Where am I in the Express Entry Pool?
Since its inception in January 2015, the Express Entry Pool has been one of the mechanisms that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has used to manage the applications of persons wanting to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Eligible candidates applying for permanent residence submit a profile into the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System. Applicants are scored on factors that include:
- Age
- Education
- Language Skills (English or French)
- Work Experience
IRCC frequently selects top-ranked candidates based on the instructions of the Minister and requests applicants to submit an application for permanent residence.
There is one question that many applicants ask once they enter into the Express Entry pool and that is “where am I in the Express Entry pool”? With applicants around the world applying and entering the pool, IRCC gave us a snapshot of where applicants were in the Express Entry pool last year:
Comprehensive Ranking System Score Distribution of Candidates in the Express Entry Pool as of January 3rd, 2016.
| CRS Score | Number of Active Candidates |
| >1000 | 236 |
| 950 – 999 | 219 |
| 900 – 949 | 191 |
| 850 – 899 | 65 |
| 800 – 849 | 66 |
| 750 – 799 | 40 |
| 700 – 749 | 22 |
| 650 – 699 | 11 |
| 550 – 599 | 0 |
| 500 – 549 | 46 |
| 450 – 499 | 1,613 |
| 400 – 449 | 13,537 |
| 350 – 399 | 21,851 |
| 300 – 349 | 18,433 |
| 250 – 299 | 2,832 |
| 200 – 249 | 543 |
| 150 – 199 | 238 |
| 100 -149 | 75 |
| <100 | 23 |
| Total | 60,042 |
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
As can be seen, the majority of applicants are clustered in the 440 to 449, 350-399 and the 300-349 ranges. If you are in the pool, knowing your score can give you an understanding of where you are and explore ways for you to improve your score. Options to improve your score include:
- securing a valid job offer
- improving your language score
- improving your education
- securing a Provincial Nomination
It is important to note that these numbers change daily based on the types of applicants who enter the pool.
Are you in the Express Entry Pool and want to find out how to improve your Comprehensive Ranking System Score?
Contact Kari Davis, RCIC at info@bisonimmigration.com or click here to start your assessment.
Please note: The information provided is for general purposes only, you should not act upon any such information without first seeking qualified professional counsel on your specific immigration matter.
About the Author: Kari Davis is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and founder of Bison Immigration Consulting.