Core education points table

Education levelWith spouseWithout spouse
Less than secondary school00
Secondary diploma2830
One-year post-secondary credential8490
Two-year post-secondary program9198
Bachelor’s degree or program of 3+ years112120
Two or more credentials, with one program of 3+ years119128
Master’s or eligible professional degree126135
Doctoral degree (PhD)140150

“With spouse” means an accompanying spouse or common-law partner. If your partner is not accompanying you, or is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, IRCC scores you under the “without spouse” column.

Foreign credentials and the ECA

For education completed outside Canada, you generally need a valid Educational Credential Assessment for Express Entry points. Enter the Canadian equivalency shown on the ECA—not simply the credential name used by the school that issued it.

Two credentials has a specific rule

For the “two or more” category, at least one credential must come from a program lasting three years or more. Two short credentials do not automatically qualify.

Education can affect three CRS sections

  1. Core education: the table above, up to 140 or 150.
  2. Skill transferability: education combined with language or Canadian work experience can contribute up to 50 within that subsection.
  3. Canadian study: an eligible Canadian post-secondary credential may add 15 or 30 additional points.

These awards are separate, but the complete skill-transferability section is capped at 100 and all additional factors together are capped at 600.

Canadian education bonus

Eligible Canadian credentialAdditional points
One- or two-year post-secondary credential15
Credential from a program of three years or longer30

IRCC applies additional eligibility conditions to Canadian-study points. Confirm your credential and study arrangement using the official criteria before relying on the bonus.

Official source

Checked against IRCC’s CRS criteria. This independent guide does not replace an assessment by IRCC.