Couples and common-law partners
CRS for couples: who should be the principal applicant
If your spouse or common-law partner is coming to Canada with you, the CRS scores you on a different column: fewer points for your own age, education, language and Canadian work, plus points for your partner. Either partner can usually be the principal applicant, and the scores can differ a lot.
By the Express Entry Draws team · Updated
How the spouse column works
With an accompanying spouse, your own core factors top out at 460 instead of 500, and your spouse can add up to 40 (education, language and Canadian work). If your spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or isn’t coming with you, IRCC scores you as single.
| Spouse factor | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Education | 10 |
| First official language (all four abilities) | 20 |
| Canadian work experience | 10 |
Worked example: swap the principal applicant
Partner A: 30, bachelor’s, CLB 9, 2 years of Canadian work. Partner B: 28, master’s, CLB 7, no Canadian work. Both under the November 3, 2026 rules, no job offer, no high-wage work.
| Principal applicant | Own factors and transferability | Spouse factors | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner A, B coming along | 419 | 22 | 441 |
| Partner B, A coming along | 315 | 35 | 350 |
| Partner A scored as single | 452 | — | 452 |
| Partner B scored as single | 338 | — | 338 |
Here Partner A leads by 91 points. A’s CLB 9 and Canadian work earn far more as principal (they count in A’s own factors and again in skill transferability) than as spouse factors, where language tops out at 20 and Canadian work at 10. B’s master’s is worth only 10 as a spouse factor. Note too that A would score 452 as a single applicant: B coming along costs 11 points. Your numbers will differ, so run the calculator both ways.
What to check for your couple
- Score both ways. Put each partner in as principal with the other as spouse.
- Check the principal’s language first. Four abilities at CLB 9 instead of 8 adds 28 core points with a spouse, before transferability; a spouse’s language tops out at 20.
- The principal must qualify for the program. For the Canadian Experience Class, that means the principal has the Canadian work.
Express Entry Draws is not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada, and this page is not immigration or legal advice. Your official score is the one in your Express Entry profile.
Questions people ask
+Does having a spouse lower your CRS score?
It can. Your own core points drop (maximum 460 instead of 500), and your spouse can add up to 40 back. Whether you end up higher or lower depends on your spouse’s education, language and Canadian work.
+Can we choose who is the principal applicant?
Yes, either partner can create the profile if they meet a program’s requirements. Score it both ways before you choose.
+What if my spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident?
IRCC scores you as if you were single, because your spouse isn’t immigrating with you.
Sources
- IRCC, Comprehensive Ranking System criteria, checked October 29, 2026
- IRCC, Express Entry changes taking effect November 3, 2026, checked October 29, 2026