Canada’s Express Entry system is a merit-based system. A natural component of competitiveness is inherently built into it. Only the candidates with the highest Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS Score) are invited to apply for PR status in the country.
If you have submitted your express entry profile but are unable to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA), the following text was written with you in mind. On this page, you will get the best options you may have to increase your score and get the coveted ITA in the coming rounds of invitations.
To really understand how these tips could be effective, we will first need to comprehend what exactly is the Comprehensive Ranking System and what role it plays in the overall immigration system set up for Canada.
CRS is a logic-based scoring system that awards a certain number of points for a pre-determined list of qualities and attributes in an applicant’s profile. This makes this system highly dynamic. If you’ve created an express entry profile and determined your score, all you can do is wait, right? WRONG!!
As explained above, it’s a dynamic system. A passive approach will not be helpful unless you have a high score. In fact, just sitting and waiting may do you more harm as you may lose points on attributes such as age, dependents, etc.
The CRS score is the fundamental support that makes the Express Entry system truly merit-based and therefore competitive. If one applicant is passive in their approach, the system is pitched against them as they could lose points over time due to changing age and drop off lower into the pool. On the other hand, more ambitious applicants would keep trying to improve their profiles by using the tips below. This would prevent their score from dropping and keep them in contention for the next rounds on ITAs. We highly recommend keeping close tabs and even foresee the changes in your profile to maximize your chances.
Now, let’s talk about some tips that can help you improve your score to a point where you can receive an ITA and start your journey of building a new and better life.
There are a number of factors that you can work with in order to maximize your score. Some of the factors mentioned here will be applicable to everyone while some will be useful for certain types of profiles. It is recommended that you go through them all to keep yourself aware. As you must know by now, things change.
If you have any siblings living in Canada, this can benefit your candidacy if they are either a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
Potential Impact: 15 points
Canada has two official languages: English & French. Candidates stand to gain points from multiple language proficiency tests. Most candidates take only one language test as proof of their proficiency in that language but if you are looking to increase your score in order to meet the cutoff and know both English & French, this is a great option for you.
Potential Impact: 74 Points
If you are applying for PR status from outside of Canada, this can be a hard one. But is still very much in the realm of possibility if you adopt the right approach. Obtaining a qualifying job offer can increase your score by a whopping 200 points. As you can imagine, this is one of the high-impact changes you can make to boost your profile. If you’d like to go this route, we highly recommend that you schedule a free consult with one of our mentors here at GSMP. An early evaluation could give you enough time to prepare yourself to obtain a job offer successfully.
Potential Impact: 200 points
I’m sure you have heard about provincial nominations’ importance in Canada’s immigration system. There is no point in repeating the obvious.
I’m mentioning provincial nominations here because many candidates don’t explore all the PNPs before determining whether they are eligible. Additionally, PNPs are dynamic in their criteria for eligibility. So, if you don’t qualify for a certain program today, it doesn’t mean the end of the road.
There are many factors like your experience, NOC classification, age, etc. which keep changing and can at some point make you eligible. Moreover, various provinces keep changing their list of high-in-demand occupations from time to time. So, always keep an eye on new developments in the PNP programs.
Provincial nominations are undisputedly the most important factor under the Comprehensive Ranking system.
Potential Benefit: 600 points
This method only applies to applicants with a spouse or a common-law partner. A matter that is often overlooked is wisely choosing the primary applicant. Consider the following scenario:
A couple, a man and his wife, want to immigrate to Canada. They have never been to Canada and have lived in France all their lives. He has years of experience as a corporate finance analyst working for a big-name company and has always been top of his class in school. On the other hand, she is a high school teacher with a Bachelor’s degree and a diploma in teaching. They both have the same ability in French and don’t know any English.
Who do you think should be the principal applicant? The one with a higher CRS score, correct? Who has the higher CRS score? The wife does because she is 28 and he is 34. IRCC doesn’t care where you worked or what was your rank in your undergraduate class. They have specific criteria and an applicant’s objective should be to meet those criteria in the best possible way. In the above scenario, the wife was getting maximum points due to her age while the husband was getting fewer points.
To see if you can take advantage of this strategy, speak with a mentor.
Potential Benefit: Variable
