How to increase your CRS score?

Immigration to Canada through Express Entry is competitive. Candidates who score the highest on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) are invited to apply for permanent residency. You have options for improving your CRS score if you’ve submitted your Express Entry profile, but your score is lower than you’d like. You will find the best options to improve your CRS score on this page. It doesn’t matter if you need just a few points to become competitive, or if you need a big boost to land an invitation, we’ll help you get there.

There are several ways to improve a candidate’s score while in the Express Entry pool:

Enhance your language skills

An increase in language skills can impact a candidate’s score but reaching Canadian Benchmark Level 9 or above can result in an extra 100 points, in addition to the 260 points available. If a candidate wants to improve his or her score, he or she needs to continue to study and take the tests while in the Express Entry pool. To maximize the points you can earn, you should have both your English and French skills assessed.

Gain more work experience

a)Experience gained outside of Canada

a) Under Express Entry, non-Canadian experience is less valuable than Canadian experience, but it is still considered. Non-Canadian experience is part of the combination factors, worth 100 points altogether. For instance, more experience combined with a better language score can increase your score. A maximum of three years of non-Canadian work experience earns you points.

b) Canadian experience

Experience from Canada is the gold standard. A candidate gets points for each year of employment in Canada, and additional points are awarded for five years or more of employment in Canada. If the candidate is in the country and working, he or she should keep doing so.

c) Additional experience

A candidate’s experience may be limited in how many points it can receive, but he or she should keep their profile up to date with all their experience. The provinces are searching for experts in specific areas, and those areas can quickly change. Additional experience could lead to a nomination worth 600 points.

Be aware of the big picture

Candidates often focus too much on one factor instead of being aware of all the areas where they can gain points. A well-educated person, for example, may assume they qualify based on their education. Candidates are awarded points in a variety of areas. A candidate’s strength in one factor should make him or her focus on other areas where improvement is needed. As you consider each factor, ask yourself: How can I improve my score? When seeking an ITA, even a small improvement in two or three areas can make a large difference.

Improve Your Education

Are you a graduate of a Canadian institution?

Under Express Entry, international students who complete recognized degrees and diplomas in Canada receive extra points.

Canadian education points under Express Entry

In order to score Canadian education points, the candidate must have:

Attended an educational institution in Canada.

You must have studied or trained full-time for at least eight months.

You must have lived in Canada for at least eight months.

b) Enriching your education while in the pool

The higher the educational level, the more points you will earn, though qualifications obtained outside of Canada must be verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Depending on the level of education already acquired, a candidate can complete a postgraduate or undergraduate degree. Bachelor’s degrees can be worth up to 170 points. This will result in a higher overall score, and it is also a factor many employers consider when screening candidates.

c) Get your qualifications evaluated

Often, candidates only apply to ECAs if they have the highest qualifications. By submitting all post-secondary qualifications, a candidate can increase their score. In the ECA, one qualification might score higher than another, or one qualification might be better suited to the skills sought by a particular province. Whenever possible, candidates should prove a broad educational background.

d) Canadian Experience Class candidates’ qualifications

In contrast, applicants in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) are not required to possess post-secondary education to apply to Express Entry, as is the case for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). CEC candidates do not have to submit their qualifications to an ECA. It does not mean, however, that a CEC candidate’s score will not be boosted by a post-secondary degree. In other words, if a candidate is post-secondary educated, he or she must go through the necessary assessment steps in order to be awarded the points the credential deserves.

Be nominated by the provincial government

Provincial nominations are worth 600 points, making them an excellent way for candidates to rise above the rest of the field. Well-organized candidates will most likely benefit from this route. Employers who can identify a hiring sponsor will also succeed here. Different provinces have different priority occupations, and these can change over time. It is important for candidates to keep their applications current and ready to submit. They should also keep up with the latest news. There are some provinces that simply update their websites when categories open or close. Being aware of when those categories open can mean the difference between 600 points and an ITA, or another six months of waiting. Additionally, candidates who have previously visited a province can earn extra points.

Are you applying with your spouse or partner?

a) Choose your principal applicant carefully

When applying as a couple, candidates may think it is obvious who is better qualified, but that isn’t always the case. Qualified and experienced tradespeople can score better than a spouse with a degree or experience in an area in which Canada already has an abundance of labour. This is also worth keeping an eye out for under the provincial programs, which specify their own in-demand job categories. Age is also an important consideration. Assessing who the best principal applicant is is worth the effort. Additionally, there is nothing to prevent a couple from applying twice, each as the principal applicant.

b) You can score points with your spouse

By increasing Canadian work experience, boosting education or improving language skills, the other person in the relationship may be able to boost the CRS score by as much as 40 points. Qualifying spouses may also receive points under provincial programs.

Be informed

The Canadian government continuously improves the Express Entry immigration system to ensure the right candidates are selected. The provinces and territories also periodically improve their programs to better respond to the many sub labor markets across Canada. If you keep up with both federal and provincial programs, you can adjust to any changes before others.

Consult an employment professional and an RCIC.

Consider hiring an employment professional and an RCIC. RCICs are Canadian immigration consultants who are authorized to represent and are in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). In addition, you will receive an extensive database of potential Canadian employers and other tips that will improve your chances of being hired. In order to maximize their chances, applicants need to learn how to stand out from the competition. More information is available at Skilled Worker and Global Recruiters of Montreal.

Receive an offer of employment

Receiving an ITA is greatly enhanced by securing a job offer and gaining up to 200 points from it. Visiting Canada, along with conducting a comprehensive job search, is the best way to achieve this goal. Whenever a candidate is preparing for a potentially life-changing move, it is wise to visit the country. Apart from providing an insight into what life in Canada is like, a candidate’s chances of landing a job in Canada are significantly improved if he or she can meet face-to-face with employers. Although it is possible to obtain a job offer from overseas, why not take the opportunity to visit Canada?