Which level of education earns the most CRS points in Express Entry?

The CRS awards the highest education points to candidates with a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) followed closely by those with a master's degree or entry-to-practice professional degrees (such as medicine, law, or dentistry — programs that typically require a prior degree for admission). A three-year or longer bachelor's degree ranks below those tiers but still earns strong points, while a two-year diploma, a one-year credential, or a secondary-school diploma earn progressively fewer points.

Education points are awarded differently depending on whether you include a spouse or common-law partner in your profile. Single applicants and applicants without an accompanying spouse receive a larger pool of core education points; those with spouses have a portion of their education points recategorized into the spousal core factors section.

For foreign credentials, you must have a valid Educational Credential Assessment from an IRCC-designated organization to claim the points. Canadian credentials are recognized directly. If you have both a foreign degree and a Canadian degree, you can claim points for your Canadian credential without an ECA, and for your foreign one with an ECA — always claiming whichever is your highest level.