Express Entry
Canada's points-based system for skilled worker permanent residence. Three federal programs feed into it, plus a set of category-based draws that change who gets invited and when.
The three federal programs
Express Entry manages candidates under three programs, and which one you qualify for changes both your eligibility and how your score is calculated.
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) — for candidates with foreign or Canadian skilled work experience, assessed on a six-factor points grid before CRS even applies.
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST) — for candidates with qualifying trade experience and either a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian province or territory.
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) — for candidates with at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada on a valid work permit.
How the Comprehensive Ranking System works
Once you're in the pool, the CRS scores your profile on core factors — age, education, official language ability, and Canadian work experience — plus additional points for a provincial nomination, a sibling in Canada, French language ability, or a Canadian degree.
The score that gets an invitation moves with every draw. Some draws are open to all program-eligible candidates; category-based draws target specific occupations, French-language ability, or other criteria set by IRCC each round. We track which category draws are running and whether your profile fits one, since a category draw can issue an invitation at a lower score than the general pool.
Where most points actually move
For most candidates, the fastest realistic way to raise a CRS score is a provincial nomination — worth 600 points on its own — followed by a stronger language test result and, where applicable, a spouse's language and education factors. We tell you honestly which of these is worth your time before you spend money retesting or waiting on a nomination stream that doesn't fit your profile.
What we do at each stage
- Calculate your CRS score under every program you're eligible for, not just the highest-scoring one
- Identify realistic ways to raise your score before you enter the pool
- Prepare your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) and language test strategy
- Manage your profile once it's active, including nomination applications where relevant
- Handle the Invitation to Apply (ITA) and the full permanent residence application that follows
Find your real CRS score.
Most online calculators miss additional points people qualify for. We calculate it properly, and tell you what would move it.