Group members debated whether Canadian education completed mostly or fully online counts toward CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) education points in an Express Entry profile.
What the group clarified (2020-2022, historical):- Online or distance study does not earn special CRS credit. COVID-era exemptions did not change how education points are counted for Express Entry — studying at a distance doesn't newly qualify someone for extra CRS points.
- The COVID exemption applied only to Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility, not to Express Entry. IRCC's temporary allowance for online classes to count toward PGWP eligibility during the pandemic did not extend to CRS scoring.
- Treat unofficial claims skeptically. Members noted that clarifications on this topic circulated informally rather than through an official IRCC bulletin — always confirm specifics against IRCC's current published policy before relying on them.
Historical note: This thread reflects COVID-19-era policy debates (2020-2022). IRCC's online-study exemptions for PGWP eligibility were time-limited and have since expired; current rules should be verified directly on IRCC's website.