When you include a spouse or common-law partner in your Canadian immigration application, it can adjust your CRS score in a couple of ways. For personal attributes like age and education, you might get a few less points if you apply with a partner. For instance, solo applicants in their twenties score a bit higher for age than those applying with a partner. However, there's a silver lining: your partner's own education and language abilities can add extra points to your total score.
So while you might lose some points for your individual qualifications when applying with a spouse, you can gain points for your partner's skills and experience. The system is designed to balance out, with or without a spouse, allowing a total of up to 500 points.
If your partner is already a Canadian citizen or resident, though, your application would be assessed as if you're applying alone, potentially giving you a higher score in the personal factors. Overall, the key takeaway is that a partner's credentials can complement yours, which might just be the boost your application needs.
