Score structure
| Section | Maximum | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Core human capital | 500 (single) / 460 (with spouse) | Age, education, language, Canadian work experience |
| Spouse factors | 40 | Spouse's education, language, Canadian work experience |
| Skill transferability | 100 | Education and foreign work experience combined with language or Canadian experience |
| Additional points | 600 | Provincial nomination, French, Canadian education, sibling |
Core points
Points below are for a single applicant; each factor is slightly lower with a spouse.
- Age: 110 at 20 to 29, 105 at 30, 77 at 35, 50 at 40, 0 at 45 and over. 99 at 18, 105 at 19.
- Education: 120 for a bachelor's degree or a program of three years or more, 135 for a master's, 150 for a PhD. Foreign credentials need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
- First official language: 31 per ability at CLB 9, 34 at CLB 10 or higher, summed over four abilities. IELTS General at CLB 9 is listening 8.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0, speaking 7.0.
- Canadian work experience: 40 for 1 year, 53 for 2, 64 for 3, 80 for 5 or more.
Skill transferability
Education combinations (education with language, education with Canadian experience) are capped at 50; foreign work experience combinations are capped at 50; the total is capped at 100. A bachelor's degree with CLB 9 in all four abilities earns 25; a master's with CLB 9 earns 50.
Additional points
- Provincial nomination: 600
- French NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities and English CLB 5 or higher in all four: 50
- Canadian post-secondary education: 15 for a 1 or 2-year credential, 30 for 3 years or longer
- Sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident: 15
Job offer points were removed on 2025-03-25.
Worked example
Age 32, single, four-year Canadian bachelor's degree, IELTS General at CLB 9 in all four abilities, 2 years of full-time Canadian work.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age | 94 |
| Education | 120 |
| Language (31 x 4) | 124 |
| Canadian work experience | 53 |
| Skill transferability (25 + 25) | 50 |
| Canadian education | 30 |
| Total | 471 |
471 is below the 2026 CEC cut-offs of 507 to 523. With a provincial nomination the score is 1,071.
2026 draws
IRCC held no all-program draws in 2026; every round was CEC, PNP-only or category-based. CEC cut-offs ranged from 507 to 523, with the last four at 523, 521, 519 and 518. PNP-only cut-offs ranged from 697 to 805. A provincial nomination adds 600 points, which usually leads to an invitation in a later PNP draw, but no invitation is automatic.
Work out your own score with the CRS calculator.