the human capital factors;
the “combinations” of transferable ability;
the additional factors.
A CLB of 9 or higher in all four language abilities is needed to earn a maximum of 50 points.
Having even a skill below CLB 9 could prevent the candidate from getting the full 50 points. Conversely, improving a single skill could earn that skill a lot of points.
Education
Education can count up to 230 CRS points and can be enhanced by earning additional educational qualifications by obtaining additional educational credential assessments (ECAs) for existing degrees or by completing another degree.
An ECA is required to earn CRS points for educational qualifications obtained outside of Canada.
Only one ECA from the lead applicant is required to enter the pool for candidates in the Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Class.
No ECA is required to enter the Express Entry pool is required from candidates in the Federal Skilled Trades Class or the Canadian Experience Class.
Work Experience
Better documenting current work experience or gaining additional work experience can help increase a candidate’s CRS score.
Some candidates who have a job title that appears unqualified may have performed duties that are considered skilled under the Canadian National Occupation Classification (NOC).
Going beyond the job title, and measuring the duties you performed against the duties listed in the different NOC occupations, you can help determine whether the job is considered skilled or unskilled. This, in turn, can result in points that you would not have otherwise claimed.
After selecting the correct NOC for your work experience, the next step is to calculate how much time you spent on each job. Points are awarded for full-time or part-time equivalent work experience.
Candidates for the federal skilled worker class must have at least one year of continuous, qualified work experience to enter the pool. However, even non-continuous work experience can count towards CRS points.
Work Experience and Provincial Nomination Programs
Documenting work experience as accurately as possible can also make the candidate eligible for a nomination by the Provincial Nomination Program, better known as PNP.
Express Entry candidates nominated by a Canadian province for permanent residence are awarded an additional 600 points for their CRS score.
The provinces are sometimes looking for candidates with specific work experience that you may have, but that is not considered relevant because it is not related to your main occupation.
