April 4th, 2024 at 12:19 am

Tips for improving your CRS score while in the Canada Express Entry Pool

Express Entry programs stand out as good options for prospective immigrants to Canada. This option is recommended because of its quickness, which is consistent with the IRCC guarantee of six months for application processing. Express Entry is the ideal option for anyone seeking accelerated permanent residency due to its shortened application process. Here are some methods for raising your CRS score while in the Express Entry Pool.

Obtaining an ITA is mostly determined by a candidate’s score on the CRS. The likelihood of obtaining an ITA improves with score. To improve your chances of receiving an invitation, you must optimize your CRS score throughout your stay in the Express Entry Pool.

A Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which is required for the Express Entry procedure, considers a variety of human capital factors. These include education, work experience, age, occupation, and language skills.

The minimum CRS scores in recent Express Entry draws, particularly the general ones, have surpassed 500 points. However, looking at the persons in the Express Entry pool as of February 28 provides some fascinating information. Of the 211,487 candidates in the pool, 18,106 had a CRS score greater than 500.

To put this in context, fewer than 10% of Express Entry applicants have CRS scores high enough to be selected in the current general lottery for 2024.

If your CRS score is less than 500, you should assess whether it is worthwhile to apply for the Express Entry pool. It may be questioned if continuing down this path is still desirable, or if exploring alternative options for immigration to Canada would be more advantageous.

Recent Selections from the Express Entry Pool

With each selection round in the Express Entry system, the minimum CRS score required to get an ITA varies depending on the kind of draw.

CRS ratings fluctuated significantly throughout the 2024 Express Entry draws. There have been eleven draws as of March 12.

Six of these draws were open to candidates across all Express Entry programs and criteria groups. For these general drawings, the required CRS score ranged from 525 to 541.

The last four lotteries held this year were limited to candidates who matched the criteria for each category-based selection.

Depending on the category, CRS ratings for these draws have often been lower than for general draws, ranging from 336 to 437. In May 2023, the IRCC launched category-based selection draws to focus on Express Entry candidates who have specific desirable attributes.

These divisions include five vocational categories: healthcare, trades, transportation, agriculture, agri-food, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). There is also a category for people with strong French language skills.

For example, in a February 29th draw for 2,500 ITAs, candidates with French language competency received the lowest score of the year (336). Candidates with a CRS of 365 received 7,000 ITAs in a separate draw held in the same category on February 1.

This means that applicants who do not meet the category-based selection requirements but have a CRS score that is too low for a general draw may still be eligible for an Express Entry ITA. Last year, the IRCC invited nearly 16,000 Express Entry candidates via category-based draws.

Understanding Express Entry – A Gateway to Canadian Immigration.

Express Entry serves as the application management system for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Before submitting an application for any of these programs, candidates must determine their eligibility. To acquire their CRS score, candidates must create and submit an Express Entry profile if they match the requirements. They then wait for the IRCC to mail them an ITA.

Tips to Improve Your CRS Score While in the Express Entry Pool

While waiting for an ITA, Express Entry applicants with lower scores can improve their CRS scores. Any changes to their human capital characteristics might be reflected in their profile.

Language skills.

A recent Statistics Canada study looks at the economic outcomes of skilled immigrants, with a focus on language ability. The study underlines that language ability is the most essential indicator of successful economic integration, surpassing all other factors. For example, research shows that immigrants who read at level 10 (CLB or NCLC) earn 25% more than immigrants who read at level 7.

The Express Entry system allows an applicant without a spouse to get the highest possible CRS score for language proficiency: 136 points. Each of the four tested language skills—speaking, writing, listening, and reading—contributes 34 points to the overall score.

Candidates may take any of the IRCC-recognized language examinations more than once to get their desired score in French, English, or both. These examinations include the Canadian Language Benchmark and the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien.

The tests that qualify are:

• TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core
• IELTS General Training
• CELPIP General Test
• TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français

Education

In addition, the IRCC awards points for greater education. Those without a spouse who complete a one-year post-secondary degree will receive 90 education points, while those who complete a three-year or longer post-secondary degree would receive 120.

This means that, depending on the individual’s circumstances, continuing education may be an effective strategy for increasing their total CRS score.

Applicants to Express Entry programs should begin the application process as soon as feasible due to the impact of age on CRS points distribution.

Age

Applicants who enter the pool between the ages of 20 and 29 (without a spouse) receive 110 points. However, the point distribution gradually shrinks as the candidates’ ages increase. After 30 years of age, the points drop to 95, and they continue to reduce each year until 40 years old, when the maximum points for age drop to 50.

Nominations by Province

Candidates who use the Express Entry system’s Provincial Nomination function will gain an additional 600 CRS points, significantly enhancing their chances of becoming ITA in future drawings.

Applicants who are already in the Express Entry pool have the option of applying as soon as they get an EOI from the provincial government during a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw, or applying directly to the province where they intend to settle. Nomination EOIs and ITAs for Express Entry are extremely similar.

Provinces identify people through the PNP who they believe have the best possibility of successfully integrating into the local workforce and contributing to the province’s economy by filling significant job openings.

Every province offers a variety of streams tailored to meet specific demands within its bounds. These could include looking for candidates for specialized roles, foreign graduates, business owners, and even those willing to work on farms or in rural areas.

Candidates for Express Entry should recognize that the PNP is a separate immigration program. As a result, they must submit a new application to the nominating province, along with a fee.

A nomination provides an advantage in the PR application process, albeit it is not the same as permanent residency. It provides a significant signal to IRCC of a candidate’s potential.

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