Top 3 CRS Mistakes Killing Your Express Entry Score

Are You Leaving CRS Points on the Table? 3 Common Mistakes That Lower Your Express Entry Score

If you’re planning your move to Canada through Express Entry, your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is everything. It’s the number that determines whether you’ll receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. But what if your score is lower than it should be—just because of a few overlooked details?

Many hopeful immigrants are missing out on valuable CRS points due to simple oversights or confusion around IRCC rules. Whether it’s not properly counting foreign work experience, ignoring short employment gaps, or choosing the less optimal spouse as the main applicant, these mistakes could cost you your chance at an ITA.

Let’s break down the most common missteps and how to avoid them—so you can make the most of your Express Entry profile.

Key Highlights

• Work experience earned outside of Canada during full-time studies may count toward your CRS score.
• Non-continuous skilled work within the past 10 years can boost your CRS if added correctly.
• Choosing the right spouse as the principal applicant can result in a significant score increase.
• Many applicants forget that remote work or freelance jobs for foreign employers can count as foreign experience.
• Every detail matters—small changes can lead to big jumps in your CRS score.

1. Overlooking Foreign Work Experience During Full-Time Studies

Here’s a common misconception: “If I worked during school, it doesn’t count.” That’s true for Canadian work done while studying full-time—it won’t add CRS points or help meet eligibility for Express Entry. But if you worked outside of Canada while studying (even remotely from Canada for a foreign company), that can count as foreign work experience.

Let’s look at a real-world example. Ahmed, a 28-year-old from Egypt, studied business in Canada and worked summer jobs back home as a Junior Marketing Coordinator. Initially, he only listed his post-graduate Canadian work, giving him a CRS score of 462. But after realizing his Egyptian work qualified as foreign experience, his score jumped to 500 points.

That 38-point difference could be the key to receiving an ITA in the next Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw. So if you’ve held any skilled, paid positions abroad—whether during summer breaks or as remote work—make sure to include it!

Quick Reference: Does Your Work Count?

Need help determining what qualifies? Check out our foreign work experience guide for detailed examples.

2. Ignoring Non-Continuous Work Experience

Another missed opportunity: not including fragmented or non-continuous work. Many candidates think only uninterrupted work experience counts—but for CRS scoring, as long as the work is skilled, paid, and within the last 10 years, it can add up.

Take Lina, a 29-year-old software engineer from Brazil. She had 21 months of continuous work at one company, plus shorter stints at two others. Initially, she only listed the 21 months, which placed her in the “1–2 years” category and gave her a CRS of 444.

Once she added her other skilled jobs (8 months and 7 months each), her total experience rose to over 3 years—boosting her CRS to 469 points. That 25-point increase brings her much closer to receiving an ITA under the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Tip: Don’t dismiss short jobs or contracts. If they were full-time, skilled, paid, and within the past 10 years, they likely qualify!

3. Not Choosing the Optimal Principal Applicant in a Couple

If you’re applying with a spouse or common-law partner, it’s crucial to figure out who should be listed as the principal applicant. Many couples assume the partner with more work experience or an older age is the better choice—but that’s not always the case.

Let’s meet Shahid and Layla. Shahid, 34, is a civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree and over 3 years of work experience. Layla, 29, holds a Master’s in Data Science and also has over 3 years of foreign experience. They first applied with Shahid as the principal applicant and scored just 408 points.

After switching the roles—making Layla the principal applicant—their score jumped to 470 points. That’s a game-changing 62-point increase, just by switching who was listed first on their profile.

Why the big difference? The CRS system favours younger applicants and those with higher education levels—so Layla’s age and degree gave them the edge.

It’s also worth noting that depending on the occupation and language ability of the new principal applicant, your profile might qualify for category-based selection draws. These typically have lower CRS cutoffs, further improving your chances of receiving an ITA.

Final Thoughts: Every CRS Point Counts

Canada’s Express Entry is competitive, and even a few extra points can determine whether you receive an ITA—or wait months for another chance. By fully optimizing your profile—factoring in foreign work during studies, non-continuous job history, and choosing the right principal applicant—you can significantly improve your chances.

Don’t leave CRS points on the table. Take the time to review your Express Entry profile thoroughly. You may be closer to your Canadian dream than you think.

Check Your Express Entry Eligibility Now

Looking into other pathways to boost your chances?

You might also want to explore the Manitoba PNP as an alternative or complementary route to permanent residency. It’s a great option for candidates with ties to Manitoba or work experience in in-demand occupations.