Low CRS score? Going back to school could be your fastest way to boost it

Canada’s Express Entry system rewards education, but going back to school is not an automatic ticket to a higher Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. For many candidates, the real question is whether the points gained from an added credential will outweigh the points lost to time.

Here is what prospective students and Express Entry candidates should weigh before committing to another program.

The biggest tradeoff: education gains vs. age losses

CRS age points peak between ages 20 and 29. After 30, the score drops year by year. By the early 40s, the decline becomes steep. At age 45 and older, age points fall to zero.

That matters because a new credential takes time. A one-year program can push you into an older age bracket by the time you graduate, get eligible work experience, and enter the pool. The education bump can be real, but it has to beat the age haircut.

For applicants in their early 30s, the timing is especially sensitive. You can lose several points quickly, even while you are doing something that should improve your profile.

You only get one Post Graduation Work Permit

A key limitation catches many people off guard: you cannot receive a second Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

That means a second Canadian credential does not necessarily come with a second open work permit after graduation. If you already used your PGWP, you may have to rely on other options to stay and work, such as an employer-specific work permit. In practical terms, the immigration value of another credential may depend on whether you can lawfully work afterward and build the experience that often makes Express Entry profiles competitive.

Student work hours are not unlimited

International students face limits on how much they can work while studying. Even if you plan to offset costs or gain experience during school, restricted work hours can slow your progress toward stronger work history.

This is important for Express Entry strategy because candidates often need a mix of education, language scores, and skilled work experience. If studying reduces your ability to work, your overall profile might improve more slowly than expected.

How many CRS points education can add

Education can raise CRS in two main ways:

1. Core human capital points for education
2. Skills transferability points, which can increase when education is combined with strong language results

Core education points (single applicant)

In the core section, education points rise with credential level. The CRS values shown here include:

• High school: 30 points
• One-year post-secondary credential: 90
• Two-year post-secondary credential: 98
• Bachelor’s degree or a program of three years or more: 120
• Two or more credentials (with at least one of three years or more): 128
• Master’s or professional degree: 135
• PhD: 150

The message is clear: moving from a bachelor’s level profile to a master’s level profile can add meaningful points. The jump is not always dramatic, but it can be decisive in a tight pool.

Transferability points: education works best with strong language

Education becomes more powerful when paired with language proficiency.

With Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher, a post-secondary credential can generate extra transferability points. If your language results reach CLB 9 or higher across all abilities, the transferability points can reach the maximum in this category.

For example:

• A one-year or longer post-secondary credential can earn up to 25 transferability points with CLB 9 or higher.
• Two or more post-secondary credentials, a master’s, or a PhD can earn up to 50 transferability points with CLB 9 or higher.

This is one of the most practical insights for candidates planning another credential: language scores can multiply the value of education. Without strong language results, the added credential may deliver fewer net points than expected.

A more strategic way to think about “going back to school”

Many applicants treat education as the main lever they can pull. In reality, Express Entry is an optimization problem with deadlines.

Before you enroll, run a simple mental checklist:

• How many age points will you lose by the time the credential is finished?
• Will the credential move you into a higher education band, or just add a second credential at a similar level?
• Can you realistically reach CLB 9? If yes, education can unlock higher transferability points.
• Do you need a PGWP to make the plan work? If you already had one, the second program may not deliver the work authorization you are counting on.
• Will your work experience stall while studying due to limited work hours?

The bottom line for Canada-bound applicants

An added credential can raise CRS, especially when it pushes you into a higher education tier and you pair it with strong language scores. But time is not neutral in Express Entry. Every year can cost age points, and certain immigration tools like the PGWP are not repeatable.

For candidates considering another program, the best outcomes usually come from a balanced plan: education that meaningfully upgrades your level, language results that hit CLB 9, and a realistic path to work authorization and experience afterward.

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