Express Entry profile strategy — pick the right stream + maximise CRS

Build an Express Entry strategy for [CLIENT_NAME]. Decide between CEC, FSW, and FSTP; project the CRS score; identify the 3 highest-ROI levers to push before profile submission.

INPUTS
• Age: [AGE]
• Education: [EDUCATION]
• IELTS projected: [IELTS_PROJECTED]
• Canadian skilled work (TEER 0/1/2/3): [CANADIAN_WORK_MONTHS] months
• Foreign skilled work: [FOREIGN_WORK_MONTHS] months
• Primary NOC: [PRIMARY_NOC]
• Spouse: single
• PNP province interest: any

§1 — STREAM ELIGIBILITY DECISION (200-250 words)

Test eligibility for each EE stream:

CANADIAN EXPERIENCE CLASS (CEC) — R87.1:
  ✓ At least 1 year (12 months continuous OR cumulative) of Canadian work experience in TEER 0/1/2/3 within last 3 years
  ✓ Language: TEER 0/1 → CLB 7 each band; TEER 2/3 → CLB 5 each band
  ✓ No education requirement under R87.1 (but ECA boosts CRS)
  ✓ Work experience must be paid + full-time-equivalent + authorised
For [CLIENT_NAME] with [CANADIAN_WORK_MONTHS] months: CEC eligible? [yes/no]

FEDERAL SKILLED WORKER (FSW) — R75 selection grid:
  ✓ At least 1 year of foreign continuous skilled work experience in TEER 0/1/2/3
  ✓ Language: CLB 7 each band minimum
  ✓ Education: secondary or post-secondary
  ✓ Pass the 67/100 FSW selection grid (age, education, language, work, adaptability, arranged employment)
For [CLIENT_NAME] with [FOREIGN_WORK_MONTHS] months: FSW eligible? Calculate the 67-point grid.

FEDERAL SKILLED TRADES (FSTP) — R87.2:
  ✓ TEER 2 or 3 in skilled trades NOC (groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 92, 93)
  ✓ Job offer OR provincial trade certification
  ✓ 2 years of full-time work experience in skilled trade
  ✓ Language: CLB 5 (speaking + listening) + CLB 4 (reading + writing)
For [CLIENT_NAME]: FSTP eligible? Check NOC [PRIMARY_NOC] against skilled trades NOC groups.

§2 — RECOMMENDED STREAM (60-80 words)
Recommend the stream(s) [CLIENT_NAME] should pursue. CEC + FSW dual-stream possible (one profile, eligible under multiple).
Most Indian applicants with Canadian work experience: CEC-primary, FSW-fallback.
Most Indian applicants WITHOUT Canadian work: FSW-only.

§3 — CRS SCORE PROJECTION (300-400 words)

Calculate CRS section-by-section for [CLIENT_NAME]:

A. CORE/HUMAN CAPITAL (max 500 single / 460 with spouse):

Age points (single, max 110):
  18-19: 99 | 20-29: 110 | 30: 105 | 31: 99 | 32: 94 | …(-5/year) | 45+: 0
With spouse: max 100. Calculate.

Education (single, max 150):
  Bachelor's: 120 | 2+ certs / Master's: 135 | PhD: 150
  Canadian education? note — points for Canadian education are SEPARATE (additional bonus)

Language — FIRST official (single, max 160):
  Map IELTS [IELTS_PROJECTED] to CLB. CLB 9 each = 31 each = 124. CLB 10+ each = 34 each = 136.

Canadian work experience (single, max 80):
  1 yr: 40 | 2 yr: 53 | 3 yr: 64 | 4 yr: 72 | 5 yr: 80

B. SPOUSE FACTORS (if single non-single, max 40):
Add up to 10 (spouse education) + 20 (spouse language) + 10 (spouse Canadian work).

C. SKILL TRANSFERABILITY (max 100):
Education + language combo (max 50): CLB 9+ AND post-secondary degree → 50
Education + Canadian work combo (max 50): bachelor's+ AND 2+ years Canadian work → 50
Foreign work + language combo (max 50): 3+ years foreign work AND CLB 9+ → 50
Foreign work + Canadian work combo (max 50): both 2+ years → 50
Transferability TOTAL capped at 100.

D. ADDITIONAL POINTS (max 600):
  PNP nomination: +600 (game-changer)
  Job offer NOC TEER 0 Major Group 00: +200
  Job offer LMIA-supported TEER 0/1/2/3: +50
  Canadian education 1-2 year credential: +15
  Canadian education 3+ year degree OR Master's/PhD: +30
  French CLB 7+ in all 4 (and English CLB 5+): +50
  Sibling in Canada (PR/citizen): +15

Calculate TOTAL CRS for [CLIENT_NAME].

§4 — COMPARE AGAINST RECENT DRAW CUTOFFS (60-80 words)
2024-2025 EE general draws: 470-540 CRS range.
Category-based draws (introduced 2023):
  • Healthcare occupations: cutoffs often 430-490
  • STEM occupations: cutoffs 430-540
  • Skilled trades: 380-440
  • Transport: 430-470
  • French language proficiency: 380-475
  • Education: 460-490
State whether [CLIENT_NAME]'s projected CRS is competitive.

§5 — 3 HIGHEST-ROI CRS LEVERS (120-150 words)
Identify the 3 specific moves to make BEFORE profile submission:

Lever 1: typically improve IELTS from CLB 9 → CLB 10 (+30-40 CRS, 4-8 weeks prep)
Lever 2: typically secure provincial nomination (+600 CRS, game-changer if eligible)
Lever 3: typically third option — French test, additional Canadian work month, sibling in Canada disclosure, spouse profile points

For each lever:
  • Specific action
  • CRS gain
  • Time + cost
  • Risk

§6 — TIMING + PROFILE LIFECYCLE (40-60 words)
EE profile valid 12 months. Submit:
  • Earliest: when all 3 levers are achieved
  • Latest: before age points start dropping (each year past 30 = -5)

End with: "DRAFT EE STRATEGY — for RCIC review. CRS rules update; verify current criteria against canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/criteria-comprehensive-ranking-system.html before profile submission. Category-based draws shift quarterly — monitor IRCC announcements."