Conversion charts
These are the score ranges IRCC uses in its CRS tool. Find your score in each column; your level for that part is on the left.
IELTS General Training to CLB
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10+ | 8.5 to 9.0 | 8.0 to 9.0 | 7.5 to 9.0 | 7.5 to 9.0 |
| CLB 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 to 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| CLB 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| CLB 7 | 6.0 to 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| CLB 6 | 5.5 | 5.0 to 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| CLB 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 to 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| CLB 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 to 4.5 | 4.0 to 4.5 |
| Below CLB 4 | 0 to 4.0 | 0 to 3.0 | 0 to 3.5 | 0 to 3.5 |
CELPIP-General to CLB
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10+ | 10 to 12 | 10 to 12 | 10 to 12 | 10 to 12 |
| CLB 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| CLB 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| CLB 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| CLB 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| CLB 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Below CLB 4 | M, 0 to 3 | M, 0 to 3 | M, 0 to 3 | M, 0 to 3 |
PTE Core to CLB
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10+ | 89 to 90 | 88 to 90 | 90 | 89 to 90 |
| CLB 9 | 82 to 88 | 78 to 87 | 88 to 89 | 84 to 88 |
| CLB 8 | 71 to 81 | 69 to 77 | 79 to 87 | 76 to 83 |
| CLB 7 | 60 to 70 | 60 to 68 | 69 to 78 | 68 to 75 |
| CLB 6 | 50 to 59 | 51 to 59 | 60 to 68 | 59 to 67 |
| CLB 5 | 39 to 49 | 42 to 50 | 51 to 59 | 51 to 58 |
| CLB 4 | 28 to 38 | 33 to 41 | 41 to 50 | 42 to 50 |
| Below CLB 4 | 0 to 27 | 0 to 32 | 0 to 40 | 0 to 41 |
Want to know how many marks you still need for the next CLB? Try the PTE Core to CLB calculator.
TEF Canada to NCLC
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCLC 10+ | 316 to 360 | 263 to 300 | 393 to 450 | 393 to 450 |
| NCLC 9 | 298 to 315 | 248 to 262 | 371 to 392 | 371 to 392 |
| NCLC 8 | 280 to 297 | 233 to 247 | 349 to 370 | 349 to 370 |
| NCLC 7 | 249 to 279 | 207 to 232 | 310 to 348 | 310 to 348 |
| NCLC 6 | 217 to 248 | 181 to 206 | 271 to 309 | 271 to 309 |
| NCLC 5 | 181 to 216 | 151 to 180 | 226 to 270 | 226 to 270 |
| NCLC 4 | 145 to 180 | 121 to 150 | 181 to 225 | 181 to 225 |
| Below NCLC 4 | 0 to 144 | 0 to 120 | 0 to 180 | 0 to 180 |
TCF Canada to NCLC
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCLC 10+ | 549 to 699 | 549 to 699 | 16 to 20 | 16 to 20 |
| NCLC 9 | 523 to 548 | 524 to 548 | 14 to 15 | 14 to 15 |
| NCLC 8 | 503 to 522 | 499 to 523 | 12 to 13 | 12 to 13 |
| NCLC 7 | 458 to 502 | 453 to 498 | 10 to 11 | 10 to 11 |
| NCLC 6 | 398 to 457 | 406 to 452 | 7 to 9 | 7 to 9 |
| NCLC 5 | 369 to 397 | 375 to 405 | 6 | 6 |
| NCLC 4 | 331 to 368 | 342 to 374 | 4 to 5 | 4 to 5 |
| Below NCLC 4 | 0 to 330 | 0 to 341 | 0 to 3 | 0 to 3 |
CRS points for each level
| Level (each part) | First language, single | First language, with partner | Second language | Partner's language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 3 |
| 8 | 23 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | 31 | 29 | 6 | 5 |
| 10 or more | 34 | 32 | 6 | 5 |
Points are per part, so multiply by four. Second language points top out at 24 (22 with a partner), and your partner's at 20.
Minimum levels for each program
| Program | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker | CLB 7 (or NCLC 7) in all four parts |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 job | CLB 7 (or NCLC 7) |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 job | CLB 5 (or NCLC 5) |
| Federal Skilled Trades | CLB 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing |
Tests IRCC accepts
For English you can pick CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core. For French it's TEF Canada or TCF Canada. One catch: the result can't be older than 2 years. That applies on the day you make your profile, and again on the day you apply.
Common questions
What IELTS score is CLB 9?
Listening is the tough one: it needs an 8.0. Reading, writing and speaking each need a 7.0. Miss by half a band in any part, say a 6.5 in writing, and that part drops to CLB 8.
What IELTS score is CLB 7?
Just a 6.0 in each part. It's the only CLB level where IELTS uses the same number for all four.
Is IELTS Academic accepted for Express Entry?
No. IRCC only accepts IELTS General Training, and a result from the IELTS One Skill Retake won't count either.
Which PTE Core score gets you CLB 9?
Writing needs the highest number, 88. After that it's 84 in speaking, 82 in listening and 78 in reading. Only PTE Core counts here, not PTE Academic.
How long are language test results valid?
Your test has to be under 2 years old on two dates: the day you create your Express Entry profile and the day you send your permanent residence application.
Why does one low part matter so much?
CRS scores each part separately. On top of that, skill transferability points need every part at CLB 7 or higher, and they jump at CLB 9 in all four. One part at CLB 8 can hold back points you would otherwise get.
Sources
- Express Entry: Language test results, canada.ca
- IRCC CRS tool, which holds the score ranges used on this page
- CRS criteria, canada.ca
See what these levels do to your whole score with the CRS calculator.