How to Calculate Your Express Entry CRS Score, Step by Step
Age, education, French, work experience: the official Express Entry CRS grid explained, with Cameroonian profiles scored line by line.
In Express Entry, invitations go to the candidates with the most points: that is your CRS score, for Comprehensive Ranking System. In French, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) calls it SCG, for Système de classement global. The score goes up to 1,200 points, based on a public grid. We explain it step by step, as checked on canada.ca on September 17, 2026, then apply it to Cameroonian profiles.
The four blocks of the score
Core factors cover age, education, official languages and Canadian work experience: up to 500 points if you are single, 460 if your spouse or common-law partner comes with you. Your partner is scored separately, out of 40 points. Skill transferability rewards certain combinations, up to 100 points. Additional points go up to 600. If your partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or is not coming with you, you are scored as a single person.
The factors that weigh the most
For age, education and language, we give the figures for a single person; with a partner, almost all of them are lower. Age earns 110 points from 20 to 29, then 105 at 30, 77 at 35 and 50 at 40. From 45 on, it earns nothing.
A three-year bachelor's degree is worth 120 points, a master's 135, a doctorate 150. A non-Canadian degree only counts with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than five years old. The steps, the designated organisations and the processing times are set out here: Credential assessment
Language is scored ability by ability, in CLB levels, the Canadian Language Benchmarks, called NCLC for French tests. On the TCF Canada, the Test de connaissance du français, each of the four abilities earns 17 points at NCLC 7, 23 at NCLC 8, 31 at NCLC 9 and 34 at NCLC 10 or above. To convert your TCF scores into NCLC levels: TCF Canada score: the scale, CLB conversion and Express Entry points
On their own, your years of work in Cameroon earn nothing. In skill transferability, combined with language, three years of skilled work are worth 25 points with NCLC 7 in all four abilities, 50 with NCLC 9 in all four. The same logic applies to your degree: 13 or 25 points for a bachelor's, 25 or 50 for a master's.
Additional points
French earns 25 points with NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities, and 50 if you also have at least CLB 5 in all four abilities in English. A brother or sister aged 18 or over, who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada, is worth 15 points; your partner's brother or sister counts too. Studies in Canada give 15 or 30 points. A nomination by a province or territory gives 600.
What has changed
From March 25, 2025 to November 2, 2026, a job offer earns no points; it used to be worth 50, or 200 for a senior management position. IRCC announced the removal on December 23, 2024, as a temporary measure against fraud.
In October 2026, IRCC announced a new rule for November 3, 2026. A qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation will be worth 100, 70 or 50 points depending on the occupation's level, without a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Canadian work experience in these occupations will give 70, 40 or 20 points on top of the duration points. The two are not added together: IRCC keeps whichever option gives more points, up to 150 points for this factor, or 140 with an accompanying spouse or partner. The level depends on the occupation, not on your own wage: IRCC ranks each NOC code by the median wage of that occupation in Canada and publishes the list on canada.ca. Rounds of invitations are paused while profiles are recalculated, which could take up to two weeks. From April 23 to May 24, 2026, IRCC consulted the public on a reform that could remove or change the points for French, studies in Canada, siblings and the spouse or partner.
Example 1: single, 30, bachelor's degree, NCLC 7
Bachelor's degree assessed as a three-year credential, three years of skilled work in Cameroon, NCLC 7 in all four TCF Canada abilities, no English test. Age 105, education 120, French 4 × 17 = 68: 293 core points. Transferability: 13 for the degree, 25 for the experience, so 38. French bonus: 25. Total: 356 points.
Same profile at NCLC 9
Age 105, education 120, French 4 × 31 = 124: 349. Transferability: 25 + 50 = 75. French bonus: 25. Total: 449 points, 93 more from French alone. With a master's instead of the bachelor's: 383 at NCLC 7, 489 at NCLC 9. To work towards NCLC 9: the online TCF Prep
Example 2: the same candidate as a couple
His wife comes with him, with an assessed bachelor's degree and NCLC 7 in all four abilities. With-spouse column: age 95, education 112, French 4 × 29 = 116, so 323. His wife adds 8 points for education and 4 × 3 = 12 for French. Transferability: 75. French bonus: 25. Total: 443 points, 6 fewer than as a single person.
Where these scores stand
From February 6 to August 19, 2026, in the ten French-language proficiency rounds, the lowest-ranked candidate invited had between 382 and 420 points, depending on the round. Every round is kept up to date on our tracking page: the latest draws. Cut-offs vary and guarantee nothing. Also, do not confuse the CRS with the 100-point grid of the Federal Skilled Worker Program, where you need 67.
Calculate your score with our tool: Calculate your chances
To check it with us, ask for our free assessment: Get my profile assessed