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Regulation 87.2 — CRS — spouse or common-law partner factors

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations r 87.2 Canada Compilation: 2026-03-17 Verified: 2026-05-23

Text of provision

(1) In this section, skilled trade occupation means an occupation, other than a restricted occupation, in any of the following groups listed in the National Occupational Classification:

(a) Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers, excluding Sub-major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers;

(b) Major Group 73, general trades;

(c) Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production;

(d) Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production;

(e) Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and utilities operators and controllers;

(f) Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors;

(g) Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers; and

(h) Unit Group 62200, chefs.

(2) For the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the Act, the federal skilled trades class is prescribed as a class of persons who are skilled trades workers and who may become permanent residents on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada in a skilled trade occupation and their intention to reside in a province other than the Province of Quebec.

(3) A foreign national is a member of the federal skilled trades class if

(a) they have had their proficiency in the English or French language evaluated by an organization or institution that is designated under subsection 74(3) using a language test that is approved under that subsection, the results of which must indicate that the foreign national has met the applicable threshold that is fixed by the Minister under subsection 74(1) for each of the four language skill areas;

(b) they have, during the five years before the date on which their permanent resident visa application is made, acquired at least two years of full-time work experience, or the equivalent in part-time work, in the skilled trade occupation specified in the application after becoming qualified to independently practice the occupation, and during that period of employment has performed

(i) the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification, and

(ii) a substantial number of the main duties listed in the description of the occupation set out in the National Occupational Classification, including all of the essential duties;

(c) they have met the relevant employment requirements of the skilled trade occupation specified in the application as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for the requirement to obtain a certificate of qualification issued by a competent provincial authority; and

(d) they meet at least one of the following requirements:

(i) they hold a certificate of qualification issued by a competent provincial or federal authority in the skilled trade occupation specified in the application for a permanent resident visa,

(ii) they are in Canada and hold a work permit that is valid on the date on which their application for a permanent resident visa is made and, on the date on which the visa is issued, hold a valid work permit or are authorized to work in Canada under section 186 and

(iii) they are in Canada and hold a work permit that was issued under the circumstances described in paragraph 204(a) or (c) or in section 205 and that is valid on the date on which their application for a permanent resident visa is made and, on the date on which the visa is issued, hold a valid work permit or are authorized to work in Canada under section 186 and

(iv) they do not hold a valid work permit, are not authorized to work in Canada under section 186 on the date on which their application for a permanent resident visa is made and

(v) on the date on which their application for a permanent resident visa is made and on the date on which it is issued, they either hold a valid work permit or are authorized to work in Canada under section 186 and

(4) If the requirements referred to in subsection (3), whether or not they are met, are not sufficient indicators of whether the foreign national will become economically established in Canada, an officer may substitute their evaluation for the requirements. This decision requires the concurrence of another officer.

(5) With the exception of the foreign nationals referred to in subparagraphs (3)(d)(ii), (iii) and (v), the foreign national must have, in the form of transferable and available funds, unencumbered by debts or other obligations, an amount equal to one half of the minimum necessary income applicable in respect of the group of persons consisting of the skilled trades worker and their family members.

Plain English

Regulation 87.2 provides a modified CRS scoring table for applicants with spouses or common-law partners. The presence of a spouse or partner affects the scoring in two ways: (1) the maximum core human capital points available to the principal applicant are reduced compared to applicants without a spouse; (2) additional points are available for the spouse's own education, language, and Canadian work experience.

Maximum spousal contribution points: education (10), language (20), Canadian work experience (10), for a total of up to 40 additional points.

Practical effect

The spouse factor creates a complex optimisation problem for couples applying under Express Entry. A spouse with strong human capital factors (particularly language) can add significant CRS points. Conversely, having a spouse can reduce the principal applicant's own core points relative to a single applicant, because the scoring table assumes a portion of language/education points are "shared" with the partner. Strategic planning may involve considering who is the principal applicant in the Express Entry profile.

Information only. Nothing on this page is immigration advice or legal advice. Only an authorised representative (RCIC or immigration lawyer) may give immigration advice in Canada.

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