How do I convert a CELPIP score to CLB?
You do not need a formula. From level 4 up, a CELPIP level is the CLB level with the same number, so CELPIP 7 is CLB 7 and CELPIP 9 is CLB 9, and each of the four skills converts on its own. Express Entry scores CLB 4 to CLB 10, so a CELPIP 11 or 12 is counted as CLB 10. Enter your four levels in the calculator above, or read them off the chart below.
| CELPIP level | CLB level | Counted in Express Entry as | CRS points, single applicant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | CLB 12 | CLB 10 | 34 |
| 11 | CLB 11 | CLB 10 | 34 |
| 10 | CLB 10 | CLB 10 | 34 |
| 9 | CLB 9 | CLB 9 | 31 |
| 8 | CLB 8 | CLB 8 | 23 |
| 7 | CLB 7 | CLB 7 | 17 |
| 6 | CLB 6 | CLB 6 | 9 |
| 5 | CLB 5 | CLB 5 | 6 |
| 4 | CLB 4 | CLB 4 | 6 |
CELPIP does not report an overall score, so there is no overall CLB either. Immigration programs read the four levels separately: program minimums and the skill transferability tiers look at your lowest skill, while CRS points are added skill by skill. A CELPIP result of 9, 9, 9 and 7 is CLB 7 for every threshold, but it still earns 31 points for each of the three skills at CLB 9 and 17 for the one at CLB 7, 110 language points in all for a single applicant.
What is a CLB level?
CLB is Canada's national language scale, running from CLB 1 to CLB 12. Immigration programs do not read your raw test score, they read the CLB level it converts to, which is how results from five different tests are compared on one ladder. French results convert to the NCLC, the French twin of the scale, and Express Entry treats the two the same way.
A single IELTS General band of 7.5 is CLB 8 in listening, CLB 9 in reading and CLB 10 in writing and speaking, while CELPIP levels are already CLB levels. Because of that, the useful question is not what your CLB is, but what your CLB is in each of the four skills.
Express Entry then reads your lowest skill. Program minimums such as CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the transferability tiers at CLB 7 and CLB 9, all require that level in listening, reading, writing and speaking at once. CRS points, on the other hand, are awarded skill by skill, so a strong reading score still earns its own points even when one weaker skill holds your thresholds down.
What is my CELPIP score in IELTS?
CELPIP levels use the same numbers as CLB from level 4 up, so a CELPIP score converts to IELTS through CLB rather than directly. A CELPIP 9 in listening matches IELTS 8.0, while a CELPIP 9 in speaking matches IELTS 7.0. The table below has every level, skill by skill.
| CELPIP and CLB level | IELTS listening | IELTS reading | IELTS writing | IELTS speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 8.5+ | 8.0+ | 7.5+ | 7.5+ |
| 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 to 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 to 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 6 | 5.5 | 5.0 to 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 to 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 to 4.5 | 4.0 to 4.5 |
Read the row for the skill you are asking about rather than the sheet as a whole. Two people with the same overall IELTS band can land on different CLB levels once the four skills are read separately, and it is the lowest of those levels that decides whether you meet a program minimum.
Is CELPIP 9 the same as IELTS 7?
Not in every skill. A CELPIP 9 is CLB 9 in that skill, and an IELTS band of 7.0 is CLB 7 in listening and CLB 9 in reading, writing and speaking. So an IELTS 7.0 matches a CELPIP 9 in reading, writing and speaking, and sits a step lower in listening, where CLB 9 asks for IELTS 8.0.
This is the gap that catches people who plan around one number. If your target is CLB 9 in every skill, an IELTS sheet reading 7.0 across the board leaves listening short, while a CELPIP sheet reading 9 across the board is CLB 9 in all four. Enter your own scores in the converter above to see where each skill actually lands.
Why does CLB 9 need IELTS listening 8.0?
Because IRCC sets a separate conversion for each skill, and in IELTS the listening band asks for more than the other three at the top levels. In listening, 7.5 is CLB 8 and 8.0 is CLB 9, while in speaking 6.5 is CLB 8 and 7.0 is CLB 9. Your listening is not judged differently, the chart simply asks for a higher band there.
If listening is the skill holding your profile down, practise it on its own rather than through full tests: our Listening practice runs all six parts with an explanation for every question, and Reading, Writing and Speaking each have their own hub.
What score do I need for each CLB level?
Every test has its own score band for each CLB level, and the band changes from skill to skill, so there is no single number to aim for. Pick your test below to see the range that reaches each level in all four skills. Express Entry counts CLB 4 up to CLB 10, and CLB 10 is the top band, so a higher result is counted there as well.
Choose a test
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
One note on TEF Canada: the conversion uses the equivalence values printed on your results, not the score out of 699. If your result sheet shows both, read the equivalence column when you enter your numbers above. TCF Canada works the other way round, with listening and reading given out of 699 and speaking and writing given out of 20.
What CLB do I need for Express Entry, a PNP and citizenship in 2026?
The Federal Skilled Worker Program asks for CLB 7 in all four skills. The Canadian Experience Class asks for CLB 7 when your Canadian work is in a TEER 0 or 1 job and CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 jobs, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program asks for CLB 5 in speaking and listening with CLB 4 in reading and writing. Provincial streams set their own minimums, and citizenship applicants 18 to 54 prove CLB 4 in speaking and listening.
| Program | Minimum level | On CELPIP |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | CLB 7 in all four skills | 7 |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 job | CLB 7 in all four skills | 7 |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 job | CLB 5 in all four skills | 5 |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | CLB 5 and CLB 4 by skill | 5 and 4 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | Set by each stream | Varies |
| Citizenship, applicants 18 to 54 | CLB 4 speaking and listening | 4 |
A minimum is a floor, not a target. Express Entry ranks everyone in the pool against each other, so candidates usually aim well above the entry level: points keep rising to CLB 10, and CLB 9 in all four skills opens the top transferability tier. Your results also have to be under two years old when you submit, so book with that in mind. You can compare upcoming sessions, fees and registration deadlines by city with our test dates tool.
How many CRS points is each CLB level worth?
Points are awarded skill by skill, not on your lowest level. For a single applicant, a skill at CLB 9 is worth 31 points and the same skill at CLB 8 is worth 23, so lifting all four skills from CLB 8 to CLB 9 adds 32 CRS points before any transferability points.
The same level also pays out differently depending on how it is counted. Your first official language is worth the most, a second official language and a spouse or partner's results are worth less, and both of those are capped.
| CLB | First language, single | First language, with spouse | Second language | Spouse or partner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 34 | 32 | 6 | 5 |
| 9 | 31 | 29 | 6 | 5 |
| 8 | 23 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| 7 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 3 |
| 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Language points are only one section of the Comprehensive Ranking System. To see what your levels are worth next to age, education and work experience, carry your scores over to the CRS calculator, which fills in the language section for you.
Common questions about CELPIP to CLB conversion
Does CELPIP 10 mean CLB 10?
Yes. From level 4 up, CELPIP levels and CLB levels use the same numbers, so a CELPIP 10 in a skill is CLB 10. CLB 10 is the highest band Express Entry counts, so a CELPIP 11 or 12 earns the same 34 points a single applicant gets at CLB 10.
What CELPIP score do I need for CLB 7 and CLB 9?
CELPIP 7 in a skill is CLB 7, and CELPIP 9 is CLB 9. Program minimums and transferability tiers read your lowest skill, so CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program means 7 or higher in all four skills, and the top transferability tier means 9 or higher in all four. On IELTS the CLB 9 target is listening 8.0, reading 7.0 to 7.5, writing 7.0 and speaking 7.0.
Does CELPIP give an overall score or an overall CLB?
No. CELPIP reports one level for each of the four skills and no overall score, so there is no overall CLB to work out, and an average of the four levels is not something IRCC uses. Express Entry reads your lowest skill for minimums and transferability, and adds CRS points skill by skill.
Does CELPIP General LS convert to CLB the same way?
Yes. CELPIP General LS reports listening and speaking on the same 12 level scale, and each level is the CLB level with the same number. It is accepted for citizenship, where applicants 18 to 54 need CLB 4 in both skills, but not for Express Entry, which needs all four skills from the CELPIP General test.
Which CLB does Express Entry read, my lowest skill or my average?
Both, for different things. Program minimums and the skill transferability tiers read your lowest skill, so one weak skill holds those back. CRS points are awarded skill by skill, so a strong reading score still earns its own points while you work on the rest.
Do I use the TEF Canada score out of 699?
No. The conversion uses the equivalence values printed on your TEF Canada results, not the score out of 699. If your result sheet shows both, read the equivalence column. TCF Canada works the other way round, with listening and reading out of 699 and speaking and writing out of 20.
How long are my language test results valid?
Your results have to be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and again when you submit your application for permanent residence. If they expire before an invitation arrives, you take the test again.
Is this CLB converter official?
No. It follows the language test equivalency charts published by IRCC and is for reference. The levels printed on your official test results are what your application is assessed on.
How do I raise the skill that is holding my CLB down?
Work on the one skill sitting a level below the rest, because thresholds read your lowest. CELPcore has original, exam style practice for all four skills, with AI scoring on Writing and Speaking and an explanation for every Listening and Reading question.
Disclaimer
These results follow the language test equivalency charts published by IRCC and are for reference only. Check the levels printed on your official test results before you rely on them. Program minimums on this page were checked against canada.ca on September 21, 2026.
CELPIP is a registered trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. CELPcore is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises or with any other test provider named on this page.