If you are planning to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, your education can make a meaningful difference to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The good news is that you do not necessarily need to return to school immediately to improve your score. Depending on your circumstances, correctly documenting your existing education, completing another qualifying credential, or combining education with strong language results may increase your ranking.
This guide explains how to improve your Express Entry score through education in simple terms, including how education points work, Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs), multiple credentials, Canadian education, and the relationship between education and language or work experience.
Important: Express Entry rules can change. The information in this article reflects the current CRS rules published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Always verify your personal situation using the official IRCC resources before making an immigration or education decision.
What Is Express Entry and Why Does Education Matter?
Express Entry is Canada’s online immigration system for managing applications from eligible skilled workers. Candidates create a profile and are ranked in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System, commonly called the CRS.
The CRS can award up to 1,200 points. These points come from several areas, including age, education, language ability, Canadian work experience, spouse or partner factors, skill transferability and additional factors.
Education is therefore only one part of the picture. However, it is an important factor because your level of education can contribute directly to your CRS score and can also work together with language ability and Canadian work experience under the skill-transferability section.
This means that someone with a strong educational background may have opportunities to improve their score without relying on one factor alone.
How Many CRS Points Can You Get for Education?
The number of CRS education points you receive depends on your highest qualifying educational credential and whether you have an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
For a candidate without an accompanying spouse or partner, the current education points include:
- High school diploma: 30 points
- One-year post-secondary credential: 90 points
- Two-year post-secondary credential: 98 points
- Bachelor’s degree or a program of three years or longer: 120 points
- Two or more qualifying credentials, with at least one from a program of three years or longer: 128 points
- Master’s degree or qualifying professional degree: 135 points
- Doctoral degree: 150 points
For candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, the corresponding maximum education points range from 28 for secondary school to 140 for a doctoral degree.
The important lesson is that higher education can increase your direct CRS education points, but the difference between credentials should be considered alongside tuition costs, time, career benefits and your other possible ways to improve your CRS score.
1. Make Sure Your Existing Education Is Properly Recognized
One of the simplest ways to improve or correct your Express Entry score through education is to make sure IRCC has the right information about your existing qualifications.
If you completed your education outside Canada, you may need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to show what your foreign qualification is equivalent to in Canada.
An ECA does not turn a foreign qualification into a Canadian degree. Instead, it assesses your foreign education and identifies its Canadian equivalency for immigration purposes.
IRCC provides an official ECA results table that explains how different assessment results correspond to education levels and CRS points.
This matters because applicants sometimes underestimate their education level when completing their Express Entry profile. For example, a person may have more than one post-secondary qualification but enter only one credential.
Before submitting your profile, review your education history carefully and make sure your claimed credentials are supported by the required documentation.
2. Consider Whether You Have Two or More Qualifying Credentials
Having more than one post-secondary credential can be particularly important.
Under the current CRS rules, you may receive points for two or more certificates, diplomas or degrees when at least one of the credentials was issued after completing a post-secondary program of three years or longer.
There is an important documentation requirement.
IRCC states that applicants seeking the full education points for multiple credentials need a valid ECA for each foreign credential. You must also enter each relevant study period in the education history section of your Express Entry profile.
For example, suppose you have:
- A three-year bachelor’s degree
- A one-year postgraduate diploma
If both credentials meet the applicable requirements and the necessary assessments are available, you may qualify under the “two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees” education category.
Do not assume that simply having two certificates automatically means you qualify. The length and type of the programs and the assessment requirements matter.
3. Understand How Education and Language Scores Work Together
One of the most useful things to understand about the CRS is that education does not operate completely on its own.
Your education can interact with your official language proficiency under the skill-transferability factors.
For example, under the current CRS rules, a post-secondary credential combined with strong first-official-language results can generate additional skill-transferability points.
A post-secondary credential of one year or longer combined with qualifying language results can provide up to 25 points in this area, while certain combinations involving two or more credentials, a master’s degree or a doctoral degree can reach up to 50 points.
This creates an important strategy for applicants.
If you already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, spending a large amount of money on another degree may not always be the best way to improve your CRS score. Improving your language results may produce a better overall outcome depending on your current profile.
In simple terms:
Education + strong language ability can be more valuable than education alone.
That is why you should look at your complete CRS profile rather than focusing only on your education points.
4. Consider Canadian Education Carefully
Canadian education can provide another potential CRS advantage.
The CRS currently awards additional points for eligible post-secondary education completed in Canada.
According to IRCC, an eligible Canadian credential of one or two years can provide 15 additional points, while an eligible Canadian credential of three years or longer can provide 30 additional points.
These are additional points on top of the points associated with your education level, subject to the applicable requirements.
However, studying in Canada is a major financial and personal decision. Tuition, accommodation, living expenses, program length, immigration eligibility and employment prospects should all be considered.
Do not choose a Canadian program solely because you expect it to increase your CRS score.
Instead, ask:
- Is the institution and program eligible?
- How long is the program?
- What will the total cost be?
- Does the program support my career goals?
- Could it improve my Canadian work experience?
- How will my age and other CRS factors change while I study?
- Are there other, less expensive ways to increase my CRS score?
Education should be viewed as part of a broader immigration and career plan.
5. Your Spouse’s Education Can Also Add CRS Points
If you are applying with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, their education can contribute to your CRS score.
Under the current CRS rules, spouse or common-law partner education can provide up to 10 points. The exact number depends on their education level.
For example, qualifying education can produce:
- Secondary school: 2 points
- One-year post-secondary credential: 6 points
- Two-year credential: 7 points
- Bachelor’s degree or three-year-or-longer program: 8 points
- Two or more qualifying credentials: 9 points
- Master’s, qualifying professional degree or doctorate: 10 points
Foreign education belonging to an accompanying spouse generally needs the appropriate ECA to be counted.
This is an easy area to overlook when calculating a family’s Express Entry score. If your spouse has a degree, diploma or other qualifying credential, make sure you understand whether it can be included.
6. Do Not Confuse an ECA With an Express Entry Qualification
An Educational Credential Assessment is important, but it does not by itself make you eligible for Express Entry.
An ECA is primarily used to establish the Canadian equivalency of foreign education for immigration purposes.
Your eligibility for an Express Entry program depends on the specific program requirements, while your CRS score determines how your profile ranks in the pool.
IRCC explains that candidates must first be eligible for an Express Entry program before entering the pool. Once in the pool, their profiles are ranked using the CRS.
This distinction is important because having a master’s degree, for example, does not automatically mean you will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Your overall profile still matters.
7. Don’t Assume Another Degree Is Always the Best Strategy
A common mistake is thinking:
“My CRS score is low, so I need another degree.”
That may not be true.
Education is only one part of the CRS. Your age, language scores, Canadian work experience, foreign work experience and other factors can also affect your ranking.
For some candidates, improving English or French test results may be more practical than completing another expensive academic program.
For others, gaining eligible Canadian work experience may make more sense.
For someone else, a provincial nomination may be the major opportunity, because a provincial or territorial nomination can currently provide 600 additional CRS points.
The right strategy depends on your individual profile.
8. Check Your Education Before Paying for More School
Before enrolling in a new program, calculate your current CRS score.
Write down:
- Your age
- Highest education level
- Other qualifying credentials
- ECA results
- English test results
- French test results, if applicable
- Canadian work experience
- Foreign work experience
- Spouse or partner information
- Canadian education, if applicable
- Other additional CRS factors
Then identify where your biggest realistic opportunity lies.
For example, if you already have a master’s degree and strong education points, another degree may produce little additional benefit compared with improving your language results.
On the other hand, if your highest qualification is a one-year post-secondary credential, moving to a higher qualifying education category may have a more noticeable effect.
The key is to calculate before you spend.
9. Keep Your Education Documents Organized
Education points are only useful if you can support the information in your Express Entry application.
Keep copies of relevant documents such as:
- Degrees and diplomas
- Certificates
- Academic transcripts
- ECA reports
- Documents relating to multiple credentials
- Canadian educational documents, where applicable
- Official translations where required
IRCC notes that information provided for an Express Entry profile must be supported by appropriate documentation when the candidate submits an application.
Do not claim a qualification simply because you believe it should count. Make sure your documentation supports the information you enter.
If your documents are not in English or French, check the current IRCC requirements for translations and supporting documents before submitting an application.
10. Education Is Only One Part of a Strong CRS Strategy
A high Express Entry score usually comes from looking at the profile as a whole.
Education can provide a strong foundation, but other factors may have a major effect.
For example, language proficiency can provide substantial CRS points and can also interact with education under the skill-transferability factors. Canadian work experience can also affect your score and can combine with education for additional skill-transferability points.
French-language ability can also provide additional CRS points under the current system. Canadian post-secondary education, a qualifying sibling in Canada and a provincial or territorial nomination are among the other additional factors.
This is why the best question is not:
“How can I get more education points?”
A better question is:
“What is the most realistic way to increase my total CRS score?”
That small change in thinking can save you significant time and money.
Education and Express Entry: A Simple Example
Imagine an applicant has a bachelor’s degree, several years of foreign work experience and moderate English results.
The applicant may already have a solid education score.
Instead of immediately enrolling in another university program, they could first investigate whether improving their language results would strengthen their CRS score through both language points and skill-transferability points.
Now imagine another applicant has a one-year post-secondary credential and later completed a qualifying three-year degree.
If both credentials are properly recognized and meet IRCC’s requirements, the applicant may qualify for the education category covering two or more credentials.
The lesson is simple: the best education strategy depends on what you already have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I increase my CRS score by getting another degree?
Potentially, but not every new credential will produce a significant increase in your total CRS score. The value depends on your current education, the new credential, your language results and other CRS factors.
Does a master’s degree give more CRS points than a bachelor’s degree?
Yes. Under the current CRS criteria, a master’s degree can receive more direct education points than a bachelor’s degree. However, your total score also depends on other factors.
Do I need an ECA for my foreign degree?
If your foreign education is being used for Express Entry purposes, an ECA may be required. Check the current IRCC requirements and the designated organization rules for your circumstances.
Can two degrees increase my Express Entry score?
They can, provided the credentials meet the applicable CRS requirements. For the two-or-more-credentials category, at least one credential must come from a program of three years or longer, and foreign credentials require the appropriate ECA documentation.
Is studying in Canada worth it for CRS points?
It can be beneficial for some candidates because eligible Canadian post-secondary education can provide additional CRS points. However, studying in Canada involves significant costs and should be evaluated based on your complete immigration and career plan.
Can my spouse’s education increase my CRS score?
Yes. An accompanying spouse or common-law partner’s qualifying education can contribute up to 10 CRS points.