How to Increase CRS Score in 2025 and Boost Your ITA Chances

Canada’s Express Entry system was created by Canadian authorities to match the skills of immigrants with the needs of the country’s job market.

A key part of Express Entry is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which plays a big role in determining your chances of immigrating to Canada. 

Your CRS score is based on factors like age, education, work experience, language skills and any connections you have to Canada.

The higher your CRS score, the better your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. 

Since so many factors affect your score, it’s important to know how to improve it effectively.

In this article, we’ll look at how to increase CRS score, including improving your education, language skills, work experience, and more.

What is the CRS Score?

Express Entry is a Canadian visa created by the Government of Canada to handle applications for permanent residency from skilled workers.

Started in January 2015, this program speeds up the immigration process for people with the skills and qualifications needed to help Canada’s economy.

This type of visa has its own system, which is different from spousal sponsorship, startup visas, and student visa.

Express Entry uses a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to evaluate candidates.

Here’s how the points work:

• Age: Younger candidates (usually 20-29) get the most points, with fewer points as you get older.

• Education: Higher education, like a master’s or PhD, earns more points.

• Language Skills: Doing well on language tests like IELTS or CELPIP gives you more points. These are measured using the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels.

• Work Experience: More years of skilled work experience, both in and outside Canada, means more points, as Canada has high-demand jobs. ‍

• Provincial Nomination: If a province nominates you through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), you get an extra 600 points.

• Canadian Connections: Having studied or worked in Canada, or having a sibling living here, can also add points.

Here’s how the points are divided (out of a total of 1,200):

• Provincial Nomination: 600 points.

• Senior Management Job Offer (supported by LMIA, TEER 0, Major Group 00): 200 points.

• Other Job Offers (supported by LMIA, NOC TEER 1, 2, 3, or TEER 0 outside Major Group 00): 50 points.

• Three years of Canadian post-secondary education, or a master’s, professional degree, or PhD: 30 points.

• One or two years of Canadian post-secondary education: 15 points.

• Other Skills, Work Experience, and Education: 500 points.

• Transferable Skills and Combinations: 100 points.

• Sibling Living in Canada: 15 points.

Candidates with the highest CRS scores are most likely to get an ITA and move closer to becoming permanent residents in Canada.

Effective Strategies to Increase Your CRS Score

To boost your CRS score and improve your chances of success, here are some simple ways to earn more points and move closer to becoming a permanent resident of Canada, so you can live in the city and province of your dreams.

1. Improve Your Language Scores

According to Canadian statistics, Language skills play a big role in your CRS score, with up to 260 points up for grabs.

Make sure you take an approved language test, like IELTS or CELPIP, and aim for the highest scores possible in all four areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 

Stronger language scores can really help boost your overall CRS score.

Here’s a tip: Invest in language classes or tutoring to work on your weaker areas. 

Practice regularly with native speakers or language partners to improve your fluency. 

And if needed, consider retaking the test to score even higher. 

2. Get a Provincial Nomination

Getting a provincial nomination can give your CRS score a huge boost, adding 600 points to your total.

Each province in Canada has its own nomination program, with unique eligibility rules and application steps. 

Keep in mind that each province has its own list of priority occupations, and these lists can change frequently.

Also, if you’ve visited a province before, even as an international student, you might get extra points for that—so it’s something worth considering.

3. Land a Job Offer 

If you can get an employer to sponsor you, that’s a huge plus.

Start by checking job platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed to find potential opportunities. 

Landing a valid job offer in Canada can give you between 50 and 200 extra points, depending on the job type (classified under NOC codes 0, A, or B).

Pro tip: Make sure to showcase your skills, qualifications, and work experience to stand out to Canadian employers.

4. Boost Your Education Credentials 

Your education level plays a big role in your CRS score—higher degrees mean more points. 

Make sure your educational credentials are recognized by Canadian authorities and that you have all the required documents.

If you can, get a Canadian degree or diploma—it’ll earn you extra points.

And if you studied abroad, consider getting your degree evaluated by a recognized organization to make sure it’s valid in Canada.

However, you can also boost your score by pursuing more education, like a master’s degree or a professional certification.

5. Gain Work Experience

Since Express Entry focuses on economic immigration, your work experience plays a big role in calculating your points.

The more work experience you have, the higher your CRS score will be. 

Look for ways to gain more experience in your field, like taking on new projects, freelancing, or even improving soft skills like communication and teamwork to stand out.

If you can get skilled work experience in Canada—even just one year with a valid work permit—it can give your CRS score a nice boost.

In Summary 

How to increase CRS score really comes down to what you’ve got going for you: your age, education, work experience, and ties to Canada, among other things.

If Express Entry isn’t an option for you, or if your score isn’t quite competitive enough, think about coming to Canada as a student, temporary worker, or even through spousal sponsorship. 

‍Gaining Canadian experience can seriously expand your immigration options down the road.

If you’re feeling unsure about how to make this process easier, reach out to Parsam Immigration for help.